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Sunday 21st of May will be a significant day for many East Fife fans as that will be the last day that a grass pitch will be seen at Bayview Stadium. Fifers For The Community (FFTC), a charity group set up two years ago have been working closely with East Fife Football Club and are now able to announce that work on installing a new 3G surface will begin on Monday 22nd of May with the project due to be completed by Friday 14th of July.

The project will consist of a new 3G pitch and surrounds within the existing boundary walls giving up to five playing areas - three at 50m x 30m and two at 40m x 20m. but when required a pitch, exactly the same size as the existing grass pitch will be available for East Fife FC to fulfil their SPFL and SFA match requirements. At all other times the full surface will be made available for community use.

In addition there will be new changing and toilet facilities outside the existing boundary wall and the pitch will be accessible through a new entrance. FFTC will also heighten the existing boundary wall, erect security fencing around the new facilities, install CCTV cameras and provide protective netting for the various pitches.

All the work which will be done both inside and outside Bayview is the result of grants, donations and fundraising. The bulk of the money raised is through a grant made by Fife Council along with an additional grant by the Scottish Football Partnership Trust. We are currently awaiting a decision from Sportscotland on a bid which has reached the final adjudication stage. This has all been topped off by a significant anonymous donation, Trustee donations and a very successful fundraising effort.

From day one the FFTC project was planned to be self-financing with all costs being met with income from pitch hires. The major cost will be an annual provision which will allow the 3G surface to be replaced in approximately six or seven years.

The 3G pitch is the focal point of what will be a community hub. Preliminary discussions have been held with a range of interested parties including Gingerbread, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Disability Sport Fife and Levenmouth Academy with a view to identifying and developing activities and support services.

East Fife FC have supported this project from the beginning and are providing facilities which need to be used to benefit the whole community.

FFTC can do this by ensuring that opportunities are created which will benefit the more disadvantaged in the community. Through sport and the appropriate support, we can help promote health, wellbeing, education and employment.

To date the project has been driven by the Trustees but when the pitch is laid and community services are being developed the project will need more support.

Anyone who feels they can help on a voluntary basis or any businesses and organisations who think they can contribute should contact the Trustees on email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 07962 245388 or 07545 837307

Ladbrokes Scottish Football League 1, The Exsel Group Stadium, Tuesday 28th March 2017

Albion Rovers 1 (Wallace 55’)

East Fife 0

Man of the Match: Jesse Curran

Albion Rovers XI: Stewart, McCann (Turnbull 64’), Reid, Fisher (Lightbody 89’), R Dunlop, M Dunlop, Ferry, McBride, Wallace (Gilmour 82’), Willis, Stewart

Subs Not Used: Potts, Ferguson, McManus

Booked: M Dunlop, Fisher, Stewart

East Fife XI: Hurst, Cooper (Austin 77’), Slattery, Kane, Kerr, Brown, Duggan (Insall 63’), Curran, Robinson, Penrice, Paterson

Subs Not Used: Gordon, Mutch, Reilly

Booked: Kane

Referee: Kevin Gordon

Attendance: 491

East Fife suffered their second defeat in a week following a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Albion Rovers. Manager Barry Smith made two changes to the side that started against Brechin at the weekend with the injured duo of Jonathan Page and Kevin Smith making way for Jesse Curran and Alex Cooper who was handed his first start in an East Fife shirt.

East Fife started on the front foot and had their first sight of goal inside 5 minutes when Scott Robinson cut the ball back for Chris Duggan but the striker’s shot was just wide. Good play by Robinson down the left picked out Jesse Curran at the back post; his lay off landing perfectly for Alex Cooper who was unlucky to see his shot blocked. East Fife were bossing the midfield with Robinson winning the ball back before playing in Duggan whose shot was turned round the post by goalkeeper Ross Stewart on 13 minutes.

Midway through the first half Stewart was called into action again to stop Cooper’s 25-yard free kick from creeping into the bottom corner. Albion Rovers first chance of the match came on 31 minutes following a miscommunication in the East Fife defence leaving Ryan Wallace an unguarded goal to aim at but Mark Hurst did well to recover and punch clear. Duggan had another sight of goal shortly before the break but this time fired over from a tight angle.

East Fife started where they’d left off after the interval with Cooper denied by a good save from Stewart on 48 minutes before the ‘keeper spilled a cross by Robinson but the defence were able to recover. A free kick by Cooper out on the touch line picked out Chris Kane but he was unable to find the target on 52 minutes.

