Shipyard in stalemate at Dunipace.
The Shipyard kept their good run of form going with a hard fought 0-0 draw against Dunipace at Westfield Park in Denny on Wednesday night. Despite the game being scoreless there was plenty of good football and incident to keep the crowd entertained as the teams went toe to toe looking to gather all three points. Both teams will argue they could have won it as chances went a begging and the Shipyard were particularly disappointed when the referee cautioned Reece Brown for simulation when a penalty looked the only option. To most inside the ground it was a stonewall penalty. Iain Millar, Grant Skinner, Connor McQuade and Sam Glancy all returned to the squad after missing the weekend win over Craigroyston.
Gavin Ross got on the end of a Millar long throw but was unable to turn the ball in at the front post with four minutes on the clock. There was huge controversy two minutes later as Brown went down following a challenge in the box and when the referee blew almost everyone anticipated the inevitable spot kick and they were shocked when the ref booked the young striker for diving. Inexplicable! Benn Hutchison shot wide on eleven minutes before Stewart Henderson missed the hosts first opportunity when he also missed the target from a good position. Michael Gibb was called into action for the first time as he saved from Gary Wright. Paul Nash was off target for Dunipace in the 24th minute as they enjoyed a spell in the ascendancy. Shipyard captain Sandy Strang went on a great run as he burst into the box, however, he lacked the composure to finish with just keeper David Kane to beat. The action was switching from end to end and Henderson fluffed his lines when presented with a chance at the back post. The Shippy could and should have been ahead two minutes before the interval when Brown fired a great ball across the box but sadly for the visitors Robbie Crawford Knocked the ball wide from close range.
Half-time substitute Grant Skinner saw his free-kick comfortably gathered by Kane before Dunipace again missed the target, this time Keir Stevenson was the guilty party. Strang had a decent chance when he got on the end of another Millar missile but his header lacked the power to beat Kane. Dunipace upped the ante in the closing stages with a wicked free-kick begging to be touched home and a deep cross was headed against the outside of the post with the hosts claiming a corner.
Although Dunipace had more of the ball and possibly edged it on chances, Gibb was rarely called into action and barely made a save of note all evening with Ryan O’Donnell pivotal in protecting his goalkeeper with some resolute defending.
Dunipace: D. Kane, G. MacPherson, M. Galloway (L. Davidson), D. Brown, J. O’Grady, S. McHaffie, L. Craig, G. Wright, K. Stevenson (S. Dymock), P. Nash, S. Henderson (M. Byrne). Unused Subs: J. Steven, A. Stevenson, Z. Raymen.
Burntisland Shipyard: M. Gibb, R. O’Donnell, I. Millar, D. Hunter, G. Ross, Jon. Galloway, Jor. Galloway (G. Skinner), S. Strang, R. Brown, B. Hutchison (S. Glancy), R. Crawford (A. Watt). Unused Subs: C. McQuade, N. Harley, A. Cooper.
Referee: C. Macrae.