Shipyard defence posted missing.
In the words of manager Myles Allan the performance was embarrassing and unacceptable and I don’t think anyone with connections to the Shipyard would argue with that. True there was a bit of misfortune and a couple of decisions from the referee that might have been different but over the piece Easthouses won far too easily and were as comfortable as the scoreline suggests. Week after week the same thing is written in these match reports and that is that goals are being conceded by poor defending and at an alarming rate. No doubt the unavailability of players through suspension, prolonged injury and generally doing other things does not help but you cannot make excuses for this type of result.
Grant Blyth had an early shot for the Shipyard that flashed across the face of goal but Easthouses quickly took control and both Craig Brown and Rory McKinnon saw efforts miss the target before they took the lead in the 9th minute. A cross from the left should have been dealt with but it was allowed to travel to the back post where Alexander Elliot knocked the ball home. The Shipyard had two free-kicks just outside the box in quick succession, however, Dale Robertson’s effort was easily held by John Falconer in the visitor’s goal and Renato Sartarello’s hit the defensive wall. A terrific pass from Robertson set up Adam Doig and he was unlucky to see his fierce strike hit the underside of the Easthouses bar and no Shipyard player was able to capitalise on the loose ball. However, at the other end three minutes later when Easthouses hit the bar, McKinnon was standing all alone and had the easy task of putting his team 2-0 ahead. The visitor’s continued to dominate with McKinnon again and a John Hunter free-kick troubling the home defence. Unsurprisingly, Easthouses added a third after 35 minutes and it was a superb strike from Paul McDermott but once again the chance arose from a poor clearance. Craig Lowe probably should have pulled one back a couple of minutes later but his header from six yards lacked the power to beat Falconer. The half closed with a Doig shot being blocked by the visitors defence.
The Shipyard got back into the match three minutes into the second half when a great cross from Michael Morrison was turned in at the back post by a combination of the Easthouses defender and Grant Blyth. This one would have to go to the dubious goals panel. Morrison’s long throws were a useful attacking option but nothing of any real danger was being created from them. It was game on in the 65th minute when the Shipyard reduced the deficit to one. A great run from Lowe eventually set up Sartarello and he had the easiest of opportunities from around a yard out. The Shipyard had been doing well in recent weeks with unlikely comebacks but it was not to be on this occasion as Easthouses quickly regained control. Steven Campbell, probably at least 6’4” (although he’s big at least make it difficult for him) did not even have to jump as he was afforded a free header at goal, which duly found the back of the Shipyard net. Easthouses fifth goal in the 72nd minute was a good goal as Mark Brown received a fine pass and matched that with an equally fine finish as he fired the ball across Jordan Mushet into the corner of the net. For goal number six in the 81st minute just rewind the video to the fourth goal as it was identical in every manner. The seventh goal came as the match moved into added time and Mark Brown produced another good strike from inside the box leaving Mushet helpless.
Myles was obviously far from happy and kept his players in the dressing room for a good half hour after the match. He emerged to say. “It was a difficult performance to watch. As bad as the first half was, it looked like we had once again clawed our way back into the game when we scored our second. However, as soon as Easthouses scored their fourth too many of our guys threw in the towel and it was a case of how many Easthouses wanted to score as we just weren’t at the races for the final twenty minutes”.
He went on to add “Too many times we are waiting until it’s too late before putting in a performance and while we’ve managed a couple of great comebacks recently, you can’t rely on coming back from two or three goals down every week. It can’t be a confidence issue as the players should have been full of confidence after last week’s performance at Ormiston. It beggars belief that we can defend better with nine men than we can with eleven but that’s the reality over the last week or so. When the whistle blows, it’s up to the players as to how they apply themselves and we now need all of them to be accountable for their own performance rather than look around for someone to set the example”.
Teams: Burntisland Shipyard: J. Mushet; M. Morrison; G. Bridges; A. Clark; C. McKay; A. MacDonald; G. Blyth (J. Crombie); C. Lowe; R. Sartarello; A. Doig (E. Fotheringham); D. Robertson. Unused Sub: B. Smart.
Easthouses Lily: J. Falconer; S. Campbell; C. Stupart; R. McQueenie; J. Baigrie; P. McDermott; R. McKinnon; J. Hunter (S. Borthwick); M. Brown; C. Brown (E. Smith); A Elliot (L. Grant). Unused Subs: C. Gailey & D. Curran.
Referee: M. Gill.