Allan McGonigal's men remained in four cup competitions and emerged as unlikely contenders to take the Whyte & Mackay East Superleague title.

However, the Brown Cup exit proved to be the start of a disappointing week. A defeat at Lochee United last Saturday followed and all but ended their championship prospects.

Then Bathgate sent them crashing out of the St Michael Cup two days later, meaning they had lost three games in the space of just seven days.

Yet it is not all gloom and doom for the Mariners and they still have much to play for this season. They are in the semi-final of the Fife & Lothian Cup, the quarter-final of the East of Scotland Cup and can still finish second in the East Superleague.

To have a chance of doing the latter, however, they will need a victory over Whitburn Juniors – a team they play this Saturday at Central Park (kick-off 2.30 p.m.).

Lochee United 4
Blackwood 15, 36, Bell (og) 28, Middleton 33

Camelon Juniors 2
Donnelly 10, Lister 60
Whyte & Mackay East Superleague


CAMELON went into this game boasting eight away wins out of eight in the league.

And they knew that it would take another victory on the road against the title favourites to keep their championship hopes alive.

They got off to a great start when Steve Ballantine and Jimmy Lister carved open an opportunity for Chris Donnelly to fire them into a 10th minute lead. Yet the opener was against the run of play as Lochee had already won half a dozen corner kicks.

And United were duly back on level terms when Paul Millar was dispossessed and Paul Blackwood fired the ball home.

Camelon's defence simply couldn't deal with Lochee keeper Ian Ross's long kick-outs and, time and again, corners were conceded as they tried to clear his punts. It was three such corners that led to Lochee adding a further three goals before the break.

The first came when Camelon keeper John Hutchison punched clear but the ball rebounded off Bryan Bell and into the net.

Bell then sliced a clearance into the path of Gary Middleton and he unleashed a terrific strike that gave Hutchison no chance.

Just three minutes later another corner for Lochee saw Chris Roberts' inswinger bounce off the crossbar, hit Blackwood in the face and end up in the net.

On the hour mark Camelon did pull one back when Donnelly put Lister through and the striker produced a trademark finish.

That completed the scoring but not a miserable afternoon for Bell who was sent off for a tackle on the half way line. Lochee also finished with 10 men when Gareth Dailly was dismissed following a second yellow.

Camelon Juniors 1
Shirra 23

Bathgate Thistle 4
McGrillen 22, 65, 88 (pen), Elliot 44
St Michael's Cup round 2

FOR the second Monday in a row Bathgate sent Camelon crashing out of a cup competition when a Paul McGrillen hat-trick proved the difference.

The former Falkirk striker fired Thistle ahead with a strike from 18 yards but that lead lasted less than a minute as Andy Shirra equalised in almost identical fashion.

Graeme McLaren headed just wide and Jimmy Lister was denied by a good save from Andy Cornin.

A minute before the break however, Bathgate went ahead again when Alan Neil headed a corner kick back across the face of goal for Barry Elliot to force the ball home.

The Mariners went in search of the equaliser after the break yet Bathgate stretched their lead when an awkward bounce let McGrillen through to take full advantage in typical fashion.

Four minutes later Camelon had a solid penalty claim waved away when Donnelly appeared to be pulled back by Willie Wilson.

The home crowd were not too happy at that, and even less impressed with the referee when he awarded Bathgate a spot kick with two minutes remaining.

Fraser Love went down far too easily in the box but it was enough to convince the whistler, who also booked Steve Graham even although the Camelon man made no contact whatsoever.

Still, McGrillen wasn't complaining as he stepped up to complete his hat-trick from the spot.