Shipyard sunk by Rosyth
An error strewn, lacklustre display by the Shipyard gift wrapped the points for Rosyth as they strode to a comfortable 4 – 1 win. Although short of several players it was no excuse for a very poor performance. Andy Martin was serving the last of his three match ban and the Shipyard were dealt a further blow with top scorer Paul Ferrier out injured.
Rosyth started on the front foot and Wilson flashed an early effort just wide of goal. A cross from Lambie in the 5th minute was just out of reach of the Rosyth forwards as they looked for an early lead. The opening goal came in the 10th minute and it had a bit of good fortune about it, as Lee Wotherspoon’s speculative lofted ball into the box eluded Gray and dropped in just under the bar. Cooper connected with a deep free-kick at the back post but could not get his first time shot on target. The Shipyard were struggling to get out of their own half at this stage as Rosyth were totally dominant and Brough had to bail out Gray as he hesitated in going for the ball. Lambie got to the ball first but Brough was able to hook the ball off the line. In the 23rd minute Rosyth doubled their lead when Garry Penman was left all alone around the penalty spot and had time to control the ball before picking his spot beyond Gray. A third goal arrived in the 26th minute and it was another disaster for the Shipyard defence as Cook and Gray got into a tangle, leaving the ball for each other and Stewart Mitchell was given the easy task of rolling the ball into the net. The Shipyard did manage to steady the ship up until the interval though they never managed an attempt at goal.
Brough had the first attempt for the Shipyard with a free-kick in the 47th minute but he was way off target. Rosyth promptly went up the park and scored a fourth goal when Mitchell burst down the left-hand side and squared for Garry Penman to knock the ball home from close range. Wilson showed good skill on the edge of the Rosyth box but he was then crowded out by the defence. The Shipyard were making a better fist of things now and a Brough ball into the box found Small unmarked in the centre of goal. Small head flicked the ball on but it drifted just wide of the post. A well struck drive from Lamont had Laing diving full stretch to turn the ball away. And from the resultant corner the Shipyard were awarded a penalty when Russell was held as he tried to jump for the ball. Mark Brough coolly sent the keeper the wrong way and rolled the ball into the corner of the net. Chances for both teams dried up as the game drifted towards a conclusion with Rosyth missing one good scoring opportunity and Whyte producing an excellent tackle to deny another. A McCue free-kick was not too far off target for the Shipyard as the action drew to a close. Manager Whitehead was naturally disappointed and lamented about his teams display saying “We did not match Rosyth at all in the first half and we hardly strung two passes together. We were punished for some basic errors and we must do better”.
Teams: Burntisland Shipyard: Gray; McAndrew; Brough; Cook (Small); Whyte; Grieve (Russell); Hamilton; Lamont (McCue); Gear; Dow; Wilson.
Rosyth Civil Service: Laing; Harrison; Cooper; Bouglas; Perry; Penman; Lambie; Wilson; Mitchell; Wotherspoon; Peoples. Subs: Nairn; Richardson; Shepherd.
Referee: A. Spalding.