Skipper Niall is hero with headed winner
HOLYTOWN COLTS ................................. 1 DOUNE CASTLE ....................................... 2
In a match played in dismal conditions, Doune endured a day of frustration against lowly Holytown Colts before securing the points with a late winner from skipper Niall McClure.
Castle pressed from kick off and Robbie Hurst saw two early efforts cleared off the line before they opened the scoring.
Ross Macfarlane delivered the perfect diagonal cross from a wide right position and from 14 yards out, Sean Wilbert bulleted a strong header beyond the keeper into the postage stamp corner.
Doune dominated on the counterattack but much to their annoyance, the referee repeatedly judged them to have strayed offside.
Totally against the run of play, Holytown came close to equalising but Callum Davison rescued Doune with a timely block and they went in at half-time with a 1-0 lead.
The visitors thought they had doubled their lead on 54 minutes when Wilbert rammed the ball into the net from six yards but again the referee ruled it offside.
And their ire was raised even further when Holytown equalised after 70 minutes. Doune were incensed when the referee awarded the softest of spot kicks but the penalty-take shut out the complaints tohammer the ball home for the equaliser.
That injustice triggered an angry response from Doune. They piled forward looking to restore a lead that had rarely looked in danger.
On 73 minutes, Christopher
Macdonald curled a corner to the backpost. McClure towered above the home defence and his powerful downward header flew into the net for 2-1, despite a frantic effort on the goal-line to clear.
Doune avoided any late setback and were content to play out until the final whistle ensured they recorded a muchdeserved, if frustratingly disjointed win.
Doune Castle: Davison, Macfarlane, McClure, Mann, D Innes, Gibson, McClymont (A Innes), Wilbert (Kerr), Hurst, Duszynski, Macdonald. Sub: Tully