LEAGUE TABLE

As we approach the packed Christmas Fixture list, the Fifers are sat in 4th place, the last available playoff spot with 21 points from 15 games. We are one point shy of 3rd place Elgin City, and just one point ahead of the chasing pack, Stenhousemuir and Stranraer. We face important games in the coming weeks, hosting 8th and 9th place Annan Athletic and Bonnyrigg Rose, before two tricky ties, against two other teams eyeing up promotion, first hosting Stranraer, and then travelling to the league leaders’ Dumbarton on Christmas Eve.

QUARTER BY QUARTER

The first quarter saw us gather 11 points from our opening 9 games, recording wins against Elgin City, Albion Rovers and Forfar Athletic. We shared the spoils with Stranraer and Annan Athletic and were unfortunately left empty handed after the games against 1st and 2nd placed Dumbarton and Stirling Albion as well as newly promoted Bonnyrigg Rose and Stenhousemuir too. So far after 6 games this quarter we have tallied up 10 points and look set to improve on the first round of games’ tally. We have matched our results against Elgin City and Forfar Athletic and greatly improved on our result against Bonnyrigg Rose, taking three points in all of those games. We also turned our loss against Stenhousemuir into a draw. Unfortunately, we lost to Albion Rovers and Stirling Albion despite incredible performances.

BEST/WORST RESULT

We have seen the clear improvement in the side over the progression of the season, and this is crystal clear in our two games against newly promoted Bonnyrigg Rose. We suffered our worst league defeat to them at the start of this season, being on the receiving end of a 3-0 hammering. However, the boys turned up at New Dundas Park with fire in their bellies and despite going a goal behind after 90 seconds, the Fifers recorded their biggest league win since August 2021, digging deep and playing freely as they ran out 4-1 winners.

SCORERS

In all competitions this season, there is a two-way tie for top scorer, with Scott Shepherd and Alan Trouten having both scored 6 this season. Ryan Schiavone follows closely, having slotted home 5 this season for the Black and Gold. Shepherd leads the way with goal involvements having scored or set up a goal every second game. Trouten has maintained his stellar penalty kick success rate, having scored all five penalties that he has stepped up to take this season. Youngster Schiavone is our most prolific goalscorer this season and was hitting very fine form before his picking up a knock before the home win vs Elgin City. Schiavone saw back-to-back braces, in the 3-1 win at Forfar Athletic, followed by the previously mentioned win against Bonnyrigg Rose.

HIGHLIGHTS

So far there have been many moments for the Fife this season. However, one of the biggest has to have been Allan Fleming’s amazing reaction save in our 1-0 win against Albion Rovers at the start of the season. His performance was one of the main reasons that we walked away with 3 points on the day. Another game saving moment came at the hands of local lad Jack Healy, whose outstanding curled effort rescued a point on the road at Ochilview Park against Stenhousemuir. The last kick of the game was certainly one to remember for the young lad, who has scored 3 goals against Stenhousemuir this season. The third moment is the man of the moment, Joao Balde, and his remarkable brace against Albion Rovers. Despite walking away empty handed, Balde opened his East Fife account in style, putting in the performance of the season, covering all areas of the pitch on the day.

Oli Anderson