Miserable night for Shipyard
The Shipyard were on the end of a heavy defeat at Rosyth as nothing went their way as the injury hit squad was stretched to the limit. Mark Brough was added to the injury list after picking up a knock on Tuesday night. McCue replaced Brough and Lamont came in for James. Trialist Salters was the only substitute available.
In the 1st minute Grieve launched the ball forward from the half way line that keeper Laing held under his crossbar. Lambie broke forward for Rosyth but his delivery was poor. Rosyth were on top as the Shipyard took time to settle and in the space of a couple of minutes Rosyth spurned good chances. Firstly, Wotherspoon shot wide from the edge of the box and then Penman hit the post after being set up by Lambie. In a rare foray into the Rosyth box the Shipyard were denied a penalty when Wilson was pushed over in the box. Rosyth broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when Lee Wotherspoon got the break of the ball in the box and although Martin got a hand to his shot he could not keep it out. Rosyth scored again three minutes later with a fine goal when the ball was played wide to Lambie, he in turn played a first time ball into the box that Lee Wilson met 15yards out and dispatched beyond Martin. The Shipyard could have been back in it a minute later when Wilson miss hit his shot after good work from Hamilton to set up the chance. The Shipyard ended the half on top and Dow was unlucky to see his 20yard effort bounce back off the bar. Gray was then just off target with a shot from the edge of the box.
Wilson’s free kick for Rosyth had Martin on his toes as the effort just cleared the bar. Dow then showed great tenacity to get in a cross that reached Gray, however, the Rosyth defence was quick to block his fierce shot. Williams then nodded a Wilson cross wide after a corner was only partially cleared. In the 51st minute Penman dragged his shot wide after the ball was headed down to him. Another Rosyth goal came along a minute later when Martin could only push out a fierce shot and the ball fell kindly for Lee Wotherspoon to knock the ball home. The Shipyard continued to look for a goal and Hamilton saw his left foot shot drift wide. Whyte then went on a great run but as he reached the edge of the Rosyth box he was crowded out and dispossessed. There was a hugely controversial moment in the 62nd minute when Wilson knocked the ball away from the Rosyth keeper and was then unceremoniously flattened. However, to everyone’s astonishment the referee awarded a corner. Wotherspoon completed his hat-trick in the 74th minute when he outstripped the Shipyard defence and lobbed the ball over the advancing Martin. Substitute Stewart Mitchell completed the scoring with nine minutes remaining when he scored from around 12yards as the ball fell to him after a shot was blocked. Manager Billy Whitehead would not comment on the referee’s performance after the match as he did not want to get himself into trouble but said “We did not deserve to lose by that margin”.
Teams: Rosyth Civil Service: Laing; Harrison; Cooper; Bouglas; Perry; Richardson; Lambie; Wilson; Penman; Wotherspoon; Peoples. Subs: Mitchell; Jack; Curry.
Burntisland Shipyard: Martin; Grieve; McCue; Williams; Whyte; Russell; Hamilton (Salters); Gray; Lamont; Wilson; Dow.
Referee: R. Meikle.