Twin Power(ie) Shipyard.
Galloway twins and Scott Powrie to hot for Peebles.
A dominant second half performance, in which the Shipyard scored all their four goals, ensured the three points stayed at a sun-drenched Recreation Park on Saturday and saw the Shippy climb two places up the league table into the bargain. Once again, Grant Brough shuffled his pack as he tried to give his players carrying knocks some vital rest time with John Martin, Brodie Hamilton, Sean Johnstone and Ross Lennie missing out altogether and regulars Sandy Strang, Brian Breen, Tom Graham and Reece Brown taking their places on the bench. The pleasing aspect for Brough was that those who came in did not let him down, indeed they gave him something to think about ahead of Tuesday’s cup final.
After the spell of cold and miserable weather recently the game was played in glorious warm sunshine and Peebles almost got off to a red-hot start as Alan McMath smashed a terrific effort off the post with twenty seconds on the clock. The Shipyard replied with a Ryan O’Donnell cross being deflected over the bar after the Rovers defender stuck a leg out. The game swung back to the home end and Shippy keeper Ryan Adamson saved well from McMath while in the other box Scott Powrie failed to make decent contact on a Jordan Galloway cross. The Shipyard appealed for a penalty when Powrie and Peebles keeper Ben McGinley tangled going for the ensuing loose ball. After the furious start to the match it was the home team who seemed to gain control and both Dean Anderson and Jordan Galloway went close. Five minutes before the interval Adamson did well to get down and tip a Ross Lamb strike round the post and keep the scoreline 0-0 at the half-time whistle.
Shippy players celebrate Scott Powrie goal.
The Shipyard came flying out of the traps after the interval and it was the Galloway twins who did the damage in the 47th minute as Johnny crossed for Jordan to knock the ball home at the back post. The Shipyard doubled their lead five minutes later with Johnny Galloway getting the assist again as he headed the ball back across the six-yard line and Powrie was on hand to nod the ball home. The Shipyard had their tails up now and it was no surprise when they went three up in the 62nd minute as Powrie fired a loose ball beyond McGinley for his second of the match. Any hopes Peebles had of getting back into the match disappeared within 60 seconds as Shippy fullback O’Donnell produced a tremendous block to deny them and then sub Donovan Ndiweni received two quickfire yellow cards to reduce his team to ten men. The Shipyard did have a bit of a fright in the 72nd minute when the ball fell inside the six-yard box, however, Adamson was brave as he flopped down on the ball. Substitute Reece Brown rounded off the scoring as the game moved into added time when he gathered a long clearance from Adamson, drove inside his marker and smashed the ball past McGinley at his near post to keep his fine run of scoring going.
When manager Brough spoke after the game it was clear to see how delighted he was as he enthused “With the Fife Cup Final on Tuesday night in mind I took the opportunity to rest some players for today’s game. Given the performance today, particularly in the second half, it has given me a massive headache as the boys who came in were brilliant. A nice problem to have though”. Reflecting on the team’s performance he added “It’s always great to score four goals but the most pleasing thing for me was that Ryan (Adamson) got a clean sheet. He produced a couple of excellent saves and also the defence was solid throughout the game”.
The Shipyard travel to Peffermill on Saturday (28/04/2018) to face Leith Athletic, kick-off 2.30pm.
Burntisland Shipyard: R. Adamson, R. O’Donnell, P. Bell, D. Anderson (R. Brown), C. Anderson (B. Breen), S. Glancy, Jor. Galloway, C. McAulay, R. Kinnaird (S. Strang), Jon. Galloway, S. Powrie. Unused Subs: T. Graham & R. Connor.
Peebles Rovers: B. McGinley, J. Mackay, R. Sterricks, C. Smith, J. Dodds, F. Arthur, R. Lamb, A. McMath, D. Lindsay, G. Lamb, S. Sutherland. Subs: J. Smith, L. Zavaroni, R. Renwick, D. Ndiweni, S. Keith.
Referee: L. Pirie.