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Match Preview - Elgin City

Oli Anderson previews today’s match against Elgin City

After a poor second half performance against The Spartans saw our unbeaten start to 2024 vanish on Tuesday night, we must dust ourselves off for a crucial game in our season this afternoon. We are preparing to make the venture north, to Borough Briggs, facing Elgin City in a match which could be crucial for both teams’ survival chances. Blair Henderson was the man on Tuesday night who ended our run of form, with the striker bagging a hattrick on Tuesday in The Spartans’ 3-0 win over ourselves. Elgin on the other hand are coming into today off the back of a crucial 2-1 over 10th placed Clyde. The Black and Whites came from behind to beat the Bully Wee, putting 7 points now between the two sides.

The Standings

Position	Team	Played	Pts	GD
1	Stenhousemuir	22	52	24
2	Peterhead	22	39	13
3	The Spartans	20	36	13
4	Dumbarton	20	34	11
5	East Fife	22	26	-2
6	Bonnyrigg Rose	20	24	-1
7	Stranraer	21	22	-15
8	Forfar Athletic	21	21	-6
9	Elgin City	21	21	-20
10	Clyde	21	14	-17

The Week’s Results

East Fife 0-3 The Spartans

Elgin City 2-1 Clyde

This Afternoon’s Fixtures

Bonnyrigg Rose vs Stranraer

Clyde vs Peterhead

Elgin City vs East Fife

Forfar Athletic vs The Spartans

Stenhousemuir vs Dumbarton

The Form

The Fife

We have recorded 9 points from our last 6 league games, in recent form, with our only loss being the aforementioned thumping on Tuesday night.

Our first draw came against Forfar at the end of December. A wind, and rainswept Station Park proved too much for the Methil Milan, who could not capitalise on their man advantage, which they had for a large portion of the game, leading to the sides playing out a goalless affair.

Our penultimate draw came 3 weeks ago in a disappointing contest with Clyde, the Fifers never got going in the second period after a fast start, which saw Nathan Austin strike inside five minutes, and that led to the spoils being shared, sadly.

The most recent of the draws came a week past Saturday, where it was a true 2 points dropped situation. Once again, Fash scored inside the first 10 minutes before Jonathan Page doubled our advantage on the 23rd minute mark. Sadly, the second half did not go quite to plan, Jordon Brown scored early in the half and, despite some resolute defending, we conceded at the death, with Scott Ross ensuring the spoils were shared against Peterhead with the last kick of the game.

Our first win came in truly emphatic fashion. It was the first match of 2024 against Dumbarton, where Kieran Millar’s first half strike, paired with Walls’ second half wonder finish was enough to bed the Sons at the Rock. We bossed the game from the first whistle to the last, in my humble opinion, and the despite Dumbarton equalising in the game, we were the only side that looked like they would take all three points.

The second was a much closer contest, as we nipped past Stranraer last weekend. Austin’s scoring form has no doubt contributed greatly to our upkeep in form.

The Hosts

Elgin City have also recorded 9 points in their last 6, winning 3 and losing 3 as well.

They have played 4 times at Borough Briggs in their last 6, winning on 3 of those occasions, narrowly losing out 1-0 to Dumbarton in the other.

Goals from Dingwall and Dajon Golding were enough on Tuesday to overcome Clyde, in their most recent win in Elgin, while back on the 6th January, a late penalty from Liam Harvey completed the turnaround when they beat Stranraer 2-1, Dingwall grabbed the equaliser in that game again. The final win at Borough Briggs came in December, though it was a shocker, as they overcame title chasers Peterhead, a Kieran Shanks 94th minute goal was merely a consolation prize, as MacLeman and Rob Jones had already done the damage.

Except from Dumbarton, their losses have come on the road. On the 23rd of December they lost 2-0 to league leaders Stenhousemuir at Ochilview, as the Warriors continued their title charge. More recently, they lost to Forfar at Station Park. Despite taking the lead in the first half through Ross Draper, City could not hold on. Russell McLean bagged a brace, including a 91st minute penalty (after Brian Cameron was sent off for Elgin).

Previous Encounter

The last time the two sides met, East Fife cruised to their 3rd 4-0 win of the season hammering Elgin at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium.

Walls handed East Fife the lead after just 18 minutes. The opportunity broke, as Scotty Shepherd beat ‘keeper to a loose ball on the edge of the 18, though with his back to goal, he was incredibly selfless. He laid the ball off to youngster Brogan Walls, who rifled his shot into the bottom corner.

Elgin bounced back and earned a corner, after squandering a golden opportunity, as Fleming denied the black and whites from close range. Corner cleared with ease.

Schiavone brought a long switched pass down, though his attempted cross and/or shot was launched wide. The Fifers headed wide shortly after, missing opportunity to double lead before half time.

