AFTER Sauchie Juniors' first league game of the season, boss Fraser Duncan told Advertiser Sport that it was crucial his team were not caught short one week into the season.

With two games ending in defeat and being a goal down in the third, it was beginning to look like that might happen.

Sauchie were always in the game and when a chance came their way, they either didn't take it or were just missing that little bit of luck that can sometimes be so crucial in tightly-contested games.

However, with less than 30 minutes to go, that slice of luck finally came and Sauchie equalised.

And by the time the referee blew the final whistle, the home side could feel hard done by that they weren't able to claim all three points.

A ball floated into the box from out wide looked like it would be dealt with easily by Linlithgow Rose's defence; however, the ball was completely miskicked and Sauchie sub Christopher Brown found himself staring into the goal from less than six yards out.

He made no mistake in putting the ball past the keeper.

After the goal, Sauchie started to play the better football and you got the sense that the goal gave all the players a confidence boost.

All of a sudden everyone wanted to hold on to the ball instead of get rid of it at the earliest opportunity.

Brian Morgan, who recently rejoined the club, hit an absolute wonder striker from the edge of the box that clipped the post and fell wide.

On another day, it hits the opposite side of the woodwork and goes in for Sauchie to claim all three points.

Unfortunately, Sauchie just couldn't find that second goal to take the win, but the most important thing is the team finally have a point on the board.

Two defeats from two games in four days threatened to leave Sauchie facing an uphill battle before the season had even really got going so it was imperative that this match didn't also finish in defeat.

The home side began the match well and were enjoying most of the possession; however, Linlithgow Rose began floating balls into their striker Jonathan Court and he was able to bring the ball down on his chest.

The tactic proved a problem for the home side and it helped the visitors get up the park, winning free kicks and holding on to possession.

Shortly after Sauchie failed to put a rebounding ball into the visiting side's net, Linlithgow Rose took the lead. Again, it's Court causing problems and he managed to bundle the ball past Charles Clark who couldn't do much more about it.

Almost instantly, Rose almost doubled the lead – Court controls a long ball brilliantly but he can't beat Clark.

The keeper then makes a great save to deny the visitors' captain Ruari MacLennan with an outstanding overhead kick.

Half-time then came and it gave the home side time to regroup. Clark was called into action almost immediately and he denied Colin Strickland who was through one-on-one with the keeper.

Clark would repeat his heroics shortly after, denying Willis Hare who again found himself with only the keeper between him and the goal, but the Sauchie keeper got down well again to deny him and keep the score level.

Sauchie clawed their way back and found the all-important equaliser through Brown. With time running down, Sauchie looked the side more likely to score with Morgan coming within inches of a winner, but it was not to be.

As the game fizzled out, Sauchie found themselves defending deep and when the final whistle went, the players rejoiced.

This was a hard-fought point against a good side and although they can feel aggrieved they didn't take all three points, one point on the board is better than none.

Now they just have to keep adding to their tally.

SAUCHIE: Clark, Syme, Tully, Gold, Turnbull, McGaughie, Morgan, Collumbine, Finlayson, Crawford, Smith. SUBS USED: Brown, Donaldson, McTaggart, Docherty.