by Dean Robertson The tie, which was Burgh’s first in the league in over a month, resulted in St Roch’s leapfrogging Burgh as the home side dropped to eighth in the table.

The visitors brought a large travelling support to a freezing Keanie Park, with the away fans in fine voice throughout the 90 minutes.

St Roch’s got the game under way following their traditional huddle but it was Burgh that started the better of the two sides. The Candy’s John Mullen was the busier of the two keepers in the first 20 minutes and at times looked shaky in possession, however he did enough to keep the likes of Jason Hardie and John McStay at bay.

The Candy eventually secured a foot hold following Burgh’s early pressure. A defence splitting pass put Darryl Naismith through on goal, Naismith rounded Andrew Duncan but left himself with too tight an angle to find the net.

Moments later St Roch’s would have the ball in Burgh’s net but the referee deemed Jordan Logan to be in an offside position and called play back for a free kick.

Burgh’s McStay then tested the opposition keeper again, this time from close range but the keeper pulled off a fantastic save to keep the score level.

However it would be the visitors who would go in ahead at the break, as Andy Cameron’s side broke the deadlock seconds before the referee’s whistle.

A swarm of bodies vied for the ball in Burgh’s box before the ball broke to Jordan Logan who fired the ball into the net, giving his side the lead at the interval.

Burgh got the match restarted and pressured forward in search of an elusive equaliser.

The ever threatening Jason Hardie came close to levelling the scores when he found himself one-on-one with the Bryan Haynes but could only fire wide of the target.

The hosts were made to pay for their slack finishing and it was that man Logan again, this time heading home Martin Shiels’ corner to double the Candy’s advantage.

Burgh searched for a way back into the game and they found it in the form of a penalty. Gordon ION slotting home to make the score 2-1.

However, St Roch’s soon restored their two goal advantage when trialist Baboucarr Musa found space on the edge of the box to turn and fire a shot beyond Duncan.

Burgh continued to push hard in the closing stages to get back into the game but Roch’s John Connor put the final nail in Burgh’s coffin when he latched onto a goalkeeping error to wrap up the scoring at 4-1.

The home side continued to threaten in the dying minutes but St Roch’s held firm to consign Burgh to a devastating defeat.

Johnstone Burgh: Duncan, Ion, Sweeney, McGarrigle, Brown, Thomson, Trialist, McStay, Fitzpatrick, Hardie, Dinnen.

Subs: Yule, Barr, Perrie, McSorley and Shankie.