After another thrilling encounter at Lochburn, Maryhill kept their promotion hopes alive with a hard fought victory against a skilful and determined Thorniewood side.

The visitors opened promisingly and went ahead after only four minutes. Steven Mullen, controled a through ball well, and fired a powerful low shot past Kevin Montgomery. Thorniewood showed why they have started the season well, and led by the impressive Mullen, gave the Hill defence some anxious moments. In the fifteenth minute, however, Maryhill equalised when Chris McKee's looping header wrong footed Thorniewood keeper Graeme Murphy, and landed in the net. Willie Sawyers was booked for a challenge on Stuart Little quickly followed by Thorniewood's Darren Murray. His team mate Joe Tobin was perhaps fortunate to escape punishment for a two footed lunge, as the game threatened to boil over. Maryhill went ahead for the first time on 34 minutes when Willie Sawyers scored from a penalty after he had been fouled by Mark Daly. The visitors continued to look the better side, nevertheless, and just before half time another good effort from Mullen was just inches too high.

Maryhill began the second half strongly and scored twice in the opening five minutes.Sawyers scored his second with a close range shot from a Mark McManus cross, then the big striker, who was having another tremendous match,  set up goal number four. He took a short corner to Bryan Smith, whose wonderful, curling shot flew high into the net from the edge of the penalty area.Hill looked well in control, but the visitors showed that they were not ready to concede defeat by pulling a goal back ten minutes later. Eddie Logan was allowed to run unchallenged down the right, and his low shot skidded through the Maryhill defence into the net. Six minutes later Maryhill had the opportunity to restore their three goal advantage when they were awarded a second penalty. Again the award was given for a foul by Daly on Sawyers, but this time the Thorniewood defender's crunching challenge earned him a yellow card from referee Andrew Dallas.The anticipated fifth goal did not materialise as expected, however, as Sawyers' wild effort from the spot sailed over the bar. Encouraged by this, the visitors reduced the deficit further just two minutes later when Steven Mullen got his second goal of the afternoon from the penalty spot.Only a further three minutes had elapsed when Maryhill scored again, Sawyers completing his hat trick with a spectacular overhead kick to make it 5 - 3. The drama was not over in this amazing game as Thorniewood gave themselves hope when Mark Daly scored with sixteen minutes remaining. Hill's sixth goal nearly arrived when Daly almost scored an own goal, but quick reactions from keeper Murphy saved the day. Despite a few close calls at both ends , Maryhill held out to earn all three points

Thorniewood may well have felt that they deserved to take something from the game for their battling display, but the players of both teams should be given credit for giving the spectators value for money in atrocious weather conditions.

Maryhill- McKee (15), Sawyers (pen 34, 47, 71), Smith (50)

 Thorniewood- Mullen (4, pen 68), Logan (60), Daly (74)