JUNIORS ROUND-UP: League champions fall foul of Jags
BATHGATE Thistle got their Super League season off to a flier with a stunning 2-0 win at the home of last year's champions Bo'ness United.
The Jags grabbed the points with goals in the second half from Gary Fallon and Lee Johnstone after home side defender Will Snowdon got a straight red card for barging Johnstone off the ball when he was the last man, three minutes before the break.
Johnstone had picked up the ball from the edge of his own penalty area and ran straight through until he was faced with Snowdon who made no attempt to play the ball and knocked him to the ground.
Bo'ness players and management argued with the referee but he had no choice but to produce a red which was the correct decision.
The match didn't start that brilliantly for Bo'ness either after league chiefs forgot to take along the Super League flag to unfurl, leaving the home fans raging.
Bathgate boss Graeme Love said: "To come here and beat last season's winners was a super result for us."
Love had other things on his mind at the end of the game after hearing that former player Mark Bradley had broken his leg while playing for Linlithgow Rose against Tayport.
He added: "We heard when we got back into the dressing room that our friend and ex-player Mark Bradley had suffered a horrendous leg break.
""He was in our Scottish Cup-winning side and is liked by everyone at the club.
"We would like to wish him a speedy recovery from everyone associated at Bathgate and we'll see him next week hopefully.
"As for today's game, I would have been angry if the player sent off had been one of ours. It changed the game, but I was confident we could come down here and get a result."
Five minutes after the break Bathgate made the breakthrough when substitute Fallon squeezed home Steven Payne's cross from the left at the back post before Bo'ness fought their way back into the match.
The Jags' lead was then doubled by Johnstone, playing his first Super League match.
Linlithgow Rose also recorded a first day win over Tayport despite the match being overshadowed by Bradley's broken leg incident.
Tayport's Derek Wemyss was sent off for the horror challenge on 80 minutes.
Rose sub Mark Tyrrell sealed the points with a 25-yard strike in a 1-0 victory.
In the Premier League, Whitburn lost at home 5-4 to Ballingry in a nine-goal thriller. A Craig Condie own goal put Whitburn ahead, but James Adam levelled before Francis Mahon restored the lead.
Adam McDonough and Gordon Bryce put the visitors ahead just before the break, but Gary Millar restored parity on the whistle.
Jamie Gilfillan put Balingry in front again before David Martindale equalised, but with four minutes to go, Shaun Graham secured the three points for the visitors.
Broxburn Athletic won 1-0 away to Kinnoull and Armadale and St Andrews United drew a blank.
In the South Division, Blackburn United beat West Calder United 3-1, Stoneyburn beat Livingston United 2-1, Fauldhouse United recorded a 3-2 win away to Tranent and Harthill beat Pumpherston 2-1.
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Weather for Bathgate
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: -2 C to 5 C
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