Shippy score late to secure draw.
The Shipyard had to settle for a share of the spoils on Saturday following a 2-2 draw with Stirling University at Recreation Park. In a game that ebbed and flowed all afternoon the Shippy found themselves ahead, behind and then level with the goals coming thanks to a brace from Jack Wilson. Despite the overnight storm damage to the perimeter fence, the game was never in doubt of going ahead and although there was bright sunshine and the wind had died down, it remained bitterly cold. This week it was the turn of Mark James and Craig Watt to be suspended and with both Ryan O’Donnell and Jordan Galloway unavailable Costy’s squad was stretched again.
The visitors created the first chance in the 3rd minute; however, big Iain Millar was on had to mop up the danger. In the 11th minute Shaun Keatings saw his shot shovelled away by Uni keeper Murray Bushell as the hosts started to put pressure on the Stirling defence and that pressure was rewarded five minutes later as a slip in the Uni defence presented a chance to Wilson and with only Bushell to beat he coolly finished to give his team the lead. Sam Glancy missed a great chance to double the lead after Wilson squared the ball to him but from the centre of goal the diminutive midfielder skied the ball over the bar. The Shippy were punished on the stroke of half-time when some very poor defending allowed Robbie Young to head home from inside the six-yard box following a free-kick, leaving the manager extremely frustrated on the sidelines.
Darrell Anthony saw his drive go narrowly over the bar before the visitors took the lead on the hour mark as Stuart Frankland broke down the right-hand side and evaded a challenge before squaring for Cameron McKinley who had the simple task of knocking the ball into the net. Young had as chance to seal it for Stirling but his attempt at the back post drifted across the face and went wide. Wilson then had a fantastic chance to restore parity only to see his close range header go narrowly over the bar. However, the big man did not have to wait long to get his second of the match when in the 85th minute he clipped the ball over Bushell following good work from Glancy and Scott Orrock. The big man had another chance with his head though this opportunity was more difficult and he again failed to fide the target. Big Millzy repeated his early heroics in added time as he was again in the right place to clear the danger as the Uni looked to snatch it at the death.
Speaking after the match manager Dave Costello said “Maybe we should have won it although we could have lost it too, so possibly a draw was about right. Big Jack and Sam both missed good opportunities but I can’t complain about that.” He went on to add “It’s more the chopping and changing of my defence that is the main concern. I can’t put out the same back four from one week to the next whether it be through injury, suspension or unavailability. We really need some continuity at the back.”
Next week we are on the road to face more student opposition, this time in the shape of Heriot Watt University. The match at Riccarton Campus has the slightly later kick-off time of 3pm.
Burntisland Shipyard: S. Costello; M. Miller; S. Strang (J. Thomson); F. Anderson (M. Douglas); I. Millar; S. Orrock; S. Keatings; D. Anthony; B. Anthony; S. Glancy; J. Wilson. Unused Sub: M. Gibb.
Stirling University: M. Bushell; A. McIvor; R. Young; F. Binnie; A. Dennis; C. Preston; C. McKinley; J. Docherty; C. Hayes; D. Oliphant; S. Frankland. Subs: J. Carrie; L. Innes; A. Neilly; S. McDermott.
Referee: B. Allan.