Cove Rangers will go into Christmas five points clear at the top of League One after a 3-0 win over Alloa Athletic.
Goals from Jamie Masson, Rory McAllister and Mitch Megginson gave the home side their fifth league win in a row to stretch their advantage at the summit.
At the half-way stage of the season Cove are in a strong position and benefitted from two of the other title contenders, Montrose and Queen’s Park, drawing 1-1.
Cove made one change from the 3-0 win over Falkirk last weekend, with the suspended Shay Logan replaced by Masson. Robbie Leitch returned to the bench after three weeks out with a foot injury.
The game had been in doubt due to thick fog over the Balmoral Stadium, however referee Steven Reid deemed it playable an hour before kick-off.
The hosts had an early injury worry to deal with after Iain Vigurs was clattered by Mark Durnan. The midfielder limped off to be replaced by Leighton McIntosh.
From the resulting free-kick Cove had their first shot at goal, with Fraser Fyvie’s effort turned away low at his near post by Kyle Hutton.
=Megginson was denied on 29 minutes by a sprawling block from Scott Taggart, after Leighton McIntosh’s centre had picked him out.
Alloa enjoyed some decent spells of possession without overly threatening Stuart McKenzie’s goal, with both sides struggling to deal with the poor visibility.
The conditions perhaps played a part in Cove taking the lead four minutes from the break. Blair Yule fizzed a pass into McAllister, who laid it off to Masson rather than shooting. Masson went for goal from 25 yards through the fog and beat Hutton.
McIntosh had a penalty appeal turned down at the start of the second half, after he felt he was pushed in the back by Andy Graham trying to meet Masson’s cross.
Cove did get a spot-kick on the hour and again it was McIntosh involved. The former Dundee and Peterhead forward spun into the box and went down under Durnan’s challenge, with Reid belatedly pointing to the spot.
McAllister calmly rolled him the penalty, claiming his 15th goal of the season.
McIntosh tried to squeeze in a shot at the near post after some enterprising work down the right, however Hutton was able to gather.
The icing was put on the cake by Megginson with a spectacular long-range strike with five minutes to go.