Wonder strike seals fine win.
The Shipyard maintained their 100% start to the league campaign but had to come from behind to do so at Creamery Park on Wednesday night. After conceding in the 19th minute the Shippy were level four minutes later and two quick goals as the interval approached had the visitors 3-1 ahead at the break. Despite being pegged back in the 53rd minute the Shipyard comfortably repelled the Bathgate attacks and they scored a sensational fourth goal in the 88th minute to ensure the win.
Unsurprisingly, there were no changes to the team that started against Stirling University on Friday night though the bench was strengthened by the return of Ben Anthony and Conor Schiavone. Mark James remained side-lined through injury.
The Shippy created their first chance in the 4th minute when Mikey Gibb broke down the right-hand side and when he delivered his cross Kris Murphy poked the ball narrowly wide from around six yards. Gibb was involved again in the 10th minute as he again found space in behind the Thistle defence. He had to hurdle over a wild challenge as keeper Craig Saunders charged from his goal and although Gibby got a shot away from a tight angle, it didn’t have the power to find the net. Glen Thomson shot just over for Bathgate following a quick throw in and five minutes later the hosts took the lead. Again, the Shippy defence were caught napping when a free kick was played into the box and Alistair McInnes had time and space inside the area to put the ball into the net. The Shipyard equalised four minute later when Gibb got on the end of a ball played over the top by Matty Robertson and he showed great composure as he slotted the ball beyond Saunders. The Shipyard suffered a blow in the 25th minute as captain Iain Millar had to be replaced as he pulled up with a hamstring injury, Schiavone came on and Gibb dropped back into the defence. Murphy put his team ahead in the 37th minute when he gathered a loose ball at the edge of the box and stroked the ball home in off the post. Liam Taylor scored an almost carbon copy goal two minutes later, again with the ball going in off the post. Both goals came about thanks to the Shippy forwards pressing the ball high up the park.
McInnes brought his team back into the match in the 53rd minute when he capitalised on some hesitation in the Shippy defence, reducing the arrears to one. The hosts were spurred on by this and were enjoying their best spell in the match throwing a lot of crosses into the box, however, Couser comfortably dealt with everything that was coming his way. Blair Kerr saw his shot held and substitute B. Anthony was foiled on a couple of occasions. Talking about saving the best until last!! This was certainly the case as the Shippy sealed the win with a sensational strike. Thistle keeper Saunders cleared the ball from the edge of his area but the ball only found Schiavone some 40 yards out and he unleashed an incredible strike over the stranded keeper and into the back of the net.
Assistant manager Fergus Lockhart spoke after the match when he said “I thought the boys showed a lot of character tonight as they put a couple of setbacks behind them and got on with it. As the squad starts to gel, I can see the confidence starting to grow.”
Bathgate Thistle: C. Saunders; K. Mooney; J. Macadam; H. Maguire; G. Dryden; L. Peddie; M. Campbell; F. Cormack; A. McInnes; G. Thomson; J. Rodger. Subs: R. Stevenson; L. Smith; G. MacDonald; F. Mackay; J. Mairs; R. Wilson; C. Thomson.
Burntisland Shipyard: R. Couser; D. Brockie; M. Robertson; I. Millar (C. Schiavone); E. Beard; D. Anthony; A. McAndrew (D. McBay); B. Kerr (J. Galloway); K. Murphy (B. Anthony); L. Taylor (K. Ritchie); M. Gibb. Unused Subs: K. Crielly & F. Russell.
Referee: K. Spalony.