Blackburn United 2 Sampson 21p, 82p
Jeanfield Swifts 4 McLaren 6, 11, Simpson 45, Forrest OG 50

Burnie started with a re-shuffled defence as captain Marcus Millar was ruled out though illness. James Mildren took the armband in his 200th appearance for the club.

After only two minutes Calum Heath saw a free-kick saved by Sam Townsley in the Swifts goal, and then at the other end Ewan Moyes headed over from a corner.

A minute later Swifts took the lead when a shot from just outside the box from Connor McLaren took a deflection off David Wilson and looped over Welna into the net. It was McLaren again who was on hand to double the lead shortly after when he was unmarked in the six yard box to power a header past Welna from a Scott cross.

Burnie fought back and when it looked as though Kyle Sampson was breaking into the box he was brought down by Moyes who was shown the red card for denying a goal scoring opportunity. A free kick was awarded whick Townsley saved from Sampson.

However Burnie did get a goal back when Sampson again broke into the box and was brought down by Townsley. He dusted himself down to convert the spot kick. Heath then had a chance to equalise but his effort was tipped over.

After the frantic opening, the game settled down as Swifts adjusted to being a man down and right on half-time they grabbed a third when a high bouncing ball on the edge of the box looked to be covered by David Wilson, but a nudge in the back by Paul Simpson was somehow missed by all officials, he took possession and slotted past Welna.

The opening minutes weren’t much better for Burnie and a low cross into the box was stabbed into his own net by Adam Forrest.

Swifts were happy to protect their three-goal cushion as Burnie huffed and puffed to get a foothold back into the game, which didn’t come until the 82nd minute when Richie Hutton was brought down in the box and it was Sampson again who converted the spot kick.

The ten men though saw out the game to claim all three points.

Blackburn United: Jakub Welna, James Mildren, Joe Osbourne (Sam Thomas 86), David Wilson, Adam Forrest, Dominic Kane (Scott Richards 70), Calum Heath, David Howe, Sam Nicolson (Richie Hutton 62), Daryl Meikle (Jerry Otonti 62), Kyle Sampson. Unused subs: John Binnie,. Laurie Devine, Craig Saunders.

Jeanfield Swifts: Sam Townsley, Aaron Whitehead, Kieran Sweeney, Connor McLaren, Fraser Smith, Chris McLeish (Adam Leese 87), Paul Simpson (Rannoch Ramsay 80), Gary Fergus (Chris Dodd 67), Chris Scott, Scott Smith, Ewan Moyes. Unused subs: Mark Mitchell, Scott Mollison, Elliott Scott.

Referee: Rhys Struthers Assistants: Will Pare, Peter Dawson

Blackburn United 0
Sauchie Juniors 1 Connor 79

Calum Heath tested Clark with a free kick after only seven minues, but this was a game contested by two evenly matched sides with few chances. The visitors first real chance came on 25 minutes when Danny Smith tested Saunders who got down well to gather his effort. It was Smith again ten minutes later but he flashed his shot wide across goal. Heath then had another effort before half time comfortably gathered by Clark.

Approaching the house mark Sauchie came closest to opening the scoring when McCaughie got on the end of a cross and headed against the post, and Saunders done well to get down to block the follow-up. A minute later David Howe broke into the box but fired his effort just past Clark’s far post.

The only goal of the games came with 11 minutes remaining when Daniel Connor got onto the end of a cut back to tap the ball into the net. Burnie pressed for a quick equaliser and Adam Forrest broke through the Sauchie backline by Clark tipped over his drive.

Sauchie claimed all three points and moved into second position in the league as a result.

Blackburn United: Craig Saunders, James Mildren, Kyle McClung (Adam Forrest 65), David Wilson (John Binnie 86), Marcus Millar, Dominic Kane (Sam Thomas 53), Calum Heath, Daryl Meikle, Sam Nicolson, David Howe, Emre Karaduman (Jerry Otonti 65). Unused subs: Joe Osbourne, Laurie Devine, Jakub Welna.

Sauchie Juniors: Charles Clark, Ross Hutchison, Scott Davidson, Grant Dickie (Daniel Connor 71), Danny Smith, Sam Davidson (Kris Kelly 90), Alastair Peacock, David McCaughie, Connor Willaghan, Jack Docherty (Conor Kelly 71), Brian Morgan, Unused subs: Ross Balmer, Jon Tully, Sam Collumbine, Evan Collumbine.

Referee: Ryan Lee Assistants: Barry McNab, Jamie Murray.

Blackburn United 6 Hutton 2, 19, 48, Richards 30, Heath 52, Gould 76
Value of Leithen 0

Richie Hutton bagged a hat-trick as Blackburn United sealed an emphatic 6-0 home win over Vale of Leithen.

The East of Scotland Premier Division basement boys arrived in West Lothian off the back of picking up their first league win of the campaign but an assured performance from the Burnie swept away any hopes of a second straight triumph.

The home side were firmly in the driving seat within two minutes as Hutton produced a moment of magic.

The winger robbed Gary Tickle of possession on the halfway line before charging down the flank, cutting inside on the edge of the box and effortlessly stroking the ball beyond Lewis Sanderson for the opener.

He doubled his account, and Blackburn’s lead, on 19 minutes when he was the quickest to react to Calum Heath’s curling effort clattering back off the post as he stabbed home the rebound.
It would be 3-0 on the half-hour mark as a David Howe corner was met by Scott Richards with his strike nestling into the back of the net after bouncing off the far post.

Calum Heath was then sent clear but Sanderson done well to block his shot, and he did likewise with a Devine effort just before the break.

A quick-fire double at the start of the second-half put any hopes of a Vale comeback to bed. Hutton completed his hat-trick on 48 minutes as he was sent clear and slammed the ball beyond Sanderson who, despite conceding six, had an impressive game for Vale.

The fifth arrived moments later when skipper Marcus Millar headed a Vale goal-kick back towards goal with Heath able to benefit as he got in behind the defence to fire into the net.

The final goal arrived 14 minutes from time as Luke Meikle’s ball across goal was tapped home by Michael Gould to complete the rout. There was still time for Laurie Devine to chip Sanderson but see his goal bound shot cleared off the line.

Blackburn United: Jakub Welna, Dominic Kane, James Mildren, David Wilson, Marcus Millar, Daryl Meikle, Calum Heath (Michael Gould 60), David Howe (Joe Osborne 68), Danny Campbell (Luke Meikle 60), Scott Richards (Laurie Devine 35), Richie Hutton (Same Thomas 60). Unused subs: Adam Forrest, Craig Saunders.
Vale of Leithen: Lewis Sanderson, Liam Smith, Connor Dyet, Gary Tickle, Conor Barclay, Archie Roue (Dylan Weldon 45), James Pringle, Andrew McNeill, Lewis Grahame (Dean Apichella 60), Kyle Mitchell, Mark Deya. Unused subs: Daniel Deya, Thomas Penker

Referee: Chris Gentles Assistant: Richard Kay, Ben Lawton.