Amateurs: Meadowbank keep hopes alive while Ratho extend lead

Ratho Athletic increased their lead at the top of LEAFA Saturday’s Championship to 13 points as they inflicted a first league defeat of the season on Edinburgh University 2s with a 2-0 victory on home soil.

Ratho have their sights firmly set on securing automatic promotion to the Premier Division and this win was an important one with the students being one of their main challengers for the title. Allied to a defeat for second placed Bank of Scotland Strollers, it was a good day all round for Ratho.

Dean Crane found the back of the net for the opener on the half hour mark when he slotted James Higgins’ cross into the far bottom corner.

The students had the chance to level from the penalty spot on 75 minutes but goalkeeper Chris Robertson – who was responsible for giving away the spot-kick – redeemed himself with an excellent diving save.

That prompted Ratho into action, and they wrapped up all three points five minutes later. Robertson’s long kick upfield was taken down by John Paul Dickson and he sent a pass through the legs of a Uni defender to put Thomas Robertson through, who fired in a low shot past the keeper.

Gallery: The worst refereeing decisions of all time (FourFourTwo)

Meadowbank secured their first win in Section A of the Venture Scotland Cup with a 3-1 defeat away to Danderhall Miners.

It was a match Meadowbank had to win to keep alive their faint hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals of the all-Premier Division competition.

Lewis Knox opened the scoring for the visitors with an incredible solo effort. The centre half went on a mazy run from his own half as he strode through the Danderhall midfield before firing a strike into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Paul Martin doubled Meadowbank’s