Peebles dash Shippy hopes.
The Shipyard’s difficult start to the season continued on Saturday as they lost by the only goal of the game to Peebles Rovers. The visitors missed a few decent chances throughout the match and were almost made to pay late on as only the referee blowing for offside denied the Shippy an equaliser. Again there were a few different faces in the Shippy line up as the rules of the competition allow trialists to be played and the management team to the opportunity to look at them.
The Shipyard started the better team and in the 7th minute a long range lobbed effort from Mark Wright was not too far away. The Shippy really should have taken the lead in the 9th minute when Wright cut in from the left and looked set to score, however, he elected to square the ball to Chris Maxwell, who blasted over from a great position. Alex Imlah headed over for the visitors before Chris Robertson hit the woodwork twice within five minutes. His first attempt crashed back off the underside of the bar and his second was touched on to the post thanks to a great save from keeper Marcus Taylor. Rovers were on top for most of the half and Taylor produced another fine save shortly before the interval, diving low to his left to turn the ball round the post for a corner. Most of the Shipyard efforts were from distance and barely troubled Rovers keeper Jamie Shiel.
Peebles looked the likelier in the second half as Robertson, who had troubled the Shippy defence all game, twice went close. Gerard Rossi also went close before Peebles took the lead in the 63rd minute. Donovan Ndiweni found himself unmarked just a few yards out and was able to bundle the ball home beyond Taylor. A Ben Paterson free-kick was on target for the Shippy but it did not trouble Shiel in the Peebles goal. There was controversy in the 88th minute when a Luke Fleming pile driver was brilliantly parried away by Shiel and although the loose ball was knocked into the Peebles net, referee Doyle ruled that the Shipyard player was in an offside position and disallowed the goal, despite the Shipyard players being adamant that there was no infringement.
Peebles should have sealed the point in the final minute but somehow Colin Smith missed the target when it looked easier to score.
Burntisland Shipyard: M. Taylor; K. Ford; L. Fleming; A. MacDonald; D. Roberts; C. Winter; M. Wright; B. Paterson; C. Maxwell (D. Butt); D. Taylor; N. McKay.
Peebles Rovers: J. Shiel; J. Mackay; L. Zavaroni; J. Dodds; A. Imlah; C. Smith; L. Marshall (A. Thomson); G. Rossi; C. Robertson; D. Ndiweni; M. Cockburn.
Referee: C. Doyle.