Shipyard lose in five goal thriller
The Shipyard crashed out of the Fife Amateur Cup after Strathmiglo came from behind to deservedly win and make it into the semi-final. The Shipyard had cruised into a two goal lead inside 25 minutes but, Strath were level by half-time and scored the winner as the game moved into the last ten minutes. Stuart Gray and Paul Wilson replaced Bryan Cook and Steven Dow from last week’s starting eleven, with Mark Brough still only fit enough for a place on the bench.
The Shipyard had a scare in the fifth minute when Martin miss hit a clearance straight to the Strath player, however, he could not direct his shot on target. Two minutes later the Shipyard were ahead when Ferrier latched onto a through ball and squared to Paul Wilson and from around 10yards smashed the ball into the net. Ivory headed wide for Strath in the 13th minute and then Russell saw a block tackle at the edge of the box loop over. Ivory was giving the Shipyard defence problems and he saw an ambitious overhead kick drift wide. In the 21st minute Hamilton blasted over after good work from McAndrew and Wilson. Hammy was not to be denied though and he headed the Shipyard’s second goal in the 24th minute when Russell got on the end of a McCue corner and nodded the ball across the box for Mark Hamilton to head high into the net. Whether the Shipyard players thought it was game over remains to be seen but, Strath dominated the rest of the half and L. Baillie hooked the ball wide in the 26th minute after the ball was cut back to him. Strathmiglo were then awarded a free-kick inside the Shipyard box after the referee deemed that Martin had picked up a pass back from Williams. With the defence lined up across the goal-line the ball was touched to the side and the wall done its job and blocked the shot. The rebound fell at the edge of the box and Martin done brilliantly to turn the shot over for a corner. Strath were back in the match in the 35th minute after a sensational strike from Aaron Anderson when he volleyed the ball passed the helpless Martin from the angle of the 18yard box. In the 42nd minute Strath drew level with what the Shipyard would feel was a very poor goal. A corner from the right was allowed to make it to the back post where the smallest man on the park Liam Ivory, was afforded a free headed and despite the efforts of Martin, he could not keep the ball out. Just before half-time Martin had to pull off a tremendous save as he touched away a ferocious effort from Hampton.
Russell had a long range shot that was high and wide in the 47th minute for the Shipyard but, it was still Strath who were dominating as they forced a series of corners. Martin then blocked with his legs from Ivory and in the 63rd minute a Strath free-kick fizzed across the face of the Shipyard goal and out for a goal kick. The Shipyard attacked a minute later and Ferrier wriggled into a shooting position but could not get any power into his effort. Anderson found himself with time and space in the Shipyard box but his control let him down and the chance was gone. In the 69th minute a free-kick in a central area for the Shipyard was struck by Gray, however, his shot lacked the power to trouble Gibson in the Strath goal. Ferrier then passed up the best chance of the second half when he burst clear of the Strath defence. He bore down on goal from a wide position but his shot across the keeper was just wide of the far post. There was a scramble in the Strath box in the eightieth minute when Gibson fumbled the ball and as players went in to win it the referee took the easy option and awarded a free-kick to the defence. A minute later Strath then completed their comeback when Liam Ivory got on the end of a punt up the park and lobbed the outrushing Martin. The ball hit the post but Ivory re-acted the quickest and dived to head the ball into the net from close range. The Shipyard then tried to get an equaliser and take the game to extra time and Ferrier had a couple of efforts but could not beat the resolute Strath defence. Deep into injury time Strath almost got a fourth goal on the break but, the Shipyard defence got back to mop up the danger in what was the last action of the match. A naturally disappointed Billy Whitehead Said “We were poor today despite easing to a two goal lead. Too many players were off their game and with some carrying injuries it was not to be our day”.
Teams: Strathmiglo United: Gibson; Patrick; Smith; D. Ballie; McIntosh; Hampton; Anderson; Skinner; Ivory; L. Ballie; Woods. Subs: Evans; Leishman; McLaughlin; Dickson; Calder.
Burntisland Shipyard: Martin; McAndrew; Grieve; Williams; Whyte; Wilson; Hamilton (Lamont); Gray; Russell (Brough); Ferrier; McCue. Unused Sub: Dow.
Referee: P. Simmons.