Coldstream fail to pick up point at Pace

The Streamers’ 2-1 victory against the Pace in the reverse fixture in the Borders on Saturday, December 3, was the last of their five wins to date this campaign in the East of Scotland Football League’s first division and they’d been hoping for another at Westfield Park in Denny at the weekend.

It wasn’t to be, however, as goals from Marty Wright, Kai Wilson, Joe McGuckin and Aaron Whitelaw earned manager Danny Smith’s Pace side a third win on the spin.

That loss, their 12th of this term, leaves boss Kieran Ainslie’s Coldstream side sitting 12th in the table, on 18 points from 20 matches. That’s three points clear of the relegation zone but they’ve played four more games than the two teams immediately below them, Lochore Welfare and Whitehill Welfare, on 17 and 15 points respectively, and three more than second-bottom Burntisland Shipyard, on 14.

A 3-3 draw at home to 11th-placed Camelon Juniors a week ago on Saturday gave the Streamers their first point since a 2-2 draw at Leith Athletic on Tuesday, December 20, and they’ll now be looking to add to their tally for 2023 at home to fourth-placed Kinnoull, currently on 34 points from 18 games, this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 2.30pm.

Coldstream’s goals at the weekend were scored by Miguel Freire from a Buster Briggs cross, Thomas Hume heading in following a corner to open his account for the club and ex-Gala Fairydean Rovers stalwart Ross Aitchison with another header in stoppage time at the end of the game.

There could have been more but substitute Bailey Paterson and Briggs both had shots saved by home goalkeeper Zander Gilchrist, Briggs had another effort chalked off for offside and Jamie Whitehead was wide of the mark with a header from a Briggs cross.

Coldstream: Elliott Turnbull, Ben Wright, Ben Jackson, Thomas Hume, Ejay Gay, Kieran Ingram, Kieran Bullen, Jamie Whitehead (Bailey Paterson, 67), Ross Aitchison, Buster Briggs, Miguel Freire. Unused substitutes: Max Fox, Bailey Paterson, Matt Hall.