The Hi Hi’s faced another difficult away Premier Division match last Saturday when they met Sauchie Juniors at Beechwood Park. Sauchie had been tipped as potential league winners at the start of the season, but a 15 point deduction for playing unregistered players had totally derailed their championship challenge and left the Clackmannanshire club on the fringes of the relegation area. With Gala Fairydean Rovers currently propping up the Lowland League there is the possibility of four sides being relegated this season so Sauchie were keen to take maximum points from this match. Haddington should have been ahead at the interval but they were caught cold at the start of the second half when Sauchie’s new signing Conor Kelly put them ahead from close range following a corner kick. This goal lifted the home side and they started to control the middle of the park. However Scott Bonar made a couple of telling substitutions with Seamus Russell returning after a lengthy absence and Grant Rose providing more of a physical presence up front. These moves paid off when good play by Tom Davies set up Rose for an 81st minute equaliser. Haddington had their tails up and looked for a winner but Sauchie survived and also mounted some late attacks. The final whistle blew with the Hi Hi’s in a promising attacking position.
Four points out of a possible six is a good return from trips to Jeanfield Swifts and Sauchie. The Millfield side now sit in fourth place in a congested league table and will be hoping to achieve their third successive top half finish since winning promotion in 2022. They have five league matches remaining with Luncarty, Whitburn and Dunipace all to visit Millfield, and two trips to Fie to face Hill of Beath and Dundonald.
