Cowan cracker ends all square

Drymen hit back for share of spoils

Drymen United.......2 Killearn..................2

Tom Yuill Reigning Forth and Endrick champions Drymen United and last season’s runners-up Killearn shared four goals in a thrilling match on Saturday.

Killearn had the better of the first half but Drymen, still understrength, held them to 0-0 at halftime then took the lead through Jamie Alexander early in the second half with Killearn looking for an offside decision.

Ally More set up Killearn’s equaliser for Alistair Moore and both sides went hammer and tongs for the winner.

With five minutes left Fraser Cameron put Killearn ahead but deep in stoppage time Craig Cowan’s 30yard free- kick thundered past the keeper for well-deserved equaliser.

Early pacesetters Buchlyvie United went back to the top of the table with a narrow home win in a well-contested match with Balfron Rovers.

The visitors had more of the ball early on but found it difficult to get through a well-ordered defence and United who took the lead when the Balfron keeper failed to gather a long ball and Steven Butler was left with an easy score.

With an hour played Jonny Moir added a second and although Balfron’s Ross Mackenzie netted with 10 minutes left, Buchlyvie held on for the win. Gartocharn had a big win against a weakened Deanston side and by half time goals from Dougie Stewart (2), Chris Poole and Andy Slovick had given them 4-0 lead.

In the second half Stewart completed his hat-trick, Slovick and Poole each added a second and Scott Mitchell and John McQueen took the total to nine against a single counter from Deanston.

Aberfoyle, fresh from a sixgoal win over Deanston, found Blanefield Thistle an entirely different proposition and were on the receiving end of a 6-1 defeat.

Thornhill notched up their first win of the season with an odd-goal win in their local derby with Gargunnock.

Scott Dineley put them ahead with the only goal of the first half.

Gargunnock drew level after a goalmouth scramble but Chris Addison scored late on to secure full points for the ‘Hill.

Fintry notched their first win of the season with a 3-1 win over fellow strugglers Kippen.

Only four games were played on Tuesday but they produced an amazing 30 goals - including 11 in one match.

Buchlyvie held on to the top spot but the 5-3 win at Kippen was a much closer result than anyone expected.

Even closer was the fixture at Drymen, where Thornhill were the visitors.

United seemed to be cruising with a 5-1 lead but a spirited fightback by the visitors almost turned the match round and in the end Drymen were relieved to win 6-5.

The closest of all was not unexpectedly the Blanefield v Gartocharn encounter where it ended 2-2.

In the other match played Gargunnock were far too strong for a Fintry side, who conceded seven goals even though their keeper Steven Skinner was their top man before retiring injured.

The other two fixtures were cancelled, neither Aberfoyle or Deanston being able to raise a team.

Aberfoyle conceded their match to Balfron while the Deanston v Killearn fixture may be re-scheduled.