Mixed bag for promotion challengers

It was mixed fortunes in their respective East of Scotland title bids for Linlithgow Rose and Whitburn at the weekend.

The Rose fell to second place in the Premier Division after a shock 3-1 away defeat against relegation-threatened

Hill of Beath Hawthorn in just their third league loss of the campaign.

That result, coupled with Penicuik Athletic’s 2-1 away win at Crossgates Primrose, means the Rose are now a point behind the Cuikie but having played a game more.

The Haws opened the scoring on 18 minutes through Ryan Connelly before Gordon Herd’s side pulled back on level terms just after the half-hour mark thanks to Alan Sneddon.

However, the home side netted twice in the second half to pick up the points in front of a bumper crowd of 584 with the match featuring in the East of Scotland groundhop day.

Connelly made it a double just three minutes into the second half before ex-Rose striker Ross Allum completed the scoring with an injurytime penalty.

While Linlithgow faltered, Whitburn made no mistake with a 5-0 victory away to Bathgate Thistle to ensure they climbed to the top of the Conference X table.

Andy Thomson opened the scoring with a header on 19 minutes before Martin Maguire doubled the lead in similar fashion while Reece Duncan fired home at the back post to put the Burnie three goals up at the break.

Darren Liddell on 70 minutes and Martin McGarahan five minutes later completed the rout and ensured the Burnie jumped above Bo’ness Athletic and into top spot.