Lowland League: Spartans set up final-day title shoot-out

The Ainslie Park side remain a point clear of their rivals at the top following a comprehensive 4-0 victory at Dalbeattie Star, while reigning champions Kilby stuck to their end of the bargain with a 3-0 win at Whitehill Welfare.

It means that if Spartans pick up maximum points from their final game of the season at home to East Stirlingshire on Saturday, the Capital outfit will be crowned league champions for the first time in four years irrespective of the outcome from East Kilbride’s trip to University of Stirling.

Dougie Samuel’s men got off the perfect start against Dalbeattie when Ian McFarland curled home the opener after eight minutes. The hosts were then reduced to ten men when Mark McKenna was sent off for a poor challenge on Spartans captain Michael Herd and the visitors capitalised three minutes before the break as Jason Stevens converted a Willie Bremner cross.

Gavin Malin added a third following a fine move before Blair Atkinson capped off a superb display with a fourth 15 minutes from time.

Whitehill were stung by a Sean Winter hat-trick at Ferguson Park.