How high pressing Edinburgh Star shocked LEAFA league leaders Tollcross Thistle

Gorgie HeartsGorgie Hearts
Gorgie Hearts
Edinburgh Star handed Tollcross Thistle their first defeat of the season as they shocked the LEAFA Premier Division league leaders with a 3-2 win at Saughton.

Star executed their game plan to perfection, employing a high press from the outset and got a reward for their work rate as Jason McGuiness went through one-on-one and slotted past the visiting goalkeeper.

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Scott Coleman soon doubled Star’s lead, when after cutting in from wide left, he danced past a Tollcross defender before firing across goal and into the bottom corner.

Star maintained their first half performance levels after the interval and were soon celebrating goal number three through Kyle Barrett.

The home side had further chances to extend their lead, and their profligacy in front of goal was nearly punished as a late rally from the visitors – with two quickfire goals from Stewart O’Neill – ensured a nervy finish.

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Restalrig AFC produced one of their best performances of the season so far with a dominant 4-1 defeat of Edinburgh Uni 4s in Saturday’s Division 1 East.

Uni netted after just a minute in their first game of the season, but from then on it was all Restalrig.

The equaliser arrived on the half hour mark when Lewis McKay headed in Ben Aikman’s corner-kick, and it was still level going into the break.

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The hosts carried their momentum into the second half and took an early lead when debutant William Dolan was in the right place to head in from close range after Liam Willis’ strike from 30 yards out struck the bar and bounced down.

Restalrig were soon celebrating a third when Aikman converted McKay’s ball across the face of goal. Kamal Mahmoud and Matthew Smith combined immediately after both came off the bench, with the former making it four.

Balerno Athletic got their fourth win of their Division 1 West campaign with a 2-0 away defeat of Polbeth United with Tim Watts and an own goal from Elliot Sutherland’s tireless work securing all three points.

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Elsewhere, Gorgie Hearts inflicted a first league defeat on Westside in over three years with a 4-3 victory at Saughton in Sunday’s Premier Division.

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