Crossgates Primrose 3 (Templeman 38mins, Lawrie 63mins, McDonald 79mins)
Blackburn United 1 (Campbell 62mins)

In a first visit to Crossgates since a 3-1 win in August 2016 in an ERSJFA South Division fixture, United looked the more likely in the opening exchanges and Craig Young, making his 100th appearance for the club, engineered the first chance when releasing Danny Campbell on the right and when his clever turn in the box resulted in a cut back for Stuart MacLeod he was unlucky to drag his shot just past the left hand upright. Young was then the architect of the next opportunity too when Blackburn came even closer, captain Michael Browne heading his free-kick down towards Campbell whose acrobatic overhead kick smacked against the base of the right hand post. The home ‘keeper then had to show his worth, tipping over David Howe’s effort after MacLeod had rolled a ball inside the full-back to set him up. The hosts, though, were beginning to harness the wind advantage and a deep cross from the left by Wilkie found Aitken unmarked at the back post, although Jonny Clements did well to stretch and hold his header. Six minutes later Primrose had the ball in the net when Wilkie delivered another teasing cross but McAteer had drifted just offside before planting his header behind Clements. However, United just didn’t heed the warning and sixty seconds later it was a McAteer cross from similar position that found TEMPLEMAN’S head and although Clements got hands to it he couldn’t prevent it from creeping over the line and into his net. Right on forty five minutes Kieran Welsh and Dominic Kane linked to create a chance for Richie Hutton but, after fine chest control, his half volley was headed away by Forbes as it flashed goalwards. A minute into added time Clements was called into action at the other end to brilliantly tip away a Forbes header from a Wilkie corner.

The second half started with Blackburn striking the woodwork for a second time, Stewart Devine finding Hutton racing down the left and when he cut inside Swan he was desperately unlucky to see his curling effort hit the right hand post. Campbell then swapped passes with MacLeod as United continued to chase an equaliser but his parting shot was wide. However, less than two minutes later Blackburn were level, Kane skipping past a tackle and slipping CAMPBELL in on the right and as Henderson advance from his line he angled his shot beyond him and in at the bottom left hand corner. Parity didn’t last for long though and within sixty seconds United conceded a needless corner and when the delivery arrived in the middle of the area LAWRIE rose unchallenged to head past an exposed Clements. Chasing the game again, Howe smacked a loose clearance from Deas back towards goal from some twenty yards but the effort was wide of target and when Crossgates forced another corner kick a little more than ten minutes from time another relatively unchallenged header, this time from McDONALD, was sufficient to seal all three points for the hosts.

Blackburn United line-up: Clements, Welsh, S.Devine (L.Devine 72), Mildren, Browne, Howe (Trialist – McGill 72), MacLeod (Kinross 83), Young, Campbell, Kane, Hutton Subs (not used): Cowan, Mackay, Robertson

Crossgates Primrose line-up: Henderson, Swan, Deas, Forbes, Templeman, Moffat, Sawers, Aitken, Lawrie, McAteer, Wilkie Subs: Cowie, McDonald, Nutt, Clark, Ross, Campbell, Gilmour

Referee: Mr. Andrew Gamble
Assistants: Mr. Kenny Brown & Mr. Tayler Martin