IT WAS goals galore at Silver Sands on Saturday as Aberdour roared to the top of the table after a nine-goal thriller with Lochside Rovers.

Lisa MacColl’s team continued their unbeaten run with an immensely entertaining victory over the visitors, who found themselves leapfrogged at the South Division One summit by the West Fifers.

Aberdour had lost their unbeaten start to the campaign in their previous game when Inveraray knocked them out of the Celtic Society Cup quarter-final but coach MacColl said that their performance had given her players “a real lift”.

It didn’t necessarily show early on against Lochside, however, as Brian MacCallum shot the visitors into a fifth-minute lead, but the hosts soon responded when Roddy MacColl arrowed a shot into the roof of the net to level after 24 minutes.

Just four minutes later, Aberdour went ahead when MacColl turned provider for Angus Thorburn to score but, in a frantic opening half-hour, the Oban side equalised when Cammy McCue was unfortunate to divert the ball past his own goalkeeper, Tom Bowerman.

The crowd at Silver Sands were being treated to end-to-end shinty and the game took yet another twist just three minutes into the second half when Michael MacQueen fired home a penalty to give Lochside the lead for the second time.

Aberdour, though, had no intention of losing their unbeaten start to the league campaign and just a minute later they made it 3-3 when Thorburn followed up to score after MacColl’s effort had been saved by the goalkeeper.

Thorburn completed his treble with 20 minutes to go following Jack Mitchell’s short corner and, although play raged from one goal to the other, Aberdour were in no mood to relinquish their advantage.

MacColl grabbed his second by collecting a long ball and shooting towards goal with the bounce deceiving the keeper and he completed his own hat-trick by slotting home from Craig Grant’s pass to complete a fine afternoon’s work for the home team.

Coach MacColl said: "The second half showed a team that really can compete for the league. The forward line are really gelling and the defence and midfield started to get really stuck in and I was impressed by them all in definitely their best game yet. Tom as ever was cool and composed as ever between the sticks and his new wedge has much improved his clearing of the ball."

Meanwhile, ‘Dour’s seconds were also involved in a free-scoring home match on Saturday but they lost by the odd goal in seven to Glasgow Mid Argyll seconds.

The visitors looked on course for victory in their South Division Two clash when three goals in four minutes from Connor MacLeod, Graham Love and Angus McInnes put them 3-0 up with a quarter of the game gone.

Craig Callaghan’s team refused to throw in the towel though and after Lewis Nicol pulled one back in 27 minutes, Kevin Latimer added a second just before half-time.

MacLeod’s second for GMA looked to have finally ended ‘Dour’s resistance and while Robin Bremner’s goal on the hour mark ensured a nervy final 30 minutes, the home side could not find an equaliser.

Aberdour are back in cup action when they travel to Kyles Athletic in the first round of the Macaulay Cup this afternoon. Throw up is at 2.30pm.