Nutmeg, jink and cool finish from Mitch
FORFAR ATHLETIC 0 COVE RANGERS 1
A dominant display from titlechasing Cove Rangers yielded three points, with Forfar slipping to a third straight defeat.
Cove had a chance on three minutes when Harry Milne was on the end of a corner. His volley from six yards looked certain to be a goal, but it was well saved by Forfar keeper Marc Mccallum.
It was the 19th minute before Cove had another clear chance – then two came along at once. Jack Mackenzie produced a brilliant tackle to deny Leighton Mcintosh a tap-in. The ball fell to Rory Mcallister, but Ross Meechan had positioned himself on the line to clear.
Forfar had their moments, too, and John Robertson fashioned a chance for himself, but struck the post from a narrow angle.
The Loons again came close when Florent Hoti hit a free-kick from 35 yards, but Cove stopper Stuart Mckenzie clawed the ball away from the top corner, then got back on his feet to punch clear and prevent Archie Thomas from tapping home.
In the second half, Cove would’ve gone ahead but for a phenomenal save from Mccallum, after Masson latched on to a Mackenzie clearance and volleyed low towards goal. The Forfar keeper got down quickly to block at full stretch with his feet.
Forfar’s resolve was finally broken through a moment of brilliance in the 64th minute.
Cove skipper Mitch Megginson picked up the ball out wide, nutmegged Forfar captain Gary Irvine, jinked past another defender and coolly tucked under the advancing Mccallum.
FALKIRK 0 PARTICK THISTLE 0
Morgaro Gomis came close in the opening minute for Falkirk, but his header slipped wide of Kieran Wright’s post.
But it was Partick who came closer to breaking the deadlock before the interval as Shea Gordon hit the crossbar with a right-foot shot on 38 minutes from Ciaran Mckenna’s cutback.
Two minutes later, it was
Zak Rudden’s turn to curse his misfortune as his shot struck the post with keeper Robbie Mutch well beaten.
Connor Sammon had a chance for the home side moments later, but sent his shot straight at Wright.
Partick’s James Penrice had a decent attempt three minutes
into the second half, but his effort drifted wide.
Josh Todd hit back, but Wright pulled off a fine save to turn his effort past the post.
Partick went down to 10 men on 64 minutes when Rudden was red-carded for an off-the-ball incident.
Anton Dowds went close with a back-post header in the final minutes, but Partick held on.
CLYDE 2 AIRDRIEONIANS 4
The Diamonds went in front early on when Thomas Robert’s windassisted corner beat everyone and landed in the corner of the net.
Another flag-kick almost brought a second, but Sean Crighton headed narrowly wide.
Clyde responded through a
Ross Cunningham effort that was saved by Max Currie.
Airdrie doubled their lead when Dale Carrick was on hand to bundle home after Crighton’s header had been cleared off the line. And the visitors were cruising when Josh Kerr curled in the third.
Clyde claimed a lifeline before the break when Barry Cuddihy drilled David Goodwillie’s pass into the bottom corner.
Hopes of a comeback appeared to have been snuffed out on the restart when Carrick hammered home his second, but the Bully Wee refused to buckle and pulled one back when Ally Love converted Jamie Bain’s cross.
Airdrie, though, played out the last half-hour comfortably to take the points and build on last weekend’s impressive win at leaders Falkirk.