Binos battle back twice for a two-point cushion
STIRLING ALBION 2 DUMBARTON 2 Stirling twice came from behind to stay two points clear of Dumbarton at the top of the table.
In a hard-fought encounter littered with yellow cards, the Sons started well and went ahead in 20 minutes when Ross MacLean headed in a Kalvin Orsi cross.
Albion were level in 35 minutes when Jack Leitch swung in a corner and Robert Thomson headed past keeper Brett Long to score against his former club.
Stevie Farrell’s men were back in front seven minutes after the interval when the home defence failed to clear a long throw and midfielder Finlay Gray swept the ball beyond Blair Currie.
Thomson grabbed the equaliser in 70 minutes with another header from a Leitch corner to keep the Binos unbeaten since early December.
Dumbarton have the chance to return to the top when they host Forfar on Wednesday and they take on Stirling in another rearranged fixture on Tuesday, April 11, which could have a huge bearing on the destiny of the title.
ALBION ROVERS 0 BONNYRIGG ROSE 1
Kieran Mitchell gave Bonnyrigg a hardfought victory and hoisted them off the bottom.
Callum Wilson came close with a header for the home side early on which drifted just wide of target.
Kerr Young directed a header straight at Jack Leighfield from a Lee Currie corner as Bonnyrigg hit back.
Blair Malcolm tested Paddy Martin with a long-range effort midway through the first half, which the goalkeeper took two attempts to hold.
The lively Charlie Reilly carved out a chance for Sean Fagan, but his volley flashed narrowly wide.
It was end-to-end stuff and Kieran McGachie was not far away for Rose with a header following another Currie corner.
Bonnyrigg made the crucial breakthrough after 62 minutes when Mitchell slotted home a left-foot shot after Young headed the ball across goal.
Leighfield did well to block a Dean Brett effort as Bonnyrigg sought to kill off their opponents. Martin kept out a lastminute header from Adam Fernie at the other end to secure the three points.
STENHOUSEMUIR 1 FORFAR ATHLETIC 1
This was the proverbial game of two halves as Stenny were the stronger team in the first half and Forfar the stronger in the second half. The Warriors took a deserved lead in the 11th minute when Gavin Reilly stroked home from a Matty Yates pass.
The home side almost doubled the lead with the last kick of the half when a Yates corner was met by Michael Anderson, but his effort was diverted just by the post by Nicky Jamieson.
The second half saw Forfar start the better of the two teams and they equalised in the 57th minute with Craig Slater creating an opening with good footwork before steering the ball home.
The Loons felt that they had scored the winner in stoppage-time when a Steph McCluskey effort was adjudged to have been cleared off the line by Adam Brown, with Forfar claiming that the ball had crossed the line. Visiting captain Andy Munro booked for his opinions.
ANNAN ATHLETIC 0 STRANRAER 0
Annan maintained fourth place with a hard-earned draw in the local derby with Stranraer.
They had the first chance in the eighth minute, but Dominic Docherty fired a 20-yard shot past the post.
The visitors fought back and Luke Watt came close with a free-kick two minutes later and Annan keeper Greg Fleming came to the rescue on 20 minute when he stopped a 12-yarder from Matthew Grant.
Aides Smith’s shot from edge of the box went inches past in the 23rd minute and, three minutes later, Rob McCartney had a great chance, but his shot went past.
It was end-to-end play, with Chris Johnston sending a shot over the Stranraer bar in the 40th minute and, just before the interval goal, home ace Tommy Goss struck the same bar from 10 yards.
Annan continued to have the best of the chances and Reece Lyon shot over on the hour mark. Tommy Muir’s header from a corner also came close, but went narrowly past.
In the 77th minute, Annan almost went ahead when Aiden Smith’s shot hit the post with a left-foot effort after a scramble.
At the other end in the 85th minute, Matthew Grant should have clinched it for The Blues, but he shot past from five yards.