St Andrews United: United maintain promotion push with comfortable 3-0 home win over Hawick Royal Albert

Saints scored the opening goal via a 10th-minute penalty, Lewis Sawers being fouled by visiting captain Andy Common before stepping up to net past Ross Wallace.

And Sawers’ 20th goal of the season arrived less than 15 minutes later when he got onto Ryan Dignan’s lobbed pass, rounded Wallace and found the net in composed style.

Leading 2-0 at half-time, United almost added a third goal in the 51st minute when Dignan powerfully headed a good cross by Jordan Mackenzie just over the bar.

Sawers then found Mackenzie on the edge of the box with an accurate crossfield pass eight minutes later and the young striker lifted the ball over Wallace to put the result beyond doubt.

Hawick’s eager youngsters kept pressing forward in search of a consolation goal.

Tom Fowler went closest to grabbing one when he hit the side-netting from 15 yards in the 80th minute, yet Calum Brodie’s 10th clean sheet of the season was earned with relative ease.

The impressive Micheil Russell Smith also forced Wallace into making a good save at the other end of the park during the dying stages with a well struck shot from 20 yards.

The game’s last chance fell to Saints debutant Nathan Macdonald. Alas, the 16-year-old headed straight at Wallace in injury time as the fans left inside Recreation Park headed for the exits to escape the bitter north easterly wind.

United recorded another win on Tuesday night, with goals by Scott Reekie, Sawers, James Collins and Reece Redpath clinching a 4-2 victory at Rosyth in the King Cup second round.

United, second in the table with 52 points from 22 games, are next in action at Sauchie Juniors in the league cup first round on Tuesday, March 7, kick-off 7.30pm.

Meanwhile, St Andrews United under-20s lost 2-1 at Pumpherston on Friday.

Pumphy captain Gregor Wyllie was sent off for using bad language in the 22nd minute before Kai Cooper gave Saints the lead just after the half hour.

However, Robbie Lannelli notched a double, including a penalty, so all three points stayed in West Lothian.