Paul Woods served up another memorable display as he hit a double in Petershill's 2-1 success over near neighbours Ashfield on Saturday.

With spying eyes from next week's Junior Cup opponents Bonnyrigg Rose looking on, Woodsy gave notice of his match-winning qualities with a goal in each half.

His first came after 15 minutes after Ashfield defender Lee McShane was well short with a headed pass back to Steven Hall.

Peasy striker Stephen McGladrigan nicked the ball over the keeper before squaring for Woods to net from point-blank range.

His second score of the afternoon was a thing of beauty as he followed up a 68th minute rasping McGladrigan shot that the diving Hall did not hold.

And the onrushing midfielder netted with a sublime chip as the grounded keeper scrambled to recover the ball.

All of which rounded off a good day at the office for Woodsy. He said: "I always gamble on getting forward and today I got my rewards.

"This is a fantastic three points. We have tended to struggle at Saracen Park in recent seasons and even today we had to survive a lot of second-half pressure.

"But we dug in and battled our corner with the guys at the back making every bit as vital a contribution as I did."

Petershill started the better of the two sides and deserved their early lead which was almost doubled in 22 minutes when McGladrigan smacked a shot off the crossbar.

Yellow cards shown to Jordan Murch, Liam Finnigan and Ross McCabe before half-time signalled Ashfield's emerging threat and they came blasting out of the blocks after the interval to wrest control away from their opponents .

Petershill ended up camped deep in their own half for the most part other than breaking upfield for the second Woods goal and their magnificent backs-to-the-wall display was only breached when home striker Chris Hall's shot found the net through a ruck of players in the 89th minute.

Ashfield boss Stevie Rankin owned up to being gutted and proud at the manner of his side' defeat.

He said: "We served up a real Jekyll-and-Hyde performance – not at the races first half, but then totally dominant throughout the second period against a top-notch Petershill side.

"They are probably as good as you get in a defensive sense, yet we managed to carve out chance after chance only to have one of those days when the ball just wouldn't go in.

"But I cannot help but feel my players merited a draw for their efforts."

Petershill's three points haul allowed them to close the gap on league leaders Auchinleck Talbot who came from behind to grind out a 3-3 draw at home to another of the main title challengers, Rob Roy, where the final whistle had both sets of supporters venting their ire at whistler Craig Napier, who red-carded three players – two from Rob Roy –and awarded three penalty kicks – two too Auchinleck.

Kevin Bradley's well struck opener for Rob Roy was cancelled out by a hotly contested spot kick award converted by Gordon Pope before a scrambled score from ex-Rabs striker David Gormley gave the Ayrshire cracks a 2-1 interval lead.

The fireworks for a pulsating second half were lit within minutes of therestart as Talbot stopper Martin McGoldrick was sent packing in giving away a penalty kick duly stroked home by Chic Connolly.

The visitors went on to make their extra man tell with Bradley netting again to put the Kirkintilloch outfit 3-2 in front on the hour mark.

However, with just over five minutes left Rob Roy midfielder Alan Lindsay was sent off followed in quick succession by Connolly for a foul inside the 18-yard box which allowed Pope to square matters from the spot and leave both sides with a share of the spoils.

Clydebank went fourth courtesy of a last-minute Ross McPherson goal earning a 2-1 victory over Cumnock, while Arthurlie moved into a top-six spot with a 4-1 win over Beith.

Pollok striker Willie Sawyers claimed his first league goal of the season to go along with a Carlo Monti counter in a 2-1 win over Shotts Bon Accord.

And Glenafton's mini-revival continued with a last gasp 2-1 triumph against Irvine Meadow which had both sides finish with 10 men.

Elsewhere, Greenock went five points clear atop the Central First Division stakes thanks to a 4-1 success over Lesmahagow.

St Anthony's moved into second following a 2-1 defeat of Lanark United.