Austin took his chance right on the stroke of half time, to make it 2-0 to East Fife, What a way to finish 1st half. Walls hit a braw inswinger which passed the entire box, before landing at Austin’s feet behind the penalty spot. The striker readied himself before hitting his half volley found itself nestling in the top corner. The goal proved to be the last kick of the half, setting the Fifers up for a comfortable second period.

The second half started as the first half ended, with the Methil Men running rampant. Brian Easton was the one with the chance, although his near post effort was denied by the Elgin goalie.

Five minutes later, Austin had a chance to bag a brace, after Shepherd set him up. Unfortunately for the Fifers though, his shot was into the side netting instead.

We made it three after 55 minutes, with Austin this time getting his brace, but the linesman’s flag was raised for offside.

It took another 10 minutes for East Fife to get their third, but when the chance came, they certainly took it. Brogan Walls bagged his second of the game in what was a quality team move. Ryan Schiavone slipped Austin in behind, who done very well to square it to Connor McManus. The midfield maestro did not hesitate to set up Walls, who caressed it into the bottom corner on his weak(er) foot (I don’t think this man has a weak foot at this point, the Methil Zidane for the Methil Milan).

McHale did excellently to stop it being four on the 75th minute mark, as he plucked Walls’ shot out of the top corner, denying the dynamo a hattrick.

McManus then hit an effort wide two minutes later, which once again stopped us getting a fourth.

At long last the Fifers got their fourth, when Scotty Shepherd who, as per usual, ran his socks off and nipped in with five on the clock. He capitalised on Draper’s poor backpass.

That sealed the deal and was a much deserved win for East Fife.

Squad News

Outs: Pat Slattery, Jacob Comerford and Brendan Ramsey all continue to miss out through injury, unfortunately. They are all side-lined for this afternoon but there are no fresh injury worries.

Team Colours

East Fife will don the ink, Taxi Centre sponsored away top, matched with black shorts and pink socks, while the goalkeeper will be clad in the yellow kit for the match.

Our opponents will be in their traditional black and white striped top, with matching stripy socks, and all black shorts, while the Elgin goalkeeper will be wearing blue for the clash.

Match Tickets

Tickets can be purchased today on Elgin City’s Fanbase Page (for seated tickets) with the option to pay at the gate for entry to the Terraced portion of the ground. Prices below:

(Seated/Standing)

Adult: £16/£14

Concession: £11/£9

Under 16s: Free with a Paying Adult

Please note, that there is no pay at the gate option for seats in the stand, these must be purchased on Fanbase.

Live Streaming

Live Streaming of the game will be available on East Fife TV for our international fans. This can be accessed through a monthly or season pass. You can access this HERE!

Officials

The on-pitch official on Saturday will be Alex Shepherd while his assistants running the line are Robin Taylor, and Owen Lawrence.

Mon the Fife!

Match Report - The Spartans

East Fife 0-3 The Spartans, Tuesday 30^th January 2024

MGM Timber Bayview Stadium, cinch League Two

East Fife’s unbeaten start to 2024 came to a whimpering halt as a Blair Henderson hattrick blew the Methil Men away.

The first half was a rather uneventful affair, and other than Carswell making an impressive save to deny Austin after 20 minutes, nothing of note occurred. The two sides went into the interval incredibly even, and not many people would have called what happened in the second period.

It only took The Spartans 5 minutes in the second period to open the scoring, when a misplaced headed backpass was caught by Blair Henderson. The intelligent striker, who was through one-on-one made no mistake and fired the visitors ahead.

A further five minutes later, The Spartans doubled their lead, this time through a counterattack. The blistering pace from the frontmen was too much for East Fife to handle and we were caught out, two goals down and one massive hill to climb.

Despite looking down and out, we then had a slight spell of hope as Healy did well firing a shot from range which looked destined for the bottom corner. Sadly, Carswell did his job rather well and kept the visitors two goals to the good.

Ten minutes later we were denied by Carswell yet again, the goalkeeper never had much to do on Tuesday evening, but when he was called upon, he filled his role to perfection.

The game then dried up until 5 minutes to go, a second defensive howler of the night allowed Henderson to nip in and score his third, ensuring that three points and the match ball would make their way back to Ainslie Park.

East Fife looked to have their consolation goal, as Austin tapped home in the 92nd minute, but the linesman had flagged for offside, keeping The Spartans’ clean sheet intact.

We have a crucial game tomorrow which we have to bounce back for, as we play Elgin at Borough Briggs.

Report by Oli Anderson

East Fife – Fleming, Murdoch, Newton (Docherty 78’), Page, Easton, McManus, Trouten, Healy (Nicol 78’), Walls (Hamilton 78’), Shepherd (Hamilton 78’), Austin. Subs not used: Millar, Cunningham, Murray, Rollo

The Spartans – Carswell, K Watson, Waugh, Sonkur, Newman, Dishington (Brown 89’), Denholm (Russell 77’), Craigen (Jones 90’), Whyte, Henderson (Morrison 86’), Armstrong (P Watson 87’). Subs not used: McCready

Referee – Chris Fordyce

Attendance – 392

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