THE first half was loaded with all sorts of drama including two goals for the visitors, a red card for each side and a number of cautions.
Camelon opened the scoring in the 11th minute when a free kick was floated into the Bathgate penalty area a
nd Batchelor outjumped his marker. His header found McKenna unmarked and the striker had the easiest of jobs to knock the ball past Thistle No.1 Carlin.
In the 25th minute Camelon were reduced to ten men when Donnelly was shown a straight red card for an off the ball incident. Despite being a man short most of the pressure was being applied by Camelon and it only took them five minutes to double their lead. A moment of madness saw Gary Fallon attempt to send a throw in back to his keeper but the ever-alert McKenna nipped in and slotted the ball past Carlin to put the visitors two up.
Three minutes before the break Fallon was shown a straight red by referee Reid for a clumsy tackle, reducing both teams to ten men.
Camelon remained much sharper to every ball in the second half. Carlin was the busiest keeper and had it not been for some fine saves the score could have been much higher. The Camelon pressure was to pay off four minutes from time when the home defence failed to clear their line, despite having several chances to do so, and substitute Mitchell pushed the ball home from close range to finish off a good afternoon for the visitors.
Bathgate: Carlin, Fallon, Neill, G Love, Menmuir, F Love, McFadyen, Nicolson (Trialist), McGrillen, McPhee (Lorek 60), McLaren (Easton).
Subs: Wilson, Longmuir.
Camelon: Hutchison, Bell, Donaldson, Kznski, Cringeon, Gillespie, Batchelor (Mitchell), Dick, Jeffrey (Bowers), McKenna (Shirra), Donnelly.
Subs: Cunningham, Carrigan.
The full article contains 309 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
