Shipyard show their Bouncebackability
The Shipyard eventually shook off their midweek hangover but, it was not until they were two goals down that they started to play, however, once they got back into the game Star were easily swept aside. The starting eleven showed three changes from Thursday, with the ever present Scott Chalmers unavailable, Jason Houston made his debut for the season. Leishman and Russell returned to the stating eleven in place of T. Williams and Johnston.
The Shipyard started on top and had most of the ball but, it was Star who took the lead in their first attack when a cross from the right was swept into the net by Bowers. The Shipyard replied with a fine low cross from Small but no-one was on hand to turn the ball into the net. Star almost scored a carbon copy of their first goal, but this time Cook was on hand to divert the ball away for a corner. The Shipyard were pressing for an equaliser and McAndrew saw his shot saved at the near post, Cook’s header from a McCue corner was well saved by Ness and then a Small effort was blocked by the keepers legs. In the 18th minute there was panic in the Shipyard box with the ball being cleared for a corner. From the resultant corner another scramble ensued before the ball was again cleared for a corner. Star were not to be denied and from the next corner Foy’s shot from 16 yards was deflected passed Houston to give Star a 2 – o lead. The Shipyard got back into the match on 28 minutes thanks to a contentious penalty after Meikle was adjudged to have handled the ball. Owen McCue made no mistake, blasting the ball high into the net. The Shipyard were almost level 4 minutes later when good work from Williams set up Hamilton but, his shot from 14 yards rebounded back off the post. A few minutes later Star keeper Ness had to leave the field with a bad ankle injury after an accidental clash with Small, while trying to gather a through ball.
The Shipyard were first to have an attempt in the second half when Whyte ventured forward, only to see his shot go over the bar. Star were next to have a go and a long ball was gathered by Bowers, he strode forward and also shot over from a good position. In 58 minutes Substitute keeper Mitchell in the Star goal parried a McCue free-kick and kicked the ball straight to Cook but, he could not keep his shot on target. A minute later a Russell shot skewed across the face of goal, Small managed to gather it but, he sent his shot wide of the far post from a tight angle. The Shipyard drew level in the next minute when Mark Hamilton scored his first goal of the season, driving the ball into the bottom corner from 20 yards. The Shipyard took the lead in 65th minute when Shaun Leishman rose to head in off the post from a McAndrew cross. It was one way traffic now and Mitchell palmed a McCue cross away for a corner. McCue was then through on the keeper but from a narrow angle Mitchell blocked with his legs. In the 75th minute Star were reduced to 10 men when Meikle received his second yellow card. Substitute Johnston went close a couple of minutes later when he latched onto a loose ball only to see his acrobatic effort loop over. Star were then reduced to 9 men when Pearson received his second yellow card, both for kicking the ball away. The Shipyard scored a fourth in the 83rd minute when Shaun Leishman scored an identical goal to his first, heading home a McAndrew cross. Soon after Mark Hamilton doubled his tally for the season, with a great strike from all of 25 yards, the ball sailing over the keeper high into the net. Deep into injury time Owen McCue became the third Shipyard player to score a double after he collected a pass from Johnston in the middle of the box and rolled the ball passed the keeper to make the final score 6 – 2. Manager Billy Whitehead said “In the first 20 minutes we were woeful like the last 20 minutes on Thursday, however, the boys responded well especially in the second half after I had a word with them at half-time. No doubt Star will point to losing their keeper and I hope he is okay, though I don’t think he would have changed the result, such was our dominance in the second half. It will certainly help me have a better birthday tomorrow”.
Teams: Burntisland Shipyard: Houston; McAndrew; Whyte; Cook; Grieve; Small; M. Hamilton (Hutt); Leishman; McCue; Russell (Johnston); J. Williams (Dow). Unused subs: T. Williams; Paul.
Star Hearts: Ness; Watson; Meikle; Pearson; Brown; Harvey; McConell; Foy; Logie; Bowers; Livingstone. Subs: Mitchell; Eccles; Laurie; Falconer.
Referee: J. Curran