Coldstream back to winning ways at long last

Coldstream on the defensive during their 1-0 away win against table-toppers Dunbar United on Saturday (Pic: Corine Briggs)

Coldstream’s three-month-plus wait for a win is at an end at long last, at the ninth time of asking, so they’ll now be hoping to kick on after that run of six defeats and two draws in all competitions to get their campaign back on track.

The Streamers ended an eight-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory at table-topping Dunbar United on Saturday in front of a crowd of more than 550, lifting themselves above Lochore Welfare and Whitehill Welfare, though both have games in hand on them, and out of the East of Scotland Football League first division’s relegation zone.

They’re now 12th in the table, on 21 points from 22 fixtures, ahead of a trip to Fife to take on second-bottom Burntisland Shipyard this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 2.30pm.

Coldstream’s cause at New Countess Park was assisted by 22nd-minute red card for Michael McFarlane for a high tackle on the visitors’ Thomas Hume, leaving the East Lothian side a man short for over an hour as they succumbed to their first home defeat of the season, and a second, reducing them to nine men, for Willis Hare right at the end.

Dunbar United on the attack against Coldstream at the weekend (Pic: Corine Briggs)

Only one goal separated the two teams at almost opposite ends of the table and it was put away past home goalkeeper Sean Brennan by the Streamers’ Buster Briggs 14 minutes ahead of the final whistle after a failed attempt to clear.

Dunbar then passed up two gilt-edged chances to level from a penalty and a free-kick.

The former was awarded two minutes later for a Jack Brannan foul on substitute Liam Gregory but visiting goalkeeper Matt Hall was up to the task of keeping Josh Walker’s spot-kick out.

Hall was also able to turn Walker’s later free-kick onto the top of the crossbar to keep head coach Kieran Ainslie’s side in front.

Coldstream in possession at Dunbar United's New Countess Park on Saturday (Pic: Corine Briggs)

Coldstream: Matt Hall, Jack Brannan, Thomas Hume, Ross Aitchison, Ejay Gay, Bailey Paterson (Miguel Freire 75), Kieran Ingram, Jamie Whitehead, Thomas Grey (Shane Bonnington 88), Buster Briggs, Gary Windram. Unused subs: Craig Heugh, Matt Corfield.

Dunbar United: Sean Brennan, Michael McFarlane, Kerr Allan (Gregor Goldie 67), Grant Thomson, Bob Berry, Cammy Dawson (Johnny Edmond 74), Ben Bathgate (Fraser Neave 67), Josh Walker, Willis Hare, Aaron Congalton, Sean Stewart (Liam Gregory 74). Unused subs: Shea Dowie, Shaun Miller, Ruairidh Munro.