Austin double puts Methil men on top
They made a blistering start and went in front after six minutes.
Pat Slattery’s pass found Nathan Austin and he fired a clinical finish wide of keeper Mark Hurst.
Elgin drew level midway through the half when a Craig Gunn header came back off the post but Dylan Easton slotted home the rebound.
Within two minutes, East Fife were back in front as player- boss Gary Naysmith sent Austin scurrying clear to round Hurst and find the net.
After Elgin’s Easton and Gunn spurned chances, East Fife stepped up a gear and Hurst saved well from Kyle Wilkie, before Austin fired over.
Hurst then pulled off fine saves to deny Kevin Smith and Jonathan Page.
However, victory was sealed for the Methil men when the Elgin keeper spilled a Scott Mercer shot and Smith fired home on 76 minutes.
EAST STIRLING 2 MONTROSE 4
CHRIS TEMPLEMAN opened for Montrose in the 12th minute when he connected with a Gary Fraser pass to fire home from close range.
Shire drew level on the 51st minute when David McKenna levelled.
Six minutes later, Montrose regained the lead when Gary Fraser slotted home from close range.
Montrose extended their lead when substitute Adrian Mallagaray scored with his first touch of the ball.
The home side fought back and Jordan Crainie headed home.
However, Chris Templeman made it 4-2 when he shot past Barnard.
ANNAN ATHLETIC 3 CLYDE 3
EARLY on, it was all Annan and Martin McNiff almost headed them ahead in 20 minutes. But, three minutesa later, they took the lead when Josh Todd shot home from a McNiff cross.
Clyde’s Sean Higgins saw his header go narrowly over in the 28th minute but, two minutes later, the home side were 2- 0 up when Todd got his second goal with a 12- yard shot low into the net.
Matty Flynn should have sealed it for Annan five minutes after the restart but his shot flashed past the post.
Then Clyde took over and Higgins headed in a cross from Scott Linton on the hour mark and, in 68 minutes, Scott McLaughlin fired in the equaliser.
Four minutes later, Annan fans were stunned when Higgins shot home from close in to put Clyde 3-2 up.
Wi t h five minutes left, Pe t e r Weatherson saved the day for Annan when he curled in a 25- yard free- kick for a draw.
STIRLING ALBION 1 ARBROATH 0
ALBION had an early chance Steven Doris went clear but he was unable to beat Allan Fleming.
Arbroath created a couple of good openings in the second half.
Bobby Linn had an effort deflected wide and the same player was denied by a saving tackle by Ross Forsyth. A 0- 0 draw looked certain until Craig Beattie came on to score the winner. The former Scotland striker found the bottom corner after being set up by Steven Doris as Stuart McLaren’s men moved to within a point of the top four.
QUEEN’S PARK 0 BERWICK 0
QUEEN’S PARK’S John Carter turned in a low Sean Burns cross early on but he was offside.
Soon after, Berwick’s Finn Graham shot from 20 yards but Willie Muir turned it wide.
Berwick’s Blair Henderson then lobbed the advancing Muir but his effort drifted wide.
The Spiders came close to scoring with a curling free- kick from sub Chris Duggan cleared the bar on 79 minutes.