Second Division: Roberts gets in a spot of bother after penalty hat-trick

There was drama aplenty at Bayview Stadium as Mark Roberts of Ayr United netted a hat-trick of penalties in their 3-2 win over East Fife.

Roberts was red-carded before East Fife could restart the game following his third strike in the last minute of normal time. He was sent off after becoming too involved with the home side's Stuart Cargill as he celebrated, with Cargill receiving a yellow card from referee Frank McDermott, who had earlier sent off the Fifers' Bobby Linn.

Roberts opened the scoring in 13 minutes after Stewart Murdoch had been penalised for handball, but East Fife levelled fifteen minutes later through a spot kick of their own which Robert Sloan converted after Lloyd Young had been brought down.

Kurtis Byrne scored the game's only goal from open play to put Steven Crawford's men in front shortly afterwards, but Roberts equalised from the spot just before half-time when Linn was dismissed for picking up a second caution for his challenge on Scott McLaughlin.

Then Scott Durie was adjudged to have fouled Alan Trouten right at the death, and Roberts took his goal tally for the season up to six to win the game before being dismissed.

Ayr jumped over their hosts in the table, but Livingston continue to lead the Second Division after a fine 3-1 win at Brechin City. Former Glebe Parker Iain Russell opened the scoring a couple of minutes from half-time, with team-mate Craig Barr heading in a second right on the half-time whistle.

Raffaele De Vita increased the Lions' lead further with a fine strike before Ewan Moyes nodded in a consolation goal for the home side in injury time.

Livingston manager Gary Bollan said: "This is a hard venue to come to and get three points so I am absolutely delighted.''

After scoring seven times in their two previous home matches, Alloa spent a frustrating afternoon trying to find a way past the Dumbarton defence in a 0-0 draw.

Bryan Prunty and John Grant were denied by one time Alloa shot-stopper Michael White in the first half, while Jim Lister put a Billy Gibson cut back past the wrong side of the post early in the second period as Alloa began to sense it would not be their day.

Third-placed Forfar lost 3-0 to hosts Stenhousemuir, with Paul Quinn grabbing a goal in each half and Pat Scullion hitting home the third.

Forfar were reduced to ten men when Paul Lunan was dismissed for a crude challenge on Kevin Motion.

Peterhead remain bottom without a win after Airdrie showed their fighting spirit again, as they came from behind to draw 2-2 at the Excelsior Stadium.

Airdrie's new signing Jamie Stevenson marked his debut with a goal after 19 minutes, but that was quickly cancelled out by Connor Gethins. Martin Bavidge put the visitors within touching distance of that first win with 17 minutes left, only for Scott Gemmill to level with less than ten minutes to go.