East Fife 4-0 Elgin City, Saturday 9th December 2023
MGM Timber Bayview Stadium, cinch League Two
East Fife cruised to their 3rd 4-0 win of the season, hammering Elgin City at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium. The emphatic win has given East Fife a comfortable cushion from the bottom of the SPFL League Two table.
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, and 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.
Schiavone brought a long-switched pass down, though his attempted cross-come-shot was launched wide. The Fifers headed wide shortly after, missing opportunity to double lead before half time.
However, Austin did take 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, in swinging corner 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 had the ball in the net again after 55 minutes through Austin, 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 did 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 fourth goal did arrive, when Scotty Shepherd who, as per usual, ran his socks off and nipped in with five on the clock when he capitalised on Draper’s poor backpass.
That sealed the deal and was a much-deserved win for East Fife.
East Fife – Fleming, Murdoch, Page, Docherty, Easton, Millar, McManus, Schiavone (Ramsay 80’), Walls (Nicol 88’), Shepherd, Austin (Healy 76’). Subs not used: Newton, Mitchell, Rollo, Comerford.
Elgin City – McHale, Cooper, Mackenzie, Taylor, Ewan, MacEawan, Cameron, Harvey (Cairns 67’), MacLaman (Dingwall 67’), Draper, Jones (Barron 70’). Subs not used: King, Cooney, MacInnes, Crucikshank.
Referee – Ryan Lee
Attendance - 394