Impressive Shippy give students a lesson.
The Shipyard recorded their first away win of the season in fine style as they completed a league double over Stirling University winning 4-1 at the Gannochy Sports Centre on Saturday. In a day of firsts, loan signing John Martin helped himself to a double on his debut, scoring the first and fourth goals while Sean Johnstone also got his first goal for the Shippy. Jonny Galloway was the other man on target.
The Shipyard squad was without the suspended Callum McAulay and the unfortunate Sean Malpas who picked up a serious knee injury in training during the week. It was wet and blustery overhead while the heavy pitch made the underfoot conditions difficult.
Stirling had the first chance after a couple of minutes when Ryan Adamson was forced to make a save from Michael MacLean. The Shipyard’s first sight of goal came in the 13th minute when young Craig Watt saw his shot saved and the home defence managed to block a couple of follow up attempts. Martin shot straight at keeper John Allan after 15 minutes but he was not to be denied as a minute later as he collected a fine pass from Watt and he strode forward before producing a fine finish to give his side the lead. Jack Clubb might have done better than flick the ball well over when it reached him following a corner and then team mate Malcolm Burgess passed up a good opening when a burst of pace got him away from Ross Lennie but with only Adamson to beat the keeper came out on top as he got down to save Burgess’ strike. Adamson was on top form as he then produced an excellent save when he tipped David Beaton’s top corner bound shot round the post. The action returned to the other end as firstly, Galloway had a shot held and then Johnstone burst into the box only to see his attempt blocked by the keeper. Shortly afterwards, Dean Anderson would have been disappointed not to hit the target when a knockdown from a corner fell kindly for him in the middle of the box. The Shippy had another chance four minutes before the break but Sam Glancy blasted high and wide from the right-hand side of the area.
The Shipyard continued on the front foot at the start of the second half and when Martin was set up by Glancy, his curling shot was not too far wide of the post. Adamson was back in action in the 50th minute when he held onto Beaton’s strike when he got on the end of a cutback from the by-line. The Shipyard doubled their lead in the 55th minute and it was somewhat of a disaster for keeper Allan. With Galloway rushing in to close him down, the keeper struck the Shipyard midfielder with his clearance and he could only look on in agony as the ball rolled into the net, though the Shippy man was on hand to make it went in. The Shippy were almost three up a minute later, however, Allan redeemed himself as he tipped Johnstone’s fierce strike onto the post and out for a corner. The students got back into the match in the 62nd minute when David Collins nodded home at the front post following a corner with the Shipyard manager Grant Brough far from happy with the defending. The visitors went 3-1 ahead in the 70th minute when Martin did well to ride three challenges before laying the ball off to Glancy. The diminutive midfielder saw his strike blocked and as the ball spun up in the air, Johnstone gathered the ball as it dropped, spun and fired the ball beyond Allan and into the net. Stirling were by no means out of things as a shot was fired across the face of the Shippy goal and Burgess miscontrolled the ball as he burst into the Shipyard box with only the keeper to beat. The Shipyard completed the scoring from the penalty spot as the game moved into added time. Glancy was tripped in the box and Martin was emphatic in converting the award in what was the last kick of the match.
Manager Brough was delighted with win.
Manager Brough was in a buoyant mood after the game when he said “I’m obviously delighted for the players today, to get that win under their belt, an emphatic win I might add which will boost their confidence no end. The effort the lads have put in at training and in games over the last few months has been first class and that hard work is starting to pay off”. He went on to add “It is nice to be talking about a victory rather than a hard luck story, which seems to have been the case for the last few weeks”.
The Shipyard are away from home again next week as they travel to Edinburgh to face the unbeaten Lothian Thistle HV in what is sure to be a tough encounter at Saughton Enclosure.
Stirling University: J. Allan, J. Clubb, M. Baber, D. Corrin, A. McGuire, R. McGregor, D. Beaton, K. Whitefield, M. Burgess, D. Collins, M. MacLean. Subs: J. Bernardo & M. Shiells.
Burntisland Shipyard: R. Adamson, R. Kinnaird, B. Breen (B. Hamilton), D. Anderson, R. Lennie, S. Strang, C. Watt (T. Graham), S. Glancy, J. Martin, Jon. Galloway (S. Powrie), S. Johnstone. Unused Subs: R. Watt, Jor. Galloway, P. Bell, R. Connor.
Referee: A. Craven.