Banks o’ Dee home in on Super League title

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BACKS TO THE WALL: Sunnybank's Steve Bartlett, left, holds off Dee's Levi Stephen.

SPEED KING: Sunnybank's Keith Thomson shadows Dee's Richard Scaife.

BANKS o’ Dee need just a point to lift their first Super League title in over 20 years after a 3-3 draw with title rivals Sunnybank.

Dee can clinch the title without kicking a ball should Sunnybank fail to take maximum points from their two remaining games, starting with tonight’s home Super League clash with Formartine, before they travel to Turriff on Saturday.

Dee face Culter in their final game a week tomorrow, and Sunnybank co-manager Graham Freeland has refused to rule his side out of the title race just yet.

Freeland said: “We have to take full points from our last two games to put pressure on Dee. I wouldn’t fancy going to Culter in the last game needing a point to win the league.”

Freeland was disappointed not to take all three points against Dee after going ahead early on, but felt a draw was a fair result.

He added: “We got off to a flier, but we stopped playing after that. Both teams were very nervy.

“We are very proud of the lads because a lot of people had written us off six weeks ago, and we have got ourselves back in the race playing some good football.”

Banks o’ Dee boss Garry Welsh singled out the performances of striker Ritchie Taylor and midfielder Levi Stephen as his side inched closer to the title.

He said: “I thought Ritchie was magnificent and Levi was fantastic.

“We scored three good goals, and they had a penalty and a freak goal.”

Sunnybank got off to a dream start when they took the lead inside the opening minute when BARTLETT swept the ball past Pennet.

Dee equalised on 25 minutes when McKIMMIE knocked the ball home.

Dee’s persistence paid off when TAYLOR netted to put them in front.

The home side had rarely been seen as an attacking force since the opening minute, but two minutes before the break they were back on level terms, when GORDON scored from the penalty spot.

(Half-time: 2- 2)

Dee had a great chance to go back in front in 65 minutes.

Alan Smith’s flick found Taylor whose perfectly weighted return ball put the substitute in the clear, but Sweeney saved his shot.

SMITH made up for that miss by guiding a Stephen cross past Sweeney.

However, their joy was short lived as within seconds Sunnybank were back on level terms when GREIG’S ball from the right drifted over the head of Pennet into the net.

SUNNYBANK – Sweeney, Thomson, N Reid, Johnston, Shand, Fettes, Greig, W Steel, C Steel, Bartlett, Gordon.

Subs: McAllister, Murray, Fraser, Henry and A Reid.

BANKS O’ DEE – Pennet, Phillips, Turnbull, Corsar, Long, Stephen, Fyfe, Scaiffe, Taylor, McKimmie, Brownhill.

Subs: Glashan, Whyte, Smith, Milne and Forbes.

Referee: G Beaton.