Shippy end season on low note.
It was end of season fare at Recreation Park, certainly as far as the Shipyard were concerned as they turned in an uninspiring performance against a determined Eyemouth side that ultimately deserved their victory. All the goals came in the final 18 minutes and the home team would be disappointed not to have taken something from the match after taking the lead but Eyemouth responded quickly to falling behind and went on to get a winner shortly after.
Eyemouth took the game to the hosts from the start and pressed the ball well when out of possession and it was Paul Moncur who had the first opportunity for United but he was unlucky to see his snapshot go wide. Shippy keeper Mark Rowbotham then held from Danny Coulter at the second attempt. The Shipyards first chance came in the 19th minute when Iain Millar headed over a Rory McCann corner. Eyemouth should have taken the lead in the 26th minute when after a mistake by keeper Rowbotham, Coulter missed the target with the goal at his mercy. Kevin Masson had a shot held by Eyemouth keeper William Turner before he went very close in the 31st minute. Masson gathered the ball with his back to goal at the edge of the area where he managed to hold off his marker, turn and get a shot away that hit Turner’s right hand post.
Adam Doig headed over a Scott Devaney cross as the Shippy started the second half better than they did the first meanwhile at the other end Moncur got away from the Shippy defence but dragged his shot wide from a decent position. In the 61st minute Rory McCann got to the ball before Turner who was well out of his goal and McCann was able to round the stranded keeper but an Eyemouth defender was on the line to clear the ball. McCann was in the thick of the action again three minutes later when he saw his free-kick palmed over by Turner. Shippy central defender Ben Couper showed great skill at the corner flag to beat his man and drive into the box, however, his powerful strike was off target. The Shipyard took the lead in the 72nd minute courtesy of another Masson goal though he had to be grateful to keeper Turner as his mistake allowed Masson to latch onto the loose ball and knock it home from around the penalty spot. The Shippy were only ahead for three minutes as Eyemouth drew level from the penalty spot after McCann had been penalised for handball as he tried to protect his face from a fierce strike. Moncur confidently converted the spot kick shooting low to Rowbotham’s left. Two minutes later a mix up between Millar and Rowbotham gifted Eyemouth what turned out to be the winner as substitute Sean Campbell was able to gather the loose ball and roll it into the unguarded net. The shipyard pressed for an equaliser in the final minutes but never looked likely as Eyemouth defended resolutely and never offered up a chance.
Shippy manager Raymond Drury was philosophical after the match when he said “It was typical end of season stuff from us but we should have competed better and defended with a bit more quality”.
Burntisland Shipyard: M. Rowbotham; C. Lowe; P. Bell; I. Millar; B. Couper (G. Haywood); N. Smart; S. Devaney (A. MacDonald); M. James; A. Doig; K. Masson; R. McCann.
Eyemouth United: W. Turner; D. Urey (L. Mitchell); P. Love; A. Speirs; T. Wyman; G. McCrudden; P. Tillbrook; D. Boyne (J. Campbell); D. Coulter; P. Moncur; A. Lauder (S. Campbell).
Referee: L. Pirie.