Mistakes cost Shipyard in South Challenge Cup.
Once again, the Shipyard shot themselves in the foot as more poor defending cost them passage into the next round of the South Challenge Cup. Yet another free header from around six yards out and losing possession deep inside their own half were the decisive mistakes that cost the Shippy dearly. The Shipyard were boosted by the return of Craig Watt from injury and the availability of Ben Anthony who had been scheduled to work.
The Shipyard created the early openings with a Shaun Keatings drive deflected wide. A Keatings pass created a chance for Cammy Lewis but the diminutive forward saw his shot blocked. A Mark James header was then tipped over as the Shippy continued to look the likelier team to score. Hibs’ first attempt came in the 19th minute when Andrew McCallion shot just wide. The hosts went on to enjoy a spell of pressure as Scott Costello was twice forced into saves in the space of a couple of minutes as he pushed efforts off target. Anthony then saw a shot comfortably saved by Hibs keeper Calum Sutherland before Thornton took the lead. A free kick was conceded on the Shippy right-hand side and when the ball was delivered the unmarked Keir Allan headed in off the underside of the bar from the centre of goal, no more than six yards out. Andrew Adam shot across the face of the Shippy goal in the 39th minute and just before half-time an Anthony free kick was not too far away for the Shippy.
The Shippy left themselves with an uphill struggle just four minutes into the second half when possession was needlessly conceded wide on the left and when the cross came in Garry Thomson volleyed the ball home. The Shippy had a great chance to pull one back when Anthony broke clear, however, Sutherland blocked with his legs and then Watt poked an effort just wide of the post. The Shipyard pulled a goal back in the 62nd minute when Michael Gibb got on the end an Anthony flick on to score from close range. The loss of the goal seemed to lift Thornton and on three occasions the Shippy managed to save or block efforts at the expense of corners as the hosts looked to re-establish their two goal advantage. With the match in the final fifteen minutes a Keatings free kick was held low down by Sutherland and at the other end a Thomson volley was not too far away. With the game deep into added time the Shipyard should have been given the chance to take the game to extra time from the penalty spot. A ball played in from the Shipyard right clearly struck the arm of the Thornton defender, sparking loud roars for a penalty. Much to everyone’s disbelieve the referee waved play and he stated after the match that the player had not made his body bigger. Really!!! Given other penalty decisions in our earlier matches this season all that can be said is that there is no consistency whatsoever from our officials.
Manager lee Richardson was naturally disappointed after the match when he said “we keep giving away needless goals. Furthermore, we are not converting enough of our chances either. We just have to keep working hard in training and our fortunes will change.”
Next Saturday (26/08/2023) we are back in league action with Ormiston Primrose the visitors. Kick-off is at 2.30pm.
Thornton Hibs: C. Sutherland; D. Meldrum; D. McMillan (N. Laird); S. Peletier; I. Shanks; K. Allan; H. Duffy; A. Adam (D. McNab); A. McCallion (L. Horsburgh); G. Thomson; R. Westwater (J. Soutar). Unused Subs: S. Drummond & C. Doctor.
Burntisland Shipyard: S. Costello; L. Ross; R. O’Donnell; H. Milne; I. Millar; C. Watt; M. Gibb (R. MacAulay); M. James; B. Anthony; C. Lewis (CJ. Thomson); S. Keatings (B. Murray). Unused Subs: A. Brown; D. Pierce; H. Kay; R. Watt.
Referee: K. Hall.