Difficult season continues as Leith beat Shipyard.
After last week’s debacle at Eyemouth the Shippy faced up to last season’s champions Leith Athletic at Recreation Park and there was no let up for the beleaguered home team as the visitors ran out easy 6-0 winners. That being said, Leith will beat other teams by similar score lines such is the quality in their ranks, therefore, the Shipyard can take some crumbs of comfort from their performance and in particular the Taylor brothers, with Marcus turning in a fine performance in goal and Daryl who was unlucky to be denied by the woodwork on two occasions.
Marcus Taylor saves.
Leith took a grip of the game from the outset and grabbed the lead in the 4th minute when Chris Beaton stroked the ball home from around twelve yards. Marcus Taylor saved well from Jack Combe before Kerr Allan should have done better than shooting wide from a decent position. The Shippy were almost level in the 21st minute when Daryl Taylor’s angled drive came back off the post before the ball was cleared. Leith continued to dominate as James Hainey and Neil Lowson both went close as the Shippy defence worked tirelessly to keep the visitors out. The Shipyard rearguard was breeched again in the 36th minute with a fine strike from Lewis Tracey which found the corner of the net. Keeper Taylor denied Combe just before the interval and repeated that feat at the start of the second period.
Leith keeper Neil Fairnie was called into action and he dealt well with a Sean Cusick effort while at the other end Allan saw his drive crash back off the bar. Leith’s third goal arrived in the 54th minute when Hainey headed home a free-kick delivered from wide on the left. The visitors sub Rhys Craigie came on and made an immediate impact when he scored two goals in as many minutes with the second in particular being a fine strike from distance. Fellow sub Gavin Kneeshaw completed the scoring in the 81st minute though Taylor later admitted he was disappointed not to keep the shot out. Daryl Taylor was denied a consolation goal in the final minute when his ferocious free-kick came back off the bar with Fairnie well beaten.
The Shipyard are at home again on Saturday 15th October with Ormiston being the visitors. Kick off 2.30pm.
Burntisland Shipyard: M. Taylor; M. Hall; L. Fleming; G. Buckley; D. Taylor; D. Roberts; S. Cusick; A. MacDonald; D. Butt (N. McKay); M. Black; B. Paterson (Quinn).
Leith Athletic: N. Fairnie; M. Wilkie; K. Fee; N. Lowson; S. Melvin; C. Beaton; L. Tracey; K. Allan (G. Kneeshaw); J. Hainey (R. Craigie); J. Combe; D. McKinlay (J. Ferguson).
Referee: B. Dickson.