East Fife 4-0 Stranraer, Saturday 21st October 2023
MGM Timber Bayview Stadium, cinch League Two
Our fine form continued last weekend, though this time results followed, as we cruised past ex-Fifer Scott Agnew’s Stranraer side, romping to a 4-0 victory on the day at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium. The impressive scoreline was matched with an equally impressive performance, which saw our goals come from all over the park, giving the Fife faithful something to cheer during the adverse weather conditions. The positive result has now stretched East Fife’s unbeaten record in the league to 4 games and has moved us within 5 points of the fabled spots, and more importantly up to 5 away from the trapdoor.
We started the game well, looking very positive and playing on the front foot. This brough us our first chance on the ten-minute mark when Nathan Austin made a fantastic run into the box. Unfortunately for Fash, the pass was slightly overhit, and it rolled out for a goal kick before he could pull the trigger.
That did not deter us however, and the deadlock was broken after 18 minutes, when Millar converted from a well worked free-kick routine. Connor McManus laid the ball off to Healy, before the local lad floated a ball to the back post for Fife’s number 4 to tap home.
Stranraer started warming into the game after the opener and forced Jacob Comerford into some top-quality defending to keep our clean sheet intact.
Any momentum that the Blues were building up was promptly crushed after 40 minutes, when some silky soccer from the Fifers doubled our advantage. Docherty used his blistering pace to latch onto Shepherd’s through ball. The full-back sprayed a ball across the face of goal which was met by none other than Fash. The forward fired the ball into the net, capping off a fantastic team move.
Half Time: East Fife 2-0 Stranraer
Fleming was called into action right after the half time whistle, preventing a guaranteed goal after a defensive mishap gave Stranraer a chance early-doors.
Just before the hour mark, McManus made it three when Newton spun his man on the flank. The full back then fed in the creative midfielder, who played a 1-2 with Shepherd and converted with a tidy finish which was deemed a goal of the season contender by East Fife TV commentator Daniel Hughes and East Fife Legend Pat Slattery.
Both goalkeepers had their best moments in the late stages of the game. Firstly, Budinaukus did well to keep it at 3 with 20 minutes still on the clock, when a heavy touch from Austin denied the forward his brace. Before up the other end, Fleming did equally well to clear up a stramash in the box, ending any threat from Stranraer in the game then and there.
We deserved more than just the 3 goals, and we got just that in injury time when Liam Newton made a darting run from left back to the penalty spot to fire a loose ball home, handing East Fife just their second league win this season and done so in emphatic fashion.
Heads turn to tomorrow now, where the Methil Men will host Burntisland Shipyard in the second round of the Fife Cup.
Report by Oli Anderson
East Fife – Fleming, Newton, Docherty, Easton, Comerford, Millar (Walls 63’), McManus, Trouten (Hambrook 83’), shepherd (Mitchell 71’), Healy (Nicol 71’), Austin (Schiavone 83’). Subs not used: Beveridge, Murdoch
Stranraer – Budinauckas, Robertson, Girvan, Ross (O McDonald 85’), McIntosh, Dolan (Armour 70’), Forrest, Sneddon, Grant (Walker 70’), Orr (Hawkshaw 62’), Lang. Subs not used: M McDonald, Williamson, Strachan
Referee – Alex Shepherd
Attendance - 404