East Fife 3-0 Greenock Morton, Premier Sports Cup Group F MD1
Saturday 13th July 2024, MGM Timber Bayview Stