Lanark United boost promotion bid with thumping 5-2 win at Newmains

On nine minutes Ian Watt won a corner for United when his shot was deflected into the side netting.

When the flag kick came across from the right Lewis Hill headed the ball strongly past ex-Lanark keeper Martyn Meek to open the scoring.

Declan Lafferty was unlucky on 15 minutes when his shot came back off the post with Meek beaten.

Newmains equalised on 17 minutes when another ex-Lanark player, Adam Robertson, sent in a right wing cross which was headed into the net by Craig Scott.

Lanark defender Craig Stark was the victim of a horrendous two footed tackle by Craig Scott and lay in agony on the field for a lengthy period before being carried off and taken to hospital suffering from a triple fracture to his tibia bone.

Incredibly, the referee, who had shown only a yellow card to the offender, admitted he should have sent the player off but he was allowed to play on.

On 38 minutes Lanark were awarded a penalty for a foul inside the box.

Peter O’Donnell took the spot kick but saw it saved by Meek diving low to his left.

Two minutes later the keeper was again in action to make a tremendous save from a Danny McHugh shot.

Newmains took the lead on the hour mark when Paul Docherty fire home from the edge of the box.

Three minutes later United drew level when Cammy Lawson scored with an unstoppable free kick from 25 yards and Lanark regained the lead on 65 minutes when McHugh ran onto a left wing cross to score with a left foot shot inside the keeper’s left hand post.

Mark Haddow scored goal number four for United when he headed in a left wing corner and Hugh Kerr completed the scoring on 80 minutes with a powerful header from a right wing cross by James Martin.