MUSSELBURGH Athletic’ third consecutive home game on Saturday paired them with the Superleague’s second-from-bottom side St Andrews United, whose need for points was by some distance greater than their hosts.

Seven points behind third-bottom Carnoustie Panmure and with just seven games remaining, the Saints had acquired one of their meagre 13 points courtesy of an equaliser deep inside injury time against Burgh in the East Neuk in the last match of 2013.

Time, then, appeared to be running out on the Saints, while Davie McGlynn’s men had no concerns in relation to either relegation or pursuit of honours.

With no pressure on the team, McGlynn has taken the opportunity to give members of the club’s under-19 squad a taste of competitive junior football, and he had been greatly encouraged by the performance the previous week when a 2-0 interval deficit was overturned as they eventually ran out 4-2 winners against Lochee United.

Against Lochee, Burgh had enjoyed much of the play in the first half, only to lose two goals in the space of a few minutes just before half-time, and again the same starting XI had the better of their visitors for much of the opening 45 minutes – once more, however, they couldn’t turn their superiority into goals.

They spurned a few scoring opportunities in the game’s early stages, but with the Saints’ players fully aware they somehow had to string together a few results if they were to have any hope of a miraculous escape from the drop the visitors came into things more.

A goal on 38 minutes gave the Fife contingent a real boost, Sutherland heading in from a corner, and at half-time they held their lead, not altogether undeservedly. Musselburgh weren’t unduly perturbed by the interval scoreline, comfortable in the knowledge they had 45 minutes in which to turn things around.

They kept plugging away and were rewarded with the equaliser 16 minutes from time, Steven Thomson continuing his recent fine form with another superbly executed free-kick, his 12th goal of the season taking him to the top of the Olive Bank scoring charts ahead of the long-departed Paul Harvey.

Thomson was inches away from giving Burgh the lead a few minutes later, and Ally Adams, once again listed as an outfield substitute with McGlynn preferring to give Dale Cornet a continued run in goals, nearly won the game for Musselburgh with a fine volley late on.

It wasn’t to be, though, and the visitors returned home with a point following a contest which was reasonably entertaining but will soon fade from the memory of the spectators present.

Saturday’s point lifted Musselburgh into seventh in the Superleague table but they could drop a place or two on Saturday depending on results involving fellow mid-table clubs.

In the absence of a competitive fixture on Saturday, Burgh have arranged a friendly against South Division champions Edinburgh United at Olive Bank with an 11am kick-off – the Capital outfit completed their fixture list three weeks ago but will provide a strong challenge.