The Shipyard singing in Kettle
The Shipyard eased to a comfortable win at Kettle Park after a goal in each half from Neil Johnston secured the 2 – 0 victory. The Shipyard team showed one change from Tuesday night, with Owen McCue only fit for a place on the bench his place was taken by Stephen Hamilton.
It was the Shipyard who had the first chance in the 5th minute when J. Williams weaved passed a couple of players in the box, only to hit a weak shot that was held by Thomson in the Kettle goal. The Shipyard took the lead in the 15th minute when Neil Johnston gathered a through ball and placed an angled shot from 12 yards into the corner of the net. Kettle had their first chance of the match a minute later but the forward dragged his shot wide. There was not a lot of action of note until the 35th minute when the Shipyard thought they should have been awarded a penalty when it appeared that J. Williams was impeded in the box. Kettle had another effort in the 40th minute when a miss-hit clearance fell to Blackwood but, he saw his shot palmed away by Chalmers. Just on half-time Small dispossessed the Kettle defender outside the box and saw his dangerous cross headed clear, although no corner was awarded.
The first real attempt at goal in the second half came on the hour mark when a free-kick from Kettle was wide of the target. Good build up play in the 65th minute saw a chance created for S. Hamilton but his shot was deflected over for a corner. Whyte’s in swinging corner had Thomson flapping at the ball and he managed to push the ball away for another corner. Cook was next to have a try for the Shipyard when he headed over a Whyte free-kick. The Shipyard went two goals ahead in the 79th minute after S. Hamilton done well to engineer space for a shot that the keeper tipped onto the post, however, Neil Johnston was on hand to gather the rebound and slot the ball into the net. In the 81st minute Leishman saw a shot from the edge of the box saved by Thomson and then a M. Hamilton effort was blocked for a corner. The last action of the match saw Cook’s shot deflected away, in what was a bad night for the defender who had two teeth knocked out in an accidental clash of heads.
Billy Whitehead was a happy man after the game and said “I was pleased with every aspect of our play tonight. It is never easy coming here and playing on the big pitch. I thought we controlled most of the game and deserved the points”
Teams: Kettle united: Thomson; Baxter; Easthaugh; Gallacher; Rankin; Law; McBride; Hampton; Campbell; Blackwood; Main. Subs: Grewer; Turnbull; Anderson; Wilson.
Burntisland Shipyard: Chalmers; Grieve (McAndrew); Whyte; T. Williams; Cook; Small; M. Hamilton; Leishman; S. Hamilton (Dow); Johnston; J. Williams. Unused Subs: Hutt; McCue; Houston.
Referee: E. Cunningham.