Back at New Countess Park on Saturday after a 4-0 win at Crossgates Primrose a fortnight ago, Dunbar United hit the halfway stage in their South Division campaign with a visit from Tranent Juniors, who they’d beaten 3-0 in the reverse fixture in the first game of the season.

Since then, Geoff Jones’ team had racked up a further seven league victories to find themselves well-placed in the promotion race and, with Tranent on a dismal run, they looked likely to add to their points tally. Jones was able to name the same starting XI as at Crossgates.

Heavy overnight rain had affected the playing surface and both sides took a little time to adapt, with the first goal effort coming from Tranent after seven minutes – with only Kieran Beveridge in the home goal to beat, Reynolds failed to even trouble the keeper.

Sam Young hit a shot wide at the other end but the visitors looked livelier and Beveridge did well with saves from Finlayson and Colquhoun. Gradually settling, Dunbar went close with a John Twaddle header.

On 26 minutes, Chris Grant found himself clean through but impressive young Tranent keeper Valenzuela tipped his goalbound shot over the bar. Kevin Morrison then almost scored with a header, and Keith Tait saw a penalty claim waved away, but eventually Dunbar found the net in the 39th minute when Danny Taylor’s cross was headed firmly goalwards by Burstow.

Tranent began the second half in determined fashion but it was Dunbar who added a second goal on 51 minutes, Shaun Hill providing the cross for captain Steven Tait, who executed a terrific overhead kick which left Valenzuela no chance. The visitors, though, pulled a goal back within two minutes, Reynolds reacting quickest to head in from close range after Beveridge parried a long shot onto the bar.

Tranent’s fightback hopes didn’t last long, though, as Dunbar restored their two-goal lead within a couple of minutes – Tait played in top scorer Young, who fired low past the keeper.

Gray headed against the bar for Tranent but Dunbar’s fourth goal on the hour looked to have sealed the three points; Young scored his 20th goal of the season from Hill’s cross with a fine finish.

When Gray picked up two bookings inside a minute, Tranent were left to play out the game with 10 men. Sub Stevie Ferguson came close to Dunbar’s fifth, and Young had a couple of chances to complete his hat-trick, but with six minutes left Finlayson claimed a second goal for the visitors.

There’s another local derby at New Countess Park on Saturday when table-topping Haddington Athletic are the visitors. It was close when the teams met at Millfield in September, the Hi Hi running out 2-1 winners, and will be tense again on Saturday, with a lot at stake for both sides in terms of the promotion race.