Shipyard pay penalty as chances go a begging.
A three nil win might have flattered Hawick but the bottom line is if you don’t take your chances you won’t win the match. Both teams created a whole host of chances but it was the home team who were clinical in front of goal as they bagged the three points. Once again the Shipyard squad was decimated by injury and unavailability and travelled with only eleven recognised players for what was the final away match of the season.
It was the home team who were on top in the early stages as Jon McInally flashed a shot across the face of goal and after a poor clearance from Shippy keeper Mark Rowbotham, Kenneth McMillan saw his lobbed effort drift over the bar. Hawick took the lead in the 18th minute when a shot from the left hand side of the box hit the post and Robert Boyd was on hand to knock the loose ball home. The Shipyard almost drew level immediately when Andy Macdonald played a great pass to Ethan Anderson but the youngsters shot was well saved by Kyle Rankin in the Albert goal. In the 21st minute Ewan Henderson crossed from wide on the left and Adam Doig’s first time strike flew narrowly wide of the post. Anderson then won the ball on the edge of the Hawick box but his shot was off target. After a period of Shipyard pressure Hawick took control of the game again and Ryan Stevenson’s curled attempt from twenty yards was not too far away. Stevenson then shot into the side netting after the ball dropped to him beyond the back post. Another opportunity fell Hawick’s way and Rowbotham did well to save with his legs from McInally. Back at the other end Mark James drove wide from the edge of the box.
Hawick started the second half on top without really troubling Rowbotham and it was the Shippy who went close on 55 minutes when an excellently delivered Conor Drury free-kick was volleyed just wide by James. The visitors were made to rue that miss a minute later as Hawick doubled their lead when McInally tapped home at the back post as the Shipyard defence allowed the ball to get across the face of goal to the unmarked Albert forward. The Shipyard replied with a MacDonald drive that Rankin touched round the post for a corner. McMillan and McInally both had attempts for Hawick before the Shippy really should have pulled a goal back when James was played through on goal but he over ran the ball allowing Rankin to mop up the danger. With eight minutes remaining the Shipyard were handed a golden chance to get back into the match when they were awarded a somewhat controversial penalty when Pete Bell was brought down at the edge of the box. The home players argued that the challenge had taken place outside the area, however, referee Paul Hanlon was adamant that it was on the line, therefore a penalty. Justice may have been done when Rankin dived to his right to save Henderson’s spot kick. A James free-kick was held by Rankin before Hawick wrapped the game up with two minutes remaining when an unmarked Daryl Johnson headed home a corner at the near post.
Manager Raymond Drury said after the game “That was frustrating as we created a lot of chances in the match including missing a penalty and once again my squad was stretched to the limit as I only had eleven players available today”. The gaffer then bemoaned his luck when he added “We didn’t get the luck in front of goal today but it seemed Hawick did, with the first goal being a prime example as the ball came back off the post straight to their player”. He added “Hopefully we will have a lot stronger a squad available for Tuesday night so that we can put in a good performance”.
Hawick Royal Albert: K. Rankin; C. Robertson; N. Smeaton; R. Boyd; M. McEwen; D. Johnson (M. Lynch); R. Stevenson; J. McPartlin; K. McMillan; K. Mitchell; J. McInally (G. Pettigrew).
Burntisland Shipyard: M. Rowbotham; P. Bell; R. McCann; I. Millar; B. Couper; A. MacDonald; E. Anderson; C. Drury; E. Henderson; M. James (M. Beveridge); A. Doig.
Referee: P. Hanlon.