East Fife were left to rue missed chances 3 minutes later when Jason Kerr was caught in possession on the edge of his box leaving former Fifer Wallace to fire the ball into the empty net. East Fife were unlucky not to be level a minute later when a defensive mix-up at the other end saw Alan Reid send his header past Stewart however the keeper was able to scramble back just in time to prevent the ball crossing the line. East Fife had a penalty claimed waived away on 67 minutes when Jamie Insall was bundled over in the box by Mick Dunlop. The goal sparked life into the home side who began to look dangerous going forward without causing Hurst any real problems.

The visiting fans though they were level on 78 minutes when Insall had the ball in the back of the net but the flag was rightly raised for offside against the striker. East Fife were awarded a penalty in the 90th minutes when Insall was brought down in the box. Robinson stepped up to take the penalty but saw his powerful strike saved by Stewart.

The visitors had dominated for large parts of the game but mistakes and missed chances ultimately proved costly.

After the match Manager Barry Smith spoke to East Fife TV:

“I think we were worthy of something from the game, we did everything we could to try and get the goal but I’ve told the boys not to be despondent because they have been excellent this season up till now, we just don’t want the season to peter out. They’ve been brilliant since I came in and we just have to move on from this game and concentrate on the Queen’s Park game.”

Ladbrokes Scottish Football League 1, Glebe Park, Saturday 25th March 2017

Brechin City 2 (Watt 20’, Jackson 90+2’)

East Fife 1 (Duggan 56’P)

Man of the Match: Mark Hurst

Brechin City XI: Smith, McLean, Lynas, Fusco, Hill, C O’Neil, Graham, Dale, Jackson, Caldwell, Watt

Subs Not Used: Trouten, Rodger, McCormack, Ford, Dyer, Dods, P O’Neil

Booked: Hill, Lynas

East Fife XI: Hurst, Slattery, Kane, Page (Curran 53’), Kerr, Brown, Duggan (Insall 80’), Smith, Robinson, Penrice, Paterson (Cooper 73’)

Subs Not Used: Austin, Reilly, Trialist

Booked: Kane, Smith

Referee: Alan Muir

Attendance: 525

East Fife travelled to Glebe Park to face Brechin City but left empty-handed after an injury-time Andy Jackson goal gave the home side three points and lift them above East Fife in the Ladbrokes League 1 table. East Fife made one change to the side that drew with Alloa Athletic last week with Jesse Curran making way for Jonathan Page who missed the previous game through suspension.

East Fife had their first sight of goal in the 2nd minute when Kevin Smith volleyed narrowly over from 15-yards. At the other end, Gary Fusco saw his header saved by Mark Hurst a couple of minutes later. The first real opportunity fell to Liam Watt when he unleashed a shot from the edge of the box only to see it rebound off Ross Caldwell. Watt wasn’t to be denied however as good hold up play by Jackson saw Caldwell lay the ball off for Watt in a similar position who this time found the bottom corner on 20 minutes. Nicki Paterson sent a free kick over the bar from 20-yards on 31 minutes after Pat Slattery was fouled by Aron Lynas.

East Fife were forced into a change on 53 minutes when Jesse Curran replaced Jonathan Page who’d aggravated an injury earlier in the game. East Fife were level 3 minutes later when Chris Duggan was brought down in the box by Fusco giving referee Muir no option but to point to the spot. Duggan took the penalty himself, sending Graeme Smith the wrong way for his 7th goal of the season.

A combination of a couple of good reaction saves from Hurst and last ditch defending by Smith and Chris Kane denied Caldwell and Dougie Hill twice on 69 minutes following a corner that East Fife struggled to clear. Kevin Smith saw a free kick from 25-yards narrowly miss the top corner on 77 minutes in what proved to be East Fife’s last chance of the match.

Brave goalkeeping from Hurst prevented Jackson from adding to the home side’s lead with 2 minutes of normal time remaining. Brechin did manage to find a winner into added time when Jackson sent a spectacular volley into the back of the net.

A game where East Fife never really got going and were beaten by the better team on the day.

After the match Manager Barry Smith spoke to East Fife TV:

“When it comes down to it we would’ve taken a point. We did try to push on and put forward thinking platers on the pitch to try and get the win but that late in the game we’d have taken a point so it’s disappointing to lose from a corner kick.”

“The good thing for me is that the boys know they could play better and they were disappointed with their performance in the first half and they certainly did better in the second half but we can’t afford to give team a goal lead to start off with. When it comes down to it that games gone and we have to focus on the Albion Rovers game.”

Because of the weather in the Central Belt and especially Coatbridge, a pitch inspection is being asked for by Albion Rovers FC today, 21st March, between 1 and 2pm. At the moment according to information, it looks doubtful but this website will keep you up to date on the latest news.