This was a complete Jekyll and Hyde performance from the Shipyard as they dominated early on, took a deserved lead, only to crumble on the half hour mark when both teams were reduced to ten men after an altercation in the middle of the park. Newburgh were unfazed by the loss of a player whereas the Shipyard looked rattled and they lost the control they had on the match. Sam Glancy, Robbie Crawford and Ross Lennie were all side-lined through injury. Scott Costello made his Shipyard debut between the sticks at the expense of Michael Gibb.
Newburgh keeper Calum Sutherland was sharp off his line to block Reece Brown with four minutes on the clock and moments later he brilliantly tipped a Dale Allan strike onto the post and out for a corner. Brown hit a shot into the side netting before the Shipyard pressure paid off. C. Sutherland did well to save from Ben Anthony, however, the loose ball dropped to Sandy Strang who had the simple task of prodding the ball home from inside the six-yard box. The visitors then enjoyed some possession and got forward without troubling Costello. Shaun Keatings tried his luck from distance and C. Sutherland reacted well as he pushed the shot up in the air before gathering. Costello saw his first action in the 27th minute and he did very well in a one on one situation with the Newburgh forward. He was then off his line to clear with his feet as Newburgh threatened. Arguably the turning point of the match arrived on the 30-minute mark. Keatings was smashed in the face with the ball nowhere near and as the Shippy midfielder lay poleaxed on the ground Brown was shown a red card for an alleged push. Meanwhile, Aiden Edwards was also dismissed for what everyone thought was in relation to Brown’s sending off. However, the referee confirmed that Edwards was red carded for the assault on Keatings meaning that the guilty party went unpunished. Once the dust had settled Newburgh gained the initiative and Costello gathered an attempt above his head. Just as the Shippy were looking for the half-time whistle they were hit by a double blow. Firstly, Scott Sutherland latched onto a through ball and slipped it beyond Costello for the equaliser. In added time a free-kick from Jamie Gay somehow eluded the big Shippy keeper’s grasp and ended up in the back off the net. Despite this double setback the Shipyard managed to create a couple of half chances that nothing materialised from.
Ben Anthony net Shippy equaliser.
B. Anthony drove forward only to be blocked out then both Iain Millar and Darrell Anthony shot over. The Shippy were level in the 55th minute when B. Anthony broke clear and beat C. Sutherland with the goal standing despite the Shippy man looking slightly offside. We had an almost identical incident at the other end with the same outcome as Newburgh quickly regained the lead. S. Sutherland scored his second of the afternoon, though he seemed to be quite clearly offside. Costello was the busier keeper as the match worn on with the Shippy guilty of leaving gaps at the back as they pushed for an equaliser. A strong claim for handball in the visitor’s box was turned down and with six minutes remaining Newburgh sealed their win as S. Sutherland found himself all alone inside the six-yard box at a corner and nodded home with ease completing his hat-trick. A quite shocking goal to concede from the Shipyard’s point of view with Shippy manager Stuart Innes struggling to contain his anger.
This appeal for handball was turned down.
This Saturday (24/10/2020) the Shipyard travel to Blairwood Park to face Oakley United in another Fife derby. Kick-off 2.30pm.
Burntisland Shipyard: S. Costello; R. Crichton (M. Miller); I. Millar; D. Hunter; G. Ross; S. Strang (J. Galloway); D. Anthony; S. Keatings; B. Anthony; R. Brown; D. Allan. Unused Subs: R. O’Donnell & M. Gibb.
Newburgh Juniors: C. Sutherland; A. Johal; G. Clark; S. Kirkham; C. Robinson; S. Sutherland; A. Edwards; J. Gay; Y. El Seeedawy; K. Fraser; C. Murdoch. Subs: L. Rann; T. Nyass; C. Findlay; A. Cameron; P. Leadbetter; J. Annandale; H. Galloway.
The first league match of the season for the Shipyard ended in disappointment as they succumbed to Heriot Watt University losing 2-0 to the students at the Oriam. Despite praise from the Heriot Watt camp as to how well the Shippy played, there was more a feeling of disappointment in the performance from the visitors, particularly in the way that the goals were conceded. The damage was self-inflicted with possession given up all too easily, though both goals were clinically finished by the Uni. There were debuts for Raymond Crichton and Shaun Keatings with Scott Costello taking a place on the bench.
The Shipyard created a half chance early on from a corner, however, no-one was able to convert the loose ball. The hosts saw a shot go wide in the seventh minute, meanwhile at the other end an ambitious Keatings chip drifted well off target. Reece Brown saw one attempt saved and another go wide and sandwiched between these efforts Michael Gibb held a long-range free kick. The hosts took the lead in the 27th minute capitalising on a mistake and when a cross was whipped in from the right-hand side Chris Donnelly was on hand to head the ball home. Sandy Strang headed a decent opportunity off target and Brown saw his shot blocked following a fine Robbie Crawford run.
The Shipyard were forced into a change at half-time with Ben Anthony unable to continue and he was replaced by Matty Miller. Heriot Watt almost doubled their lead within a minute of the restart as they broke quickly, however, the Shipyard were relieved to see Donnelly’s strike hit the post and bounce clear. Crichton, who had been pushed further forward gathered the ball at the edge of the box but his shot on the turn lacked the direction to trouble Callum Reid in the Uni goals. The Shippy fell two behind in the 53rd minute with possession again given up all to easily and Arran Singh made no mistake with his well struck shot. The Shipyard almost pulled one back on the hour mark but unfortunately Darrell Anthony’s drive came back off the post and into the grateful keeper’s hands. The Shipyard were forced into a series of changes as the second half progressed with Strang, D. Anthony and Crawford all limping off. A Brown headed attempt was off target and as the clock wound down the Shippy never looked like getting back into the match far less take something from it. Next Saturday the Shipyard welcome Newburgh Juniors to Recreation Park, for what at the moment will be a closed doors match. Kick-off is at 2.30pm.
Heriot Watt University: C. Reid; J. Hogg; T. Teviotdale; L. Morton; J. Wishart; N. Kelly; J. Barker; R. Cairns; C. Donnelly; G. MacDonald; C. Stewart. Subs: A. McMahon; C. Muttitt; A. McCreadie; J. Kennedy; A. Singh; J. Thomson; C. Smith.
Burntisland Shipyard: M. Gibb; R. Crichton; D. Allan; G. Ross; I. Millar; S. Strang (J. Galloway); D. Anthony (R. O’Donnell); S. Keatings; R. Brown; R. Crawford (D. Hunter); B. Anthony (M. Miller). Unused Sub: S. Costello.
It’s stating the bleeding obvious to say that if you don’t take your chances and gift the opposition goals then you are going to lose, sometimes heavily, and that was certainly the case for the Shippy at Keirs Park on Saturday. Manager Stuart Innes cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines as his team kept shooting themselves in the foot at regular intervals, as they were on the wrong end of a four-goal deficit at the break. It was ex-Shipyard man Danny Watt who capitalised most on the slack defending as he notched a first half hat-trick. The Shipyard won the second half 2-1 thanks to goals from Reece Brown and Ben Anthony but the damage had been done earlier in the match. What would have encouraged the Shippy boss was the amount of good chances his team created against a side that finished at the top end of the truncated Premier Division last season. Brown, Anthony, and Robbie Crawford caused the home defence a lot problems and only poor finishing denied the visitors more goals that their attacking play deserved.
Ben Anthony and Reece Brown were both on target again.
Burntisland Shipyard: S. Costello (M. Gibb); R. Crichton; I. Millar; R. O’Donnell; G. Ross (D. Hunter); S. Strang (R. Lennie); D. Anthony (J. Galloway); S. Keatings; B. Anthony; R. Brown; R. Crawford (M. Miller).
The Shippy commenced their pre-season build up in unusual circumstances, with a Covid enforced closed doors friendly against Sauchie Juniors Community FC. There were Shipyard debuts for Scott Costello, Raymond Crichton and a return home for Shaun Keatings following a few seasons away. When the dust has settled a 3-3 draw was the outcome and both managers seemed concerned by the manner of how the goals were conceded. The Shippy defence was breeched twice late on when they were down to 10 men as all their substitutes had been used before Sam Glancy limped off injured.
Shippy boys celebrate a goal.
The Shipyard scored through Reece Brown, Ben Anthony and an own goal and could have had another couple, particularly in a dominant opening half hour, but the chances went a begging. The game was marred by a nasty head injury sustained by Robbie Crawford when he collided with a pitch side barrier resulting in a visit to A&E for the youngster. Thankfully there was not too much damage done and Robbie will be back sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, Sam’s injury could see him out for around four weeks, although it is not as bad as first feared.
Burntisland Shipyard: M. Gibb (S. Costello); R. Crichton (M. Miller); I. Millar; D. Hunter (S. Strang); G. Ross (R. Lennie); S. Glancy; D. Anthony (J. Galloway); S. Keatings; B. Anthony; R. Brown; R. Crawford (D. Allan).
