Bull are off the Mark

The New year brought new hope for Black Bull Rovers who picked up their first win of the campaign in a thrilling clash with Ruthwell Rovers. Josh Adams and Owen Brown had put Ruthwell 2-0 up but a stunning free kick from Shabaz Ali and a Stuart Walker strike sent the sides in level at half time. Steven Graham hit a second half brace to put Black Bull in front, Grant Bryson reduced the arrears but Connor Houston restored the two goal lead for the Bull and a thumping long range counter for Owen Brown was not enough to deny Rovers the three points. In the Premier Kelloholm Arms also started the New Year with a rare win as an Ian Bell double and Calum Kilpatrick goal were enough to see off Palmerston Colts who replied through Craig Kerr and Liam Malcolm. Leaders Moffat picked up another three points but were made to work from them against bottom side Queens Bar. Queens goals came from Kenneth Meader and Mark Carruthers. Second placed Nithside lost ground as they were held by Annan Town. Annan went two up through Carl Crosbie and Mark Rogerson but Nithside came back strongly and a Thomas Nicholson brace rescued a valuable point. Third placed Hole in the Wa also lost ground as they drew with Normandy Star. Gary White opened the scoring with a tenth minute free kick for Normandy but the Wa were level on the half hour as Eddie Marshall was first to react to a save. The second half was a similar affair with Corey Thomson firing Normandy back in front but Hole in the Wa earning a point after fine work by Tommy Goss setting up Mikey Devlin to equalise. Soccer Sixes winners Morton Youth climbed three places as they picked up a good win at Scaur. Ben Dempster fired Morton ahead but Benn Nisbett equalised for the home side but Ben Dempster pounced again to put Morton back in front. A double from Jordan Barker rounded off a good win for Youth. Match of the day in the First Division saw Dumfries Athletic come from behind to leapfrog Park Thistle to second in the table. Dougie Rae scored twice in the first half for Park but Dumfries stuck to their task and Liam Watson reduced the deficit, Cain McKie levelled the match and Gary Wight pounced late on to earn all three points. Runaway leaders Five Arches Bombers show no sign of slipping as they were ruthless in a seven goal demolition of Summerhill. Duncan Smith added three more to his personal tally, with Graham Jamieson also bagging a brace and Callum Rankine and Cahir McLochlainn also on target. Finally Loreburn Thistle stopped their poor run with a good win at FC Annan, Jamie Rae scoring twice and Keiron Linwood also finding the net in a 3-0 win.