First half horror show is Shippy downfall.
A woeful first half performance ensured that Shipyard returned empty handed from their trip to the borders. A much-improved showing after the interval made that half competitive, however, the damage was already done in respect of the result, and it was always going to be a tall order to claw back a three-goal deficit. There was no cohesion about the Shippy play as they struggled to string two passes together and never threatened to trouble Matt Hall in the Coldstream goals as all the action was in the visitor’s half. Injury, suspension and unavailability restricted manager Lee Richardson’s options and he had to utilise some youngsters and put not fully fit players on the bench.
The Streamers started on the front foot and they maintained that momentum for most of the first half as Shipyard had no answer to their constant pressure. In the second minute a low shot flew just wide of Ryan Couser’s goal and in the 9th minute the big keeper held a deflected free kick from Iain Gay. Coldstream took the lead in the 15th minute and there was a touch of good fortune about it as James Paxton got the break of the ball inside the box and fired the ball past Couser from around fourteen yards. Thomas Grey missed a good chance when he beat Couser to the ball, however, from a tight angle he could only hit the side netting. Couser saved twice from Paxton and in between those saves Gay headed a corner wide. Just as it looked like Shipyard may reach the interval only a goal down, the roof caved in three minutes before the break. Grey was given far too much time and space wide on the right and he smashed a great angled shot across Couser and into the far corner. It got worse for the Shippy as again Coldstream found space on their right hand side and Miguel Freire’s cross was knocked home by Grey for his second.
Richardson made a double change at the break with Matty Robertson and Kai Breard replacing the injured pair of Elliot Jowitt and Kierren Ritchie. Shipyard enjoyed their first spell of pressure at the start of the second half as Mikey Gibb got on the end of a Kris Murphy head flick but Shipyard’s top scorer could not hit the target. Murphy then headed over a Cammy Bell cross as at last the visitors imposed themselves on the match. Big Kris then hit the outside of the post from a very tight angle. Coldstream scored their 4th goal in the 84th minute and once again there was no luck for Shippy. The Streamers player met a cutback from the byline, however, his attempt at goal was more of a clearance but the ball fell kindly for Matt Storm and he smashed the loose ball high into the net. Shipyard kept at it and scored a well worked consolation goal as Kieran Crielly linked well with Bell who set up Tony McAndrew who calmly netted his first goal of the season.
Richardson cut a disconsolate figure when he spoke after the match when he said “We played so well last week when we beat Dalkeith, however, I had to make three changes to the team when ideally, I would have started the same eleven. That has been the big problem for me all season, last season too for that matter, in that I can get no continuity in team selection.”
We take a break from league action next week as we travel to Kennoway Star Hearts for a King Cup 1st round tie. Kick off is at the earlier time of 1.30pm.
Coldstream: M. Hall; M. Freire; C. Briggs (L. Roberts 66’); D. Cummings; R. Graham; T. Grey (J. Storm 73’); J. Forster; J. Paxton (S. Kennedy 66’); I. Gay (K. Ross 60’); T. Hume; M. Fox.
Burntisland Shipyard: R. Couser; K. Crielly; E. Jowitt (M. Robertson 46’); E. Bauld; I. Millar (O. Farley 75’); A. McAndrew; C. Bell; J. Galloway (R. Sharp 75’); K. Murphy; K. Ritchie (K. Beard 46’); M. Gibb. Unused Subs: F. Russell; L. Taylor; D. Brockie.
Referee: C. Donald.