Strong second half secures three points
A strong second half performance ensured that the Shipyard came back up the road with all three points as goals from Iain Millar and Kris Murphy sealed a two-nil victory against Peebles Rovers at Whitestone Park. Following a drab first half, in which both teams were reduced to ten men as Shaun Keatings and Mikelanxho Bardhi clashed off the ball, there was a marked improvement from the Shippy with Murphy and Michael Gibb forming a new front two pairing, with the formers physicality and the latter’s pace causing Rovers defence no end of problems. With the injury list showing no sign of decreasing manager Lee Richardson decided to bolster his squad and signed Kai Beard, Ellis McQuade and Michael Moodie during the week. There were late debuts from the bench for Beard and McQuade.
The Shippy Ultras had travelled south and were making plenty of noise as the match got underway and they backed their heroes as they sang and chanted for the full ninety minutes. To be fair, they didn’t have much to sing about as neither side could fashion anything in the way of an opportunity in the opening twenty minutes or so. Peebles did have more of the ball, however, Mikey Couser was never tested in the Shippy goals. Shipyard had an appeal for a penalty in the 28th minute when it was claimed that Keatings was impeded as he tried to get on the end of a Gibb cross. Evan Stanfield volleyed a CJ. Thomson ball back across goal but his strike lacked direction and the danger was cleared, meanwhile at the other end Peebles captain Ross Lamb blasted the ball over from 22 yards. The was a huge flashpoint in the 34th minute as Keatings and Bardhi clashed with referee Sean Simpson not hesitating in sending both players off. On the stroke of half time Dan Thomson drove into the box but he was crowded out before he could get his shot away.
There was a scare for the Shippy in the 61st minute when Couser failed to gather the ball cleanly and it took some brave defending before the danger was cleared. Shipyard took the lead in the 67th minute with a simple goal as big Millzy rose at the back post to head home CJ. Thomson’s excellent corner. The previously mentioned change in the forward line now had the Shippy on the front foot as Gibb continually drove at the Peebles defence and Murphy put the central defenders under mounting pressure. It was Murphy who put the Shippy two ahead in the 84th minute as he scored from close range following a Sam Glancy cross. Despite seven minutes of added time the Shippy were able to keep any threat from Peebles at bay, with the Ultras in full song in the stand as the clock ticked down.
Richardson spoke after the match and he said “I thought we were poor in the first 30 minutes though not under any pressure. We were much improved in the second half with Jamesy, Millzy, CJ, Sam, Gibby and Big Kris all producing fine performances to ensure we got the three points I believe we deserved.”
We are involved in cup action on Friday night as we host Crossgates Primrose in the League Cup. The tie kicks off at 7.30pm.
Peebles Rovers: J. Moffatt; R. Lamb; G. Lamb; L. MacLean; K. Kivlichan; M. Bardhi; S. Robertson; J. Mackay; N. McDonald; G. Wilson; S. Latto’ Subs: B. Brown; J. Dodds; M. Joyce; F. Stewart.
Burntisland Shipyard: M. Couser; E. Bauld; M. Robertson (E. McQuade); I. Millar; M. James; S. Keatings; M. Gibb (C. Lewis); CJ. Thomson; E. Stanfield (K. Murphy); D. Thomson; S. Glancy (K. Beard). Unused: S. Costello.
Referee: S. Simpson.