Shippy progress after comfortable win.
Another long road trip in a cup competition produced another win on the road as the Shippy eased past Hawick Royal Albert 3-0 at Albert Park on Saturday in the South Region Challenge Cup. The Shipyard travelled to the borders with a much-depleted squad due to injury and unavailability, resulting in the management team taking places on the bench. New signing Robbie Crawford was one of those missing due to work commitments.
The Shippy almost opened the scoring in the 7th minute when a curling Reece Brown effort was tipped over by Albert keeper Craig Saunders. The Shipyard spurned a great opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty in the 14th minute after Callum McAulay was tripped in the box. However, after a long delay due to a Hawick defender receiving treatment, Saunders guessed correctly and pushed Brown’s strike round the post. From the corner Johnny Galloway drove wide when the ball broke to him some 16 yards out. McAulay showed great chest control in the box as he brought the ball down but when he shot Saunders was right behind it to make the save. The Shipyard suffered an injury blow in the 35th minute when Jordan Galloway had to limp off and he was replaced by the experienced Tam Graham. 
The Shippy almost took the lead three minutes into the second half in comical fashion. Egidijus Savickas stretched to intercept a through ball but could only direct it towards his own goal and Saunders had to scramble back to boot the ball clear before it crossed the line. Graham headed a Galloway cross wide but the visitors were not to be denied and when the goal came in the 52nd minute it had quality written all over it. McAulay swung in a delightful free-kick and Scott Powrie rose at the back post to place his header back across the keeper and into the corner of the net. Hawick created a chance in the 54th minute when a dangerous ball was fired across the face of goal but Modou Touray could not get a good connection on the ball and the chance was gone. Shortly after Ryan Adamson held a driven shot from Milosz Pajak as the hosts finally got themselves into the game. However, the Shipyard were more clinical in front of goal and doubled their lead in the 62nd minute. Graham directed a throw-in into the path of Brown and he cut the ball back to McAulay who lashed the ball home from nine yards. Shortly afterwards McAulay had his driven shot held by Saunders while at the other end Adamson held Touray’s strike. There was an unusual incident in the 78th minute when the referee sent off the linesman! Yes, that’s right, Hawick’s flag man said something to the referee and he was asked to leave the sidelines and was replaced by a colleague. The Shipyard went three up in the 89th minute when Brown broke down the left-hand side and squared the ball to Graham. The big man’s shot was blocked on the line, hit the post and fell to McAulay. The diminutive midfielder made no mistake from close range to notch his second of the match. This prompted a double Shipyard substitution, which was met with some catcalls from the Shippy contingent, as Grant Brough and Stuart Innes went on to replace Brown and Sandy Strang, though neither had much involvement in the few minutes they were on the park.
Hawick Royal Albert: C. Saunders, M. Pajak (S. Odetayo), D. Pacitti, D. Lyko (L. Knox), E. Savickas, L. Glasgow, D. Thiam, G. Lloyd (F. Turay), M. Touray, J. Neill, M. Esapo. Unused Subs: R. Macrae, N. Johnson, J. McNaught.
Burntisland Shipyard: R. Adamson, C. Simpson, P. Bell, R. O’Donnell, R. Lennie, S. Strang (S. Innes), S. Powrie, C. McAulay, R. Brown (G. Brough), Jon. Galloway, Jor. Galloway (T. Graham). Unused Sub. M. Jarrett.
Referee: A. Hogg.