Late Winner Gives Shipyard Welcome Boost.

The Shipyard gained a long awaited win thanks to a gritty, determined and never say die attitude as they came from behind to beat Hawick at Recreation Park. A late goal from Lee Henderson gave the Shipyard all three points and lifted the gloom that had been over the club for months. Local lad Mikey Couser made his debut in goal for the club as several others made their home debuts.
After making a bright start the Shipyard were shocked when Hawick scored with their first attack when along ball caught the home defence out and Declan Hogg powered a shot into the net although Couser did get a slight touch on it. Stephen Connor could have equalised in the 7th minute but after taking a pass from Pete Bell he seemed to be caught in two minds and allowed Hawick keeper Steven West to save at his feet. West was being kept busy at this stage as he saved from Ben Anthony and then parried away a Henderson drive as the game reached the quarter hour mark. Brendan Napier was next to have a go for the Shipyard but he saw his shot drift over the bar. Hawick got back into the match and kept the Shipyard at bay for the next ten minutes, however, it was the home team who went close again as Anthony’s angled drive was well saved by West. Peter Keenan saw his flighted effort just clear the bar in the 34th minute as Hawick finished the half strongly. Gordon Grieve head flicked a dangerous cross away for a corner and from the set piece Couser pulled off a tremendous save as he dived to his left to push the ball away. The Shipyard defence then managed to scramble the ball away as the referee blew for half-time.
Anesu Tabengwa crossed for Napier at the start of the second half but Napier could not direct his header on target. Anthony then outpaced the visitors defence but his shot did not have enough power to trouble West. Anthony then set up Napier at the edge of the box but again West was not unduly troubled by his shot. The Shipyard drew level in the 59th minute when a ball crossed into the Hawick box was turned into his own net by the Hawick defender under pressure from Anthony. As the Albert looked to regain the lead Couser twice denied them with fine saves, one from a free-kick and the other an instinctive block. Keeper West had to look sharp to deny Alex peoples inside the six yard box, however, he had his defender on the post to thank as he turned away Craig McKay’s headed attempt from a corner. The Shipyard were well on top at this stage and both Anthony and substitute Dale Robertson were not too far away. It was Robertson who edged the Shipyard in front after 75 minutes when he turned in a Henderson cross from close range. A Napier free-kick from wide on the left-hand side saw West tip the ball over the bar as dipped towards goal. Hawick stunned the Shipyard with an equaliser in the 84th minute when Hogg got his head on the end of a cross and the ball looped over Couser and into the net. The Shipyard almost regained the lead within a couple of minutes when Anthony expertly engineered a shooting opportunity for himself but West pulled off another fine save. The Shipyard were not to be denied and as the game moved into added time a cross from the right found Henderson unmarked at the back post and he lashed the ball into the net to sent the Shipyard sideline wild with delight. Hawick did have a late chance but from a free-kick played into the box the ball was headed over by the Hawick player as time ran out.
Shipyard manager Myles Allan was delighted after the match and said “I thought over the ninety minutes our work rate and use of the ball was very good and although the winning goal came in injury time we thoroughly deserved our victory. If we had shown a bit more composure in front of goal we would have scored more. After getting pegged back to 2-2 the boys did not feel sorry for themselves, indeed, they showed great character, rolled up their sleeves and got the winning goal. As the weeks go by I can now see the fitness of the boys improving and hopefully we can build on this and start getting more positive results”.
Teams: Burntisland Shipyard: Couser; Grubb; Connor; Grieve; McKay; Bell; Tabengwa (Robertson); Henderson; Anthony; Napier; Peoples (Cunningham). Sub: McCrindle.
Hawick Royal Albert: West; Zenati; Shepherd; McCulloch; Fettes; Ramsay; Cameron; Beattie; Keenan; Hogg; Paterek. Subs: Drummond; Taylor; Heaver; King; O’Malley.
Referee: S. Crighton.