Saturday 7th May 2016
EITHER Ayr United or Stranraer will join Dumbarton in next season’s Championship after drama in today’s play-off semi-final second legs.
Stranraer’s second leg today at Livingston saw incredible action which saw them nearly throw away a 5-2 first leg lead only to prevail.
Livi took a 2-0 lead to reduce the deficit to a goal, but when Paul Cairney scored for the Blues, that seemed to be that.
But Livingston battled on and two goals in the last minutes of the game forced extra time. Had there been an away goals rule, Livi would have won there and then.
Stranraer dug deep, and two goals in extra time put them through to the final with a remarkable aggregate score of 8-6. It also means that Livingston are down to League One.
Ayr’s second leg at home to Peterhead was more pedestrian. Already defending a 4-1 lead from the first leg, the Honest Men finished the job with a 2-1 win on the day, 6-2 on aggregate.
So either…Andy Graham and Nicky Devlin are heading back to Dumbarton as opposition players next season…
Or Stevie Aitken will be back at Stair Park to manage Sons, against the team where his brother is now assistant manager, and Willie Gibson will return to G82 in opposition.
Stranraer and Ayr will clash in the first leg at Stair Park on Wednesday before reconverting at Somerset Park on Sunday. Both games are live on BBC Alba.
As before, may the best team win!
Andy Galloway