Sauchie Juniors 2, Whitburn 3

WHITBURN ran out winners over Sauchie Juniors in a battle of two halves at Beechwood Park.

A minute’s applause rang around Beechwood Park before kick-off, held for the passing of former player John ‘Jock’ Simpson.

A brief spell at the club, amongst others, Jock was better known as being the long-serving sports reporter of the Alloa Advertiser.

There were two changes from last weekend’s victory over Kello Rovers: a return for Sean Robertson between the sticks and Mark Smith tasked to lead the front line. 

After some initial contained play in the middle of the park, it was Sauchie who had the first opportunity - a cross from Stuart McDowell reaching Jack Fisher’s head at the far post but there was not enough to direct the effort goalwards. 

Whitburn hit back, a fantastic run from winger Harrison Edwards getting the ball into the box for Ross Crawford, the striker unable to get a foot on the chance. 

The home side began to control the game, this much to the joy of Manager Fraser Duncan, who spoke to Advertiser Sport: “We looked well on top, we looked good for a goal, we’ve dominated that first-half.

“We’re creating the chances, distributing the ball and with the opportunities, we could have at least scored two or three.”

Patience paid off as Sauchie were rewarded with a goal, another cross from McDowell, this time into the crowded box and for the waiting Smith to tap home.

Smith and fellow striker Ross Kavanagh linked up nicely for what could’ve been a second, opposition goalkeeper Daniel Farrell putting a stop to the attack with a close-range save.

The visitors did strike level two minutes from the interval, as Kevin Fotheringham beat the offside trap and slotted past the Sauchie goalkeeper.

Both teams came out looking for their second goal. The West Lothian side grabbed their first, a shot initially off the post rebounding to the feet of Darren Liddell into an empty net.

With some individual chances earlier in the game, Fisher got his goal with a strike from outside the box as Sauchie drew level this time.

In the blink of an eye, the away side were back in front, with Crawford chipping Robertson from just inside the box. 

The hosts chased in the latter stages for an equaliser to try and split the points, but this wasn’t to be, with the closest opportunity coming from Rhys Caves, only for this to sail over the bar. 

Assessing the game over the 90 minutes, Duncan said: “Football is a game of two halves, and that showed, we’ve dominated the first half, they then get what is a sucker punch goal just before half-time.

“Then Whitburn were the better team in the second half, they’ve taken their two chances really well, and we’ve not been able to take any.” 

A second defeat in the league, and the manager is determined not to let this deter his squad from their positive start.

He continued: “I don’t want to take anything away from the start we’ve had, but this was one of the big ones, we said we wanted to win our home games.” 

This Saturday sees the side on their travels, contesting a place in the second round of the Scottish Cup with Highland League side Strathspey Thistle. This is a 3pm kick-off at Seafield Park in Grantown-on-Spey.

Sauchie Juniors: Robertson, Willaghan, Hutchison, Thomson, Caves, Kavanagh, McDowell, Williamson, Smith, Isaacs (Cunningham 46’ (Swain 85’)), Fisher 

Substitutes Not Used: Davidson, Sludden, Burt, Severin