Megginson’s double as Cove storm back
EAST FIFE 2 COVE 3 It perhaps summed up relegated East Fife’s season that they managed to throw away a two-goal lead and suffered another defeat.
League 1 champions Cove Rangers arrived at Bayview in high spirits and almost raced into an early lead when Jamie Masson scampered clear of the Fife defence. The midfielder managed to get his shot away, only to see it clip the top of the crossbar and drift to safety.
At the other end, the Fifers passed up a great chance to go ahead when Finlay Pollock was afforded a sight of goal, only to screw his shot wide.
An opening goal wasn’t long in arriving and it fell the way of the Fifers when Danny Denholm capitalised in a mix-up in the Cove defence and rolled the ball into an empty net.
It was soon 2-0 as Kyle Connell picked up the ball 18 yards out and curled a magnificent effort beyond Stuart Mckenzie.
Cove pulled one back before the break, though, when Leighton Mcintosh was tripped inside the box. Mitch Megginson stepped up and sent Jude Smith the wrong way from the spot.
Early in the second half, Denholm went one on one with Mckenzie, but failed to get a good connection on his effort and the Cove goalie saved comfortably. The hosts blew another chance when Ryan Blair headed wide from six yards.
They were made to pay on 55 minutes when Cove’s Megginson netted his second of the game.
Paul Hartley’s side got their noses in front for the first time seven minutes later when Mark Reynolds reacted first to a bobbling ball in the box to nod in.
ALLOA 4 MONTROSE 1
Alloa dominated the early play, but were reduced to 10 men in the 21st minute when Andy Graham fouled Elijah Simpson in the box
and was sent off. Graham Webster put the visitors one up from the penalty.
The home side responded and, in the 26th minute, equalised as Euan Henderson fired in a
right-foot shot from the edge of the box from a Conor Sammon cross.
In the 47th minute, Henderson again scored when he converted a Ross Maciver cross.
Two minutes later, the same partnership set up the third goal and, from the edge of the box, Henderson’s shot beat Aaron Lennox for his hat-trick.
Maciver set up Henderson for his fourth of the afternoon when the striker connected with his cross and blasted the ball past Lennox.
DUMBARTON 2 CLYDE 1
Dumbarton head into this week’s play-off semi-final with Edinburgh City at Ainslie Park on Tuesday off the back of this morale-boosting win over Clyde.
They opened the scoring after 11 minutes when Kristoffer Syvertsen spun away from a defender to slot home.
Sons missed chances to add to their lead before the visitors equalised on half-time, Lewis Jamieson finishing from an angle.
A scrappy second half looked set to end in stalemate, but, with eight minutes left, a counterattack by the hosts ended with
Gregg Wylde netting the winner with a composed finish.
Clyde had Kevin Nicoll sent off late in the game for a wild tackle on Josh Oyinsan.
QUEEN’S PK 1 FALKIRK 1
Darren Lyon fired an early chance wide for the hosts, with Bob Mchugh sending a cheeky scissors-kick over the Falkirk bar on 17 minutes.
Anton Dowds came close to firing the Bairns ahead on 24 minutes, but it was the Spiders who took the lead four minutes later. Luca Connell led a breakaway that took him from his own half deep into Falkirk territory. He cut the ball back for Jai Quitongo, who fired into the net from 18 yards.
Eight minutes from the break, Keaghan Jacobs picked out Dowds with a cross, but his header was straight at Calum Ferrie.
Falkirk looked to get level early into the restart, with Charlie Telfer testing Ferrie after a quick turn and shot, before former Scotland striker Griffiths headed wide.
The pace of the game died down after this and it looked to be petering out until Falkirk’s Callumn Morrison swooped on the ball at the edge of the box and turned away from his marker before slotting into a corner.
AIRDRIEONIANS 1 PETERHEAD 1
The hosts gave league debuts to keeper Jay Cantley and on-loan Justin Devenny.
Early on, Airdrie’s Dean Ritchie volleyed wide of goal, while Peterhead’s Scott Brown hit a 25-yard effort into Jay Cantley’s arms soon after.
With 14 minutes gone, Kyle Macdonald’s strong run from the left was followed up with a powerful drive, but Brett Long stretched to take the ball.
The visitors took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Simon Ferry cut the ball back to Grant Savoury and his clipped effort at goal struck the left post high before landing in the net.
On the hour, Matthew Mcdonald’s cross from the right was put into his own net by Ferry for the leveller.
In 63 minutes, the referee awarded a spot-kick for a foul which looked outside the box. Scott Brown, though, missed by firing the penalty high over.