Shippy leave Duns eight-some reeling.
Ethan Anderson took his goal tally to five for the season after his treble at Duns
The Shipyard recorded their biggest ever victory in the East of Scotland League as they crushed Duns 8-2 at New Hawthorn Park. With the score tied one each at half time the Shippy were simply irresistible in the second half as they banged in seven goals and if it had not been for Paul Tansy in the Duns goals then it would probably been double figures. Sure, Duns finished the match with nine men but the referee had no option but to red card Dougie Brydon for retaliation and the second red, shown to Leigh Walker, was never going to change the outcome of the match. The Shipyard travelled to the Borders without the holidaying Brendan Napier and Pete Bell, while Andy MacDonald and JP McPhail were injured.
With the strong wind and sometimes driving rain behind them the visitors looked to take advantage of the conditions in the first half and started strongly. In the 3rd minute Kevin Masson drove into the box but did not get a shot away and Dale Robertson could not capitalise on the loose ball. The Shipyard did take the lead three minutes later albeit at the third attempt. Firstly Masson saw his powerful shot parried onto the bar by Paul Tansy, then Robertson’s follow up was again well saved by the keeper, however, Ethan Anderson (pictured) was on hand to nod the ball home from close range. In the 10th minute Robertson shot wide after latching on to a Ewan Henderson head flick. Jordan Mushet made his first save in the 11th minute when he held a strike from Gary Wales. Tansy was on hand to block a Blair Smart effort with his legs before he palmed over a well struck Masson free-kick. Duns got back on level terms in the 25th minute when a Mushet punched clearance was met by the head of Jordan Lauder, who guided the ball into the net. Duns task got a whole lot harder in the 31st minute when they were reduced to ten men. After Dougie Brydon had been fouled by Smart he needlessly lashed out with his feet catching the Shipyard player in the chest, giving the referee no choice but to show him a red card. A few minutes later Smart was in the thick of the action again as he saw his angled drive pushed away by Tansy.
Although down to ten you would not have expected what was to transpire for Duns as with the elements behind them and the height in their team, they would likely cause the Shipyard problems. That was the case with barely a minute played in the second half as Stevie Shennan latched on to a through ball but unfortunately for him Mushet got a hand to his well hit strike. Within seconds Duns were made to rue that miss as the Shipyard went up the park and Ewan Henderson got on the end of a Smart pass and poked the ball home from around eight yards. The Shippy scored again in the 52nd minute when Anderson got his second when he bundled home after a Masson free-kick fell to him inside the box. The visitors were now in total control of the match despite playing into the strong wind and Smart was next to be thwarted by Tansy as the keeper held his headed effort. A fourth goal arrived in the 61st minute when Masson burst into the area and he netted with a rare right foot shot. Henderson should have added a fifth but his effort lacked the angle to beat Tansy. Although Duns were getting forward any attempts they had were mainly from distance and were causing more problems to the trees outside the ground than Mushet’s goals. Any faint hopes Duns had of getting something from the game disappeared in the 66th minute when Walker received his second yellow of the afternoon after he fouled Shaun Keatings wide on the right-hand side. The Shippy scored a fine fifth goal on the 7o minute mark when Keatings made ground down the right and his cross found the head of Henderson in the middle of goal some six yards out and he made no mistake. The Shipyard defence was under a short spell of pressure with around ten minutes remaining as Shennan shot over from a corner and from another corner it took a couple of attempts before the Shippy defence cleared the ball. Anderson completed his hat-trick in the 88th minute when he shot home from a tight angle after good play from sub Ryan Kelly. Fellow sub Adam Doig made it seven a minute later when he found himself free in the box and slotted the ball beyond Tansy. Incredibly the Shipyard scored an eight goal seconds later and Smart got the goal his performance deserved as he burst though, rounded the keeper and rolled the ball into the net. There was still time for a late consolation goal for Duns and although Shennan looked yards offside he was allowed to play on and completed a fine finish as he lobbed Mushet from 30 yards.
Alex was a very happy man after the match as he enthused “After a fairly poor first half with a strong wind at our backs we turned in a superb second half performance scoring seven well worked goals. Duns lost their discipline and had a man sent off either side of half time which helped put us in the driving seat and opened up the game in our favour. Playing against a strong wind in the second half we moved the ball quickly through midfield and supported the front two players well”. Alex took time to praise his hat-trick hero when he added “A special mention must go to Ethan Anderson for scoring three great goals today in what was a superb display. Obviously I am delighted with the scoreline, it was not Duns day today but they are a good bunch of lads and I am sure they will bounce back and get positive results in the next few weeks”.
Next week see’s the Shipyard host Hawick Royal Albert at Recreation Park with a 2pm kick off.
Duns: P. Tansy; J. Ainslie (M. Weatherburn); L. Walker; S. McHoul; G. Windrum; D. Brydon; G. Wales (C. Beesley); J. Brydon; S. Shennan; J. Lauder.
Unused Sub: M. Robinson.
Burntisland Shipyard: J. Mushet; C. Lowe; J. Bouhaddou (R. Kelly); T. Arthur; G. Haywood; D. Robertson; E. Anderson; B. Smart; K. Masson (A. Doig); S. Keatings; E. Henderson. Unused Sub: A. Lowe.
Referee: C. Whyte.