East of Scotland League: Crossgates Primrose three unbeaten

PRIMROSE boss Alan Campbell admitted to having "mixed feelings" after his 10-man side claimed a point on Saturday.

The visitors, playing their second of four successive away matches, opened the scoring just after half-time when Brian Ritchie finished off a well-worked team goal.

However, a red card issued to John Ward in the 54th minute – a decision Campbell described as one of the "strangest" he had seen – saw Crossgates fall a man short, before conceding quickly from Brad Donaldson.

Although they had opportunities on the break to find a winner, Primrose had to settle for a point, and Campbell said: "I was relatively happy on Saturday. We started the second half really well, scored a great team goal, and then the game changed on probably one of the strangest red cards I've seen in my entire time in football.

"It was an innocuous challenge; nobody thought it was a booking, never mind a red card. We then lost a soft goal – I think there were only a couple of minutes between that and the red card – but I think we were a wee bit startled by what had happened.

"In the last half an hour, I thought we were brilliant. I was really pleased with the guys. We limited them to next to nothing, and we had a few opportunities on the break.

"I'm pleased with the way we reacted. We stood up to the challenge and came away with a hard-earned point but I have real mixed feelings."

On Tuesday evening, Primrose were on the road again, this time at Tynecastle, and emerged with a 2-0 win.

Ritchie was again on the scoresheet, netting four minutes after half-time, with Scott Lawrie's 66th-minute effort sealing the three points, despite Crossgates receiving another red card, this time for Andy McDonald in stoppage time.

East of Scotland League, Premier Division: Linlithgow Rose 1 Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts 0

PAT SCULLION is confident results will come for his Swifts side if they can continue the standard of performance at leaders Linlithgow Rose.

The hosts secured their 14th successive win in all competitions thanks to Jack Ogilvie's close-range finish in the opening period.

Inverkeithing, however, more than played their part in a keenly-contested encounter at Prestonfield, and were denied what looked to be a penalty when player-boss Scullion was pushed over by Gary Thom at a corner.

Linlithgow went straight up the pitch and were awarded a spot-kick when Michael Patterson was adjudged to have felled Sandy Cunningham but goalkeeper Neil Mitchell saved Sean Heaver's effort.

The visitors had chances, with Greig Spence going close twice, as did Callum Murray, but they couldn't find a leveller to claim a point.

Ahead of their match at home to Jeanfield Swifts last night (Wednesday), which ended 1-1, with Liam Evans on the scoresheet, Scullion said: "We had a gameplan that we went there with, and I thought the boys did really well in carrying out the instructions.

"You would expect them to have chances against us so we had to show a bit of character in our defending and on the ball, and I think we did that.

"Greig had a couple of decent chances that, on another day, he might have scored, and Callum had a good chance as well. We did well and there were good individual performances across the team. The boys gave a really good account of themselves and, from a performance perspective, I was really pleased with what I saw at the weekend.

"If we can keep putting in performances like we have been over the last few weeks, I'm sure results will follow. The boys are doing everything we're asking of them."

East of Scotland League, Premier Division: Haddington Athletic 2 Oakley United 1

OAKLEY UNITED manager Peter Goldie said it was "beyond belief" that his side came home with nothing to show for their efforts.

After Guy McGarry gave the hosts the lead midway through the opening period, Brian McAdam pulled the visitors level on the stroke of half-time, but Shaun Hill's 63rd-minute penalty restored the Hi Hi's advantage.

Oakley were themselves awarded a spot-kick but their failure to convert, or take at least one of a number of openings they created, saw them slip to a third successive defeat.

Goldie, who handed a start to loan signing Jason Watson, from Kennoway Star Hearts, commented: "In the first half, Haddington came out and were the better team. Second half, we battered them – how we've come away with nothing is beyond belief.

"The last 15-20 minutes, we put them under the cosh, but couldn't put the ball in the net. At this level, you need to take your chances.

"I was very disappointed not to come away with at least a point because I felt we deserved it on Saturday. This Saturday, we go to Blackburn, and that's a game we're looking to go take points from.

"We need to try and get points on the board and stay in the mix, especially before Christmas."

East of Scotland League, First Division: Rosyth 1 Burntisland Shipyard 3

ROSYTH'S defeat was a "wee bit of a reality check" according to their boss.

Greig Denham is hoping, however, that his side can bounce back when they visit Camelon on Saturday, where he and number two Steve Kerrigan managed previously.

Since taking over in September, Denham had led Rosyth to four wins from five games, three of which were achieved at home with clean sheets into the bargain.

Ben Anthony opened the scoring from the penalty spot for Shippy after 20 minutes before Reece Wardle doubled their advantage five minutes later.

An own goal from goalkeeper Scott Costello gave Rosyth hope early in the second half but, after Tam Hampson, who was sent off late on, had a penalty saved, Cammy Lewis sealed the visitors' victory with six minutes remaining.

"It was a wee bit of a reality check," Denham said.

"We had a number of opportunities but we were just not clinical enough. I don't think anybody at the game could say the boys didn't work hard. The missed penalty took the wind out of our sails and gave them a lift."

Saturday's fixtures (kick-offs 2.30pm unless stated): East of Scotland League, Premier Division – Blackburn United v Oakley United, Dundonald Bluebell v Crossgates Primrose, Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts v Hill of Beath Hawthorn (2pm). First Division – Camelon v Rosyth.