Last match ends in disappointment
A goal in the first minute and another in the last ensured the points stayed in Windygates as the Shipyard ended the league season in sixth place. With the possibility of a third place finish up for grabs the Shipyard were boosted by the surprise return from injury of Paul Ferrier who took a place on the bench. Mark Brough also returned from injury having missed out against Rosyth last week.
The Shipyard were caught cold in the first minute when the defence failed to properly clear a corner and when the ball was played back into the box Craig Hatton was on hand to prod the ball home. Andy Martin blocked a shot in the 8th minute before the first Shipyard effort was a Russell shot from distance that lacked power. Wilson fired in a dangerous cross in the 11th minute as the Shipyard looked to get on level terms. Martin was called into action again and did well to deal with a fierce cross cum shot from the left hand side. Grieve broke out of defence for the Shipyard and went on a run to the edge of the Eastvale box, but his shot lacked the quality of the run he had made. Neither keeper was under too much pressure with Martin dealing with the long balls Eastvale continuously played over the Shipyard defence. And Seath was rarely troubled as the Shipyard attacks seemed to break down around the 18yard line. James headed a corner wide for the Shipyard, sandwiched between Towell having a couple of efforts for Eastvale, with the second forcing Martin into a save. Martin then held a headed effort from the resultant corner as the first half petered out.
The second half continued in the same vein with the Shipyard defence constantly on the turn as balls were played over the top of them and attacking wise the Shipyard still seemed to look for that extra pass. It was a full fifteen minutes before an attempt of note in the second half and Lamont went close for the Shipyard when his free-kick narrowly went by the post. Substitute Ferrier had a great chance to make it all square when he burst through the middle of the Eastvale defence, he flicked the ball past Seath, however, the ball drifted agonisingly wide of the post. In the 78th minute Martin had to play sweeper as Eastvale broke through. He won a header outside the area, then pressurised the Eastvale player out towards the touchline as his defenders got back. The game was very stretched now and time was running out for the Shipyard as the spare match balls seemed to disappear. Seath was well positioned to save comfortably from both McCue and Gray and as the Shipyard pressed they were caught by the sucker punch in the 3rd minute of added time when Craig Hatton latched onto a long ball, outstripped the Shipyard defence and coolly finished to wrap up the win. Grieve went on another great run from defence and forced a corner but at this stage it was too little too late. Manager Whitehead was bitterly disappointed to miss out on third place but was philosophical enough to say “We did not create enough tonight and lacked that final pass or a bit of composure when it mattered”.
Teams: Eastvale: Seath; Clark; Halley; Herd; Cunningham; McLeod; Anderson; Towell; Little; Westwood; Hatton. Subs: Grubb; Laing; Beaumont.
Burntisland Shipyard: Martin; Grieve; Brough; Gray; Whyte; Russell; Hamilton (Tasker); Lamont (McCue); James (Ferrier); Wilson; Dow.
Referee: C. McNab.