Buchlyvie are in seventh heaven
After the opening weekend debacle in which all six matches were called off, the Forth and Endrick League card almost survived intact with only one postponement - the pitch at Blanefield being still unfit for play.
A week late, the league competition started last Friday evening when Buchlyvie travelled to Thornhill.
The visitors were never in trouble and ran out 7-2 winners with goals from Jonny Moir (4), David Haggarty, Fraser McLaren and new man Graeme Rankin.
Buchlyvie’s five-goal margin was not equalled on Saturday in any of the matches played so United are top of the table on goal difference, a position which could be enhanced if they successfully claim the points for their first game which Deanston belatedly called off.
Killearn went to Fintry and the anticipated big win for the visitors did not quite materialise.
This was due to some sloppy finishing by Killearn, some hard luck - the woodwork saved Fintry three times - but above all to a heroic display by Fintry keeper Steven Skinner.
He made innumerable fine saves to keep the Killearn tally down to three - a brace for Ally More, who also laid on the other goal for Killearn’s new man Paul Carey. Gartocharn, still a bit rusty against Kippen, were far too good for their opponents and rattled in four goals without reply. Their scorers were Matt Hendry, Chris Poole, Charles McPherson and Gregor Mitchell.
Gargunnock and Aberfoyle lived up to their “well-matched” tag with a sixgoal draw with Jordan Campbell, Stuart Campbell and Callum McDougall being the Rob Roy scorers.
The fixture between Blanefield and Deanston was postponed due to pitch problems and will be played at a date to be arranged.
Drymen have still to register a number of players and conceded their match to Balfron. The clubs, however, went ahead with a friendly fixture in which Drymen were able to field their as-yet unregistered players and the so-called friendly went ahead as if the title was on the line.
Balfron had more of the ball in the early stages, but could not find a way through a tight Drymen defence, and it was United who went ahead when Scott Cowan scored.
However, Ross MacKenzie and Andy Pender gave Balfron a 2-1 lead before the interval.
In the second half Gordon Reid made it 3-1 from the penalty spot but Cowan cut the deficit to a single goal before MacKenzie wound up the scoring with Balfron’s fourth goal.