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East Fife Off The Mark With Win Against Elgin

Betfred League Cup Group B

Tuesday 25^th July 2017

Bayview Stadium

East Fife 3 (Duggan 57’, Docherty 66’ (P), Willis 82’)

Elgin City 2 (Reilly 49, 79,)

East Fife XI: Goodfellow, Dunsmore, Docherty, Watson, Slattery, Wilson, Millar, Flanagan (Inglis 89’), Willis, Duggan, Reilly (Wilkie 78’)

Subs: Young

Elgin City XI: Waters, Cooper, Smith, McHardy, Bronsky, McGovern, Dodd (Reid 62’), Cameron, Reilly, Sutherland (McLeish 75’), Allan (McKinnon 83’)

Subs: Eadie, Wilson, Dear

Booked: Allan, McHardy

Referee: Scott Millar

Attendance: 331

Elgin City were the visitors to Bayview on matchday 4 of the Betfred Cup where East Fife ran out 3-2 winners after an entertaining second half. Manager Darren Young made one change to the side the lost to Hearts at the weekend with Nathan Flanagan replacing defender Ben Gordon who was serving his suspension for the red card picked up last time out.

The visitor has the first chance of the match when Jordan Allan broke forward at pace, his shot beating Ryan Goodfellow in the East Fife goal but Craig Watson was on hand to stop the ball on the line. East Fife enjoying the majority of the possession but it was Elgin who enjoyed the better chances in the first half and had a strong penalty claim waved away by referee Scott Millar on 21 minutes. Goodfellow had to be alert shortly before the break to keep out a goal-bound header from Stephen Bronsky.

Elgin took the lead 3 minutes after the interval when Thomas Reilly’s free kick from the stand-side touchline evaded everyone to creep into the bottom corner. East Fife reacted well to going a goal down and scored a deserved equaliser on 58 minutes when Chris Duggan found the back of the net from close range – the first East Fife goal of 2017/2018 much to the relief of the home fans.

Kyle Wilson went close to adding a second a minute later when he latched on to a through ball from Mark Docherty but Elgin ‘keeper Marc Waters was out quickly to collect. Paul Willis was next to go close for the home side but his shot from close range to a deflection on its way through before East Fife were awarded a penalty on 65 minutes when Pat Slattery was taken out in the box. Docherty placed the ball on the spot and found the corner to put East Fife in front for the first time in the match.

Duggan could have added a third on 72 minutes when he robbed Daryl McHardy in midfield and raced in on goal; his first shot saved by Waters before sending the follow-up narrowly over. Willis had the ball in the net a minute later after getting on the end of a cross from Nathan Flanagan but the flag was raised for offside against the winger. Kieran Millar was next to have a go with a shot 8-yards but Waters did well to save with his legs.

Elgin grabbed an equaliser against the run of play when Reilly latched onto a loose ball to score his second of the match. The goal was harsh on East Fife as they had been by far the better side in the second half but they weren’t to be denied a first win of the season. Nathan Flanagan, who had been causing problem for the visitors all game, unleashed a shot that Waters could only parry into the path a Willis to score what proved to be the winner.

Some shaky moments but a thoroughly deserved and confidence boosting win for East Fife just in time for the start of the league campaign in a couple of weeks.

Question and Answer Session with Darren Young and Tony McMinn

After the match against St Johnstone on Saturday, 29th July, Darren Young, Manager, and Tony McMinn, Asst Manager, will be holding a question and answer session in the Jeek fleming Lounge. Please remember, the match kicks off at 12 noon. Bar will be open at 11am and the admission prices to the match are £5 for an adult and under 16s are FREE.

Battling Display at Tynecastle

Betfred League Cup Group B

Saturday 22^nd July 2017

Tynecastle Stadium

Hearts 3 (Lafferty 22’, 86’(P), Berra 70’)

East Fife 0

Hearts XI: Hamilton, Smith, Souttar (Petkov 45’), Berra, Walker (Stockton 77’), Buaben, Lafferty, Cowie (Martin 62’), McGhee, Grzelak, Goncalves

Subs: Noring, Nowak, Brandon, Moore

Booked: McGhee, Stockton

East Fife XI: Goodfellow, Dunsmore, Docherty, Watson, Slattery, Duggan, Wilson, Millar, Gordon, Reilly (Flanagan 75’), Willis

Subs: Wilkie, Inglis, Mutch, Young

Booked: Gordon

Dismissed: Gordon

Referee: Nick Walsh

Attendance: 6265

East Fife travelled to face Hearts on matchday 3 of the Betfred Cup but left empty-handed as Premiership side ran out 3-0 winners at Tynecastle. Manager Darren Young made two changed to side that drew with Dunfermline on Tuesday with Ryan Goodfellow and Kieran Millar stepping in for Nathan Flanagan and the injured Thomas Cordery.

The home side could have been ahead on 6 minutes when Michael Smith beat the offside trap but saw his shot rebound off the inside of the post into the arms of Goodfellow. Hearts were doing all the running in the early stages and passed up another two great opportunities inside the first 15 minutes when first captain Christophe Berra couldn’t find the target after losing his marker at a corner before Kyle Lafferty headed wide from a couple of yards.

East Fife’s first sight of goal occurred on 17 minutes when a break upfield by Mark Docherty saw Chris Duggan cushion the ball down for the onrushing Ben Reilly. Reilly was beaten to the ball by Berra but the defender’s clearance ricocheted off Reilly and flew narrowly wide. Hearts broke the deadlock on 22 minutes when Lafferty got on the end of Smith’s cross to head past Goodfellow from close range.

Lafferty almost doubled the lead 10 minutes later but for a timely intervention from Ben Gordon. Hearts continued to press; this time Jamie Walker denied by a smart stop from Goodfellow. East Fife’s best opportunities in the first half came from set pieces with former Fife ‘keeper Jack Hamilton struggling under high balls and being bailed out on more than once occasion by his defence.

East Fife had to weather a storm of a different kind after the break after the heavens opened and puddles started to form on the Tynecastle surface. Summer football anyone???? It was the visitors who adapted best to the conditions; Duggan beating the offside trap a couple of minutes after the restart but no one was able to get on the end of his cut back. A good break by Aaron Dunsmore saw the ball reach Paul Willis unmarked at the back post but was denied by a great save from Hamilton.

Just before the hour mark, Willis was again denied by Hamilton who managed to hold at the second attempt with Duggan waiting to pounce. When the conditions easing, Hearts started to regain control of the match with Walker going narrowly wide with a volley on 65 minutes before terrific defending by Gordon denied Esmael Goncalves. The home side grabbed a second goal on 70 minutes when Berra rose highest to head home from a corner. Walker should have made it three 5 minutes later but dragged his shot wide from a couple of yards.

Kyle Wilson found the side netting for East Fife on 77 minutes before the striker almost set up Kieran Millar with a tap in on 81 minutes but the Hearts defence were able to clear before Dunsmore saw his shot saved by Hamilton. Gordon was sent for an early bath 5 minutes from time, picking up his second booking bringing down Gongalves inside the box; his first coming following an altercation with Cole Stockton in the middle of the park 10 minutes earlier. Lafferty placed the ball on the spot and sent Goodfellow the wrong way for his second of the afternoon.

There were chances at both ends as the game drew to a close; Duggan forcing Hamilton into a decent save with his effort from 40-yards before Goncalves heading narrowly over into stoppage time.

A much better performance from East Fife after the break; more creative, more confident but the hosts ran out deserved winner. Onwards to Tuesday for our final group match of the Betfred Cup when Eglin City visit Bayview.