Dominant display secures victory
As the midweek fixtures got underway, a goal in each half from the strike force sealed a deserved victory for the Shipyard at Strathmiglo and kept up the recent run of good league form. Mark Hamilton returned to the starting eleven after a two week layoff replacing the unavailable Craig Russell whose works van had broken down. Bryan Cook also returned and took a place on the bench.
The Shipyard were quick out the blocks and forced an early corner that came to nothing. In the 3rd minute Ferrier fired in a fierce shot that was blocked by a defender, whilst Strath replied with a ball across the face of goal that nobody could get on the end of. In the 9th minute the Shipyard came agonisingly close when good build up play between Ferrier and Wilson set up a shooting chance for Grieve, however, Duncan got a fingertip to the ball and touched it onto the post and away for a corner. A deep cross from Brough found the head of Williams but he could not get his effort on target as the ball sailed harmlessly over. In the 20th minute Woods of Strath showed good skill in the box to turn and get a shot away that was blocked for a corner. The Shipyard had a bit of a let off in the 28th minute when Williams’ attempted clearance bounced off the unsuspecting Martin in the Shipyard goal and rebounded clear. Kieran Duncan produced another great save, this time thwarting Ferrier as he burst through on goal. The Shipyard took the lead in the 44th minute when Paul Ferrier received a pass from Wilson and coolly slipped the ball beyond Duncan with the outside of his right foot. Strathmiglo should have been level a minute later when the Shipyard defence was caught ball watching and allowed Ivory to gain possession. He rounded Martin but with the goal gaping he somehow lifted the ball over the bar.
The Shipyard started the second half as they did the first, forcing an early corner, but it was Strath who created a couple of chances with long range efforts. On both occasions Clark surged forward from his defensive duties and fired in shots that never troubled Martin. In the 67th minute McCue set up Ferrier inside the box and the defender did well to clear his shot off the line with the keeper beaten. Ferrier was in the thick of the action again when he latched onto a flick on from Wilson. However, his first time lobbed effort was over the keeper and also the bar. A minute later Duncan produced another great save, again denying Ferrier, who fired in a powerful left foot shot after Cook had nodded the ball on to him. The Shipyard went 2 – 0 up in the 77th minute when Ferrier burst down the right, bore down on goal, then squared to Paul Wilson who had the easiest of tasks to knock the ball into the net from inside the six yard box. Substitute Baillie shot wide for Strath in the 79th minute and Williams then did well to block an Ivory effort. Two minutes from time Hamilton got forward for the Shipyard and saw his well hit left foot shot from the angle beaten away for a corner. Manager Billy Whitehead was naturally delighted with the result and said “I thought we played well tonight and thoroughly deserved the win. We created a few chances and their keeper pulled off some good saves”.
Teams: Strathmiglo United: Duncan; McIntosh; Patrick; Clark; Spence; Skinner; Woods; Leishman; Ivory; Hampton; McLaughlin. Subs: Baillie; Evans; O’Neil; Burnett; Gibson.
Burntisland Shipyard: Martin; McAndrew; Brough; Williams; Whyte; Grieve (Marsh); Hamilton; Gray (Cook); Ferrier; Wilson; McCue (Dow).
Referee: D. Wilson.