Ten-man Spartans fight back

Lothian took the lead two minutes before half time when Flockhart couldn’t keep hold of a Dignan free kick, and Craig Stevenson was on hand to bury home the loose ball.

The home side doubled their lead in the 54th minute when a speculative effort from Craig Stewart on the left hand side rattled into the net off the inside of the upright.

Donal Henretty pulled a goal back for Spartans in the 70th minute and Robbie Manson pulled the visitors level just three minutes later. Spartans were reduced to ten men in the 84th minute when Grant picked up his second booking of the match, but, with two minutes left, Manson teed up Keith McLeod, who drove home the third from just inside the box.

Lothian had the ball in the back of the net from a deflected free kick in the 90th minute, but the goal was ruled offside. A Jordan Finnie solo effort sealed the result deep into injury time.

Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale: Swain, Wallace, Hawkins, McDiarmid, Crawford, Wilkes, Stewart, Dignan, Murray, McDonaugh, Stevenson. Subs: Ali, Reid, McDonagh.

Spartans: Flockhart, Fusco, Hoskins, Sivewright, McKinnon, Manson, Malin, Grant, Henretty, McLeod, Kader. Subs: O’Donnell, McTurk, Finnie, Anderson, Beesley.