Armadale Thistle keep promotion hopes alive with derby win over youthful Fauldhouse United

Armadale Thistle kept alive their East of Scotland Conference X promotion hopes with a 3-0 win over Fauldhouse United at Volunteer Park, writes Callum McCormack.

A second half Scott Dalziel double and a Chris Donnelly header meant Thistle eased to the three points having suffered a shock defeat to the Hoose the previous week.

The Dale came out of the traps quickest and within the first five minutes had two chances to put themselves ahead. First, Dalziel’s through ball split the defence to find Robbie Feeney but he couldn’t make enough contact and Jacob Weatherby was able to gather easily in the United goal.

A minute later, Feeney played in Stuart McLeod but his effort from the edge of the box was high.

For the visitors, Conor Scullion and Hashim Bakar looked lively and they combined for United’s best chance of the game. Scullion’s ball down the left was met by Bakar who slalomed between defenders but could only watch as his effort bounced off the post.

From then on, it would be mostly one-way traffic as Armadale took control. They should have been ahead around the half hour mark as Sammy Watson was able to find Feeney in the 18 yard box. Weatherby did well to save the striker’s initial shot, but could only palm the ball back to where it came from.

With the ball returning to Feeney’s feet and the keeper down, he played in Dalziel who had an empty net to fire into but his rushed shot was scuffed wide.

Dalziel would make amends after the break as he broke the deadlock on 57 minutes, evading the Fauldhouse defence to head home JJ Henderson’s corner.

Fifteen minutes later and a Henderson corner would lead to another Dalziel goal as he got on the end of a flick-on from substitute Donnelly to nod home his second. United would