The victory at Ham Park was their fourth on the bounce after a misfiring start to a campaign in which they lost three of their first four matches.

They may just have too much ground to make up in the race for the title, but they are sure to have a big say in the run-in.

Referee Graham Elder had a tough task keeping the lid on a highly-charged contest which produced one sending-off and a flurry of yellow cards.

John O'Groats were hard done by going in at the interval behind after enjoying most of the possession.

Mr Elder waved away claims for a penalty when Sean Henstridge appeared to be impeded by keeper Michael Gray as he chased a long through ball after 20 minutes.

Grant Budge was then inches away from connecting with a teasing Alan Davis cross, while Sean Munro nodded an unchallenged header wide of the target.

A couple of dangerous sorties early on was the extent of United's goal threat until they went ahead a minute from the interval. Neat link-up play by Stevie Morris helped create space for James Skinner, who strode forward and let fly from 20 yards.

His swerving shot was well struck but should have been dealt with by Shaun Henderson. Instead the keeper let the ball slip through his hands and spin over the line. Henderson's night almost took a further turn for the worse when he was beaten to a high ball by Morris, whose header flashed narrowly wide.

Morris missed a golden chance to double his side's lead in the 65th minute, He muffed what should have been a simple finish, with Mark Begg dragging the follow-up wide.

Two minutes later, the pattern of the game changed when Skinner was shown a second yellow card for a scything challenge on Martin Sinclair.

The man advantage allowed John O'Groats to re-establish their earlier dominance in the middle of the park.

They drew level on 73 minutes when trickery by Grant Budge wrong-footed Gary Mackay and the defender ended up clipping Budge's trailing leg. Grant Campbell netted the resultant spot-kick low to Gray's right.

Within a minute, United came mighty close to restoring their lead. Tony Farquhar lost his bearings as he rose unopposed to head Gary Bell's free kick half a metre wide.

A rare error by United sweeper John Skinner then let in Martin Sinclair, whose shot came back off the legs of keeper Gray.

The winner came with three minutes left when Campbell's quickly-taken short free kick ended with Mark Munro's cross being headed powerfully wide of Gray by Henstridge.

Another team running into form are Castletown who, like John O'Groats, are trying to play catch-up after a poor start to the season.

They were not flattered by the 4-1 margin of their victory in Wick against Rovers on Monday. Sanders Harper's outfit were under-strength, with teenager Ciaran Duffy again filling in between the sticks. They were chasing shadows in a first half in which the visitors were unable to reflect their dominance where it mattered – on the scoreboard.

They created a regular flow of chances, with Scott Mackay Steven and Gary Calder most culpable in the non-conversion stakes.

All they had to show for their first-half efforts was a tap-in from Ross Sutherland seven minutes from the break.

When Alan Farquhar ran on to finish off Graham MacDonald's assist a minute after the resumption, it looked like curtains for the home side. But they were given a lifeline thanks to a stunning 30-yarder from Lewis Harrold which beat keeper Lee Kirk all ends up.

The goal gave Rovers renewed heart as they sought to salvage something from the game.

Duffy did well to deny MacDonald, and Mackay Steven hit a post. At the other end, Stevie Reid was inches away from converting a free kick.

Castletown made sure of victory when Mackay Steven netted five minutes from time, and Stuart Florence rounded it off when his deep cross hit a post before going in off Duffy.

Swifts remain top, though they were fully stretched before winning 5-4 against town rivals Pentland.

Pentland went ahead twice and led 4-3 with 12 minutes to go as they fought tooth and nail for their first point of the season.

Mark Nichol finished off a well-executed move to give Swifts an early advantage and then restored their lead after Stuart Hamilton had struck with a deflected effort.

A chip from Andrew Richardson and a spectacular own goal by Martyn Cook put Pentland 3-2 in front 15 minutes from half-time.

Nigel MacKenzie and Lee MacDougall passed up decent chances to equalise before MacKenzie was fortunate to escape with a booking for a petulant kick directed at Michael Foubister.

Five minutes into the second half, Cook atoned for his earlier gaffe with a sumptuous 35-yard lofted shot which caught out keeper Murray Mackay.

Back came Pentland as a long-range punt from Mackay on the edge of the opposing box was steered by Richardson wide of keeper Graham Miller.

Pentland blew a marvellous chance to make it 5-3 when Hamilton sprang the offside trap and ran through unopposed on Miller. Hamilton's indecisiveness proved his undoing and he ended up passing the ball forward to Richardson, who was offside.

Swifts drew level when MacDougall's cross produced a far-post finish from substitute Derek Munro.

Seven minutes from time, former Pentland player Michael Petrie came back to haunt his old side as he surged through to tuck the ball wide of Mackay for the winner.

Wick Groats remain two points behind Swifts following their 3-1 win over Halkirk at the Upper Bignold on Tuesday.

Groats enjoyed a busy start and took a 15th-minute lead when Greg Shearer's corner was headed home by Jimmy Budge in the face of opposition claims that it had not crossed the line. Halkirk finished off a good spell with a goal from Russell Bain, who pivoted on the edge of the box before sending a firm left-footer beyond the reach of keeper Graeme Williamson.

Halkirk were looking the livelier side in the run-up to the break but the villagers had the wind taken out of their sails when they conceded twice soon after the turnaround.

Andrew Bremner's crude barge into Jimmy Budge in the box was penalised and Budge duly tucked away the spot-kick.

Five minutes later, neat interplay between Greg Shearer and Andrew Cumming teed up Sandy Sutherland, who found the far left-hand corner from 12 yards.

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