Keatsy hat-trick secures win for Shipyard.
A Shaun Keatings hat-trick, which included two late penalties, gave the Shipyard a welcome victory against Newburgh Juniors at East Shore Park on Saturday. It was a deserved victory against the managerless hosts, with Alan Moody and his team leaving for pastures new, as the Shippy dominated for long spells and created more than enough clear cut chances to justify the three points. The Shipyard starting eleven showed four changes from Tuesday’s defeat at Dalkeith with Ben Anthony, Ryan O’Donnell, Craig Junior Thomson and Craig Watt dropping out for various reasons and they were replaced by Michael Gibb, Cammy Lewis, Billy Murray and Dan Thomson.
The Shipyard started brightly with Harris Kay seeing his 9th minute shot deflected for a corner and then Billy Murray saw his twenty yard volley come back off the bar. The Shippy took the lead in the 13th minute when Keatings broke clear of the Newburgh defence and lobbed the ball over the advancing keeper David Chalmers and into the net, with the home defence appealing in vain for offside. The Shippy were unable to maintain their lead though as Newburgh drew level three minutes later when Struan Grieve capitalised on some slack defending to get a shot away that went in off the post. Burgh were enjoying their best spell of the match and went close in the 21st minute when a corner found it’s way to the far side of the six yard box and only the width of the post kept the scores level. At the other end more defensive frailties offered a chance to Thomson but he was unable to find the net. A Keatings curling shot was pushed away by Chalmers after he cut in from the left. In the 38th minute Keatings had another chance as he beat the keeper to the ball and flicked it over him. He then got a shot away, which looked to be going in, but the ball lacked the power to get over the line. The Shipyard were creating opportunities but they had nothing to show for them as the half-time whistle blew.
Newburgh created a great chance five minutes into the second period when a cross whipped in from the left beat the sprawling Scott Costello and also Newburgh attacker sliding in at the back post to go out for a goal kick. The Shipyard went close again in the 57th minute when a Keatings free kick was headed back across goal by Mark James and Thomson saw his close range strike come back off the post. That was Thomson’s last action in the match as he was replaced by his namesake Craig Junior. A Shipyard corner in the 63rd minute caused a bit of panic in the home defence; however, they quickly broke forward and it was the visitors defence who did well to clear the danger at the expense of a corner. Substitute Ryan Watt saw his shot from range go over the bar before the Shippy got their noses in front. A fine pass from Watt found Robbie MacAulay and as he burst into the box, he was brought down leaving the referee with no choice but to point to the spot. Keatings made no mistake from twelve yards. As the game moved into added time the Shippy were awarded another penalty though this one was not as clear cut. Lewis got into the six yard box and collided with the keeper and despite the ball breaking to Watt the ref blew his whistle and pointed to the spot again. Once again Keatsy made no mistake as he secured the win for the Shippy. There was a concern for the Shipyard as Hamish Milne took a head knock with the young defender going to hospital for a precautionary check.
Manager Lee Richardson was happy after the game when he said “The boys that came on against Dalkeith during the week did well that night and deserved their chance today and I think they all took it. We were a bit short on bodies today, however, all the boys rose to the challenge as we gathered a vital three points.”
Next Saturday (16/09/2023) we welcome Stirling University to the Shippy just a few weeks after losing to them at Ochilview. Both teams are on twelve points from seven games with a win putting the victors in the top three. Kick-off is at the usual time of 2.30pm.
Newburgh Juniors: D. Chalmers; C. Anderson; A. Cameron; S. Grieve; R. Hall; K. Harris; E. Jowitt; C. MacDonald; M. Perrie; M. Sharp; A. Wilson. Subs: J. Russell; R. McPhate; J. Malcolm; H. Mitchell; L. Stevenson; K. Tracey; C. White.
Burntisland Shipyard: S. Costello; L. Ross (R. Watt); I. Millar; H. Milne; M. Gibb; M. James; D. Thomson (CJ. Thomson); H. Kay; B. Murray (R. MacAulay); S. Keatings; C. Lewis.
Referee: K. Gibson.