Boxing: Philbin has the power to grind out win

Lochend welterweight Tommy Philbin had to pull out all the stops to see off the stiff challenge of Lee Gallacher of Motherwell's Forgewood club in the Sparta club's Autumn show in the Hibs FC Supporters club at Easter Road.

Despite taking some hard punches to his ribs, Philbin produced a series of explosive right-hand head shots that had his Lanarkshire opponent holding on on at the final bell after taking an eight count - blows which set the seal on Philbin's hard-earned triumph.

Meanwhile, Sparta lightweight Mikey Wood's accurate counter-punching not only tamed Barn's Sean Lennon but gained him the "Best Sparta Boxer of the Show'' award.

But the best bout of a quality bill was the Edinburgh derby between Sparta's Callum Vardy and Clovenstone's Ryan McCutcheon as the crowd were treated to three rounds of slick boxing which saw Sparta's Vardy nick a majority points verdict. Sparta's lightweight Sean McLaughlin outpointed Clovenstone's Ian Keys and the host club's sole stoppage win inside the distance came from welterweight Keith Barr, who stopped Clovenstone's Mark Skinner in the third.