East Fife 3-1 Elgin City, Viaplay Cup Group G MD2
Tuesday 18th July 2023, MGM Timber Bayview Stadium
The Fifers maintained their unbeaten start to their Viaplay Cup campaign as they overcame fellow League Two side Elgin City at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium on Tuesday night. The comfortable 3-1 win came from Hat-trick Hero and local lad Nathan Austin whose positioning and ability to read the game landed him 3 very similar goals on the night. Despite fighting hard in the second half, Elgin have succumbed to a second straight defeat in the group stages.
The action started fast and favourably for the Methil Men, who capitalised on a nervy Elgin side, with Jack Healy catching a loose pass early on, in what was a tremendous showing for the youngster. His touched bobbled past the ‘keeper to the aforementioned Austin, who has continued his pre-season scoring form and burst the empty net after 90 seconds of action. The Bayview outfit grew further into the game too as Healy terrorised the Elgin left back for the duration of the game. The winger looked as hungry and passionate as ever, and his end product seems to have improved further from last season, as he was able to pick the killer pass which he lacked at times last season.
Chances continued to flow for the Fifers, and chances from both Easton and Newton fired off target just after the half an hour mark. Even though we were relentlessly knocking on the door we could not find the breakthrough. That was until the 39th minute. Jack Healy again tied his full back in knots, skipping past him on the outside, before jinking in and spraying a square ball across the face of goal, which met the welcome boot of Austin who tapped in his second of the evening, and East Fife’s second too.
East Fife had to spend the beginning of the second period on the back foot, looking to pick off the Black and Whites on the break. Fleming was forced into two big saves within 3 minutes of one another to deny Liam Harvey’s volley attempts, which he made look easy.
After 70 minutes Ross Draper missed a golden opportunity to hand Elgin a way back into the tie, before Dingwall capitalised 7 minutes later. A tidy pass from the wing found an onrushing Russell Dingwall, who used his body to get over the ball, and lash his effort into the far bottom corner leaving Fleming rooted to the touchline.
East Fife’s desire and hunger came straight to the fore however, as the 1 goal difference only lasted a matter of seconds. Allan Fleming’s long kick was flicked on by Austin, who then made a darting run to the back post. Gregor Nicol was able to control the ball, and fizz a pass back to Austin who, composed as ever, took a touch and buried his shot past the Elgin goalie, meaning, 3 goals for Austin, 3 goals for the fans, and 3 huge points for the Methil Milan, as we shuffle one miniscule step toward the second round. We still have the two toughest games to go, travelling to Fir Hill and Palmerston in the coming fixtures, but if this week is anything to go by, the Fifers are not to be discounted.
Report by Oli Anderson
East Fife – Fleming, Newton, Page, Philp, Easton, McManus, Trouten, Healy, Walls (Nicol 66’), Shepherd (Schiavone 66’), Austin (Millar 82’). Subs not used: Beveridge, Slattery, Cunningham, Docherty, Murray, Comerford
Elgin City – Hoban, Cairns, Mackenzie, MacLeman, Draper, Dingwall, Cameron (Taylor 76’), Lawrence, MacInnes (MacEwan 45’), Mitchell (Jamieson 45’), Harvey. Subs not used: McHale, Hayllar
Referee: Steven Kirkland
Attendance: 384