Binos get the Blues as Stranraer hit top form
STRANRAER 3 STIRLING ALBION 1
Stranraer delivered a setback to Stirling Albion’s title bid with a comefrom-behind victory.
Stirling started well and Robert Thomson headed them in front from Danny Denholm’s cross.
Stranraer hit back and Grant Gallagher swiped a 20-yard shot narrowly wide.
The home side were level after 31 minutes when Dylan Forrest fired home after good work by Luke Watt.
The Blues continued to press and Josh Walker was denied by a decent stop from Blair Currie. But, four minutes from the break, Sean McIntosh put them in front from close range when he picked out the top corner with a right-foot shot.
Stirling had their chances in the second half, but Gallagher effectively killed them off with a third goal after 61 minutes, thrashing home from close in.
Jordan McGregor and Dale Carrick came close as The Binos tried to salvage something, but Stranraer held firm.
BONNYRIGG ROSE 1 DUMBARTON 1
Rose started brightly and Bradley Barrett struck the bar from 10 yards early on and, in the 25th minute, he had another chance, but skied his shot from 20 yards.
The Sons’ first chance on 32 minutes when Ross MacLean’s shot brought a fine save from keeper Michael Andrews.
Barrett had another chance in the 35th minute for the home side, but his shot went narrowly past. Then, twice in the space of 90 seconds, Kieran Mitchell brought saves from the visiting stopper Brett Long.
The hosts finally got the breakthrough from a penalty just on half-time when Barrett was brought down by Long and Neil Martyniuk converted from the spot.
Mitchell and Kevin Smith both had good chances early in the second half for Bonnyrigg, but both were saved.
Disaster struck on the hour when a cross from the right from sub Edin Lynch was dropped by the Rose keeper, the ball hiting Josh Grigor and into the net.
Dumbarton piled on the pressure after this and Gregg Wylde shot over in the 67th minute, then, five minutes from time, Finlay Gray’s 22-yarder brought a diving save from the home keeper.
FORFAR 1 ALBION ROVERS 0
Ray McKinnon sealed his first win as Forfar manager with an impressive, but narrow, victory at home to Albion Rovers.
The Loons should have had the lead early on, but Nathan Flanagan could only fire his one-on-one straight at Rovers goalkeeper Jack Langfield.
Forfar came close again after captain Craig Slater fired a strike off the crossbar midway through the half.
The hosts led on 33 minutes, Ben Armour the beneficiary after a free-kick pinballed around the away box.
Forfar should have increased their lead just after the restart, but the lively Nathan Flanagan skinned his man and cracked a shot of the inside of the post.
Ten minutes later, Flanagan would strike the same part of the post again, a clinical counter-attack ending in the woodwork being struck.
Forfar should have had the game dead and buried, but allowed the visitors some hope. They looked dangerous from setplays and caused chaos late on, but they could not find a way to snatch a point.
The win sees McKinnon’s men move on to level points at the bottom.
EAST FIFE 1 ANNAN ATH 3
The Fifers started brightly, creating a great chance which was well saved by Greg Fleming.
Tony Wallace opened the scoring for Annan with an all-too-easy passage of play, going 1-0 up in the first 10 minutes.
Annan then had the chance to double their advantage, but Fleming saved Tommy Goss’ penalty.
Fife equalised in the 41st minute, Sam Denham scoring his first for East Fife.
Goss recovered the Galabankies’ lead shortly after half-time, and the visitors proceeded to take the game by the scruff of the neck.
The lead was then stretched as Tony Wallace bagged his second of the afternoon with 10 minutes still to play.
The game then fizzled out, leaving the Fifers with just one point from their last four matches.
ELGIN 2 STENHOUSEMUIR 1
Midfielder Russell Dingwall netted his 12th of the season with a first-time strike from the edge of the box off a cross from the right by Owen Cairns.
Stenny hit back and a defensive mix-up was punished by Thomas Orr, who proceeded to tee up Will Sewell for a firm strike past keeper Tom McHale five minutes before the break.
The Warriors were well on top at this stage and, just when it looked like City were happy to survive until half-time, they pounced at the other end of the pitch.
Dingwall’s free-kick into the box was nodded across by Ross Draper for Kane Hester to smash home a close-range volley, his 22nd goal of the campaign.
Elgin dominated for long stretches of the second half and Hester was twice denied by Stenny keeper Jay Cantley.
But it took a fabulous one-handed stop by home keeper McHale from Euan O’Reilly’s powerful header to keep the visitors at bay and ensure a vital three points for the Black and Whites.