Tommy Coynes it in for Dave

TWO-GOAL Tommy Coyne completed a full set of Cup conquests for Dave Baikie with Linlithgow then set his sights on adding the icing on the cake for the Rose boss.

The classy striker scored either side of the break - the second from the penalty spot - to clinch the Dechmont Forklift League Cup after holders Camelon had taken an early lead.

The win followed triumphs in the Scottish Cup, the East of Scotland Cup and the Fife & Lothians Cup since Baikie took over at Prestonfield and now Coyne wants to add the Super League title as well.

"That would be the icing on the cake," said the Lithgae hitman. "We should have won it last year but had too many draws at the start of the season.

"We came good towards the end and weren't far away. But this season we've made a good start and, hopefully, it continues."

In a repeat of last year's final in the same competition, Coyne's contribution was key in helping Rose take revenge for the defeat they suffered then.

Steven Kerrigan's Camelon side took the lead after just five minutes, Colin Allison's header from an Eamon Fullarton free-kick being fumbled over the line by Ronnie McPherson.

Linlithgow struggled to string two passes together in the opening 20 minutes but, driven on by the rejuvenated Stuart McArthur from the middle of the park, they eventually secured a foothold in the game.

McArthur, with a long-range effort, brought a decent save out of former Hearts goalkeeper Myles Hogarth, Coyne wasn't far away with a couple of shots and Colin Strickland almost got on the end of a John Ward knockdown.

It was no surprise then that the equaliser came just before the interval, a Hogarth goal kick being headed straight back over the top of the Camelon defence by the towering Ward.

Coyne showed great anticipation to burst clear and had advanced deep into the box by the time he buried a shot past the helpless Hogarth.

Strickland forced the Camelon keeper into action with a sweetly-strick first-time shot early in the second-half before Hogarth tipped a Roddy McLennan stinger over the bar after he'd cut in menacingly from the right flank.

What proved to be the decisive goal stemmed from a controversial decision, referee Neil McLennan being influenced by one his assistants when he pointed to the spot after Steven Graham had seemingly challenged Strickland fairly enough for a high ball into the box.

Coyne ignored all the fuss to send Hogarth the wrong way and the only real surprise in the end was that his man-of-the-match performance - he was run pretty close for that by the Camelon keeper - wasn't rewarded with a hat-trick.

Watched by his father Tommy, the former Celtic and Motherwell striker, Coyne tried to square the ball to Strickland on one occasion he burst free into the box before he was denied late in the game by a great save from Hogarth.

"It is a nice one to win, especially after losing to Camelon in the final last season," said the match-winner.

"In the first 20 minutes we were a bit scrappy but kept playing away and fortunately the goals came for us. I thought we deserved the victory."

Baikie was delighted with the character his side showed, especially on a night when only two of the five players on his bench were fully fit.

"It is great to get a trophy under the belt early in season," said the Rose manager. "I was delighted with the overall performance, especially after Camelon had got off to such a great start to the game.

"I was disappointed with marking at their goal as two players had free headers at it and Ronnie probably could have done better but we showed a lot of character to come back from that.

"We spoke at half-time that we had been playing a lot of passes early on in the game that were either the wrong side or a touch short. But in the last 20 minutes of the first-half I definitely felt we lifted our tempo and it seemed as though the equaliser was coming.

"It was a great header from John Ward and his power in that situation is a great asset for us.

"I also thought we made a bright start to the second-half, though the penalty was one of those that you sometimes see given and other times not.

"We had chances after that - their keeper made some good saves - and, over the piece, I don't think there is any doubt that we deserved to win the game."

On the personnel in the dugout, Baikie added: "The bench was made up of two fit players.

"I was never going to be using [Chris] King or [Gordon] Herd to any great extent and even [Steven] Pinkowski has a foot injury."

Linlithgow Rose: McPherson, Kelly, Virgili, Ward, Brown, Tyrrell, McLennan, McArthur, Strickland, Coyne, Reilly. Subs: Manson, Livingston, Herd, King, Pinkowski.

Camelon: Hogarth, Bell, McCafferty, Graham, Cringean, Gillespie, Desmond, Young, Batchelor, Allison, Fullarton. Subs: Myles, Guy, Savage, Dick, Mooney.

Linlithgow Rose 2

Camelon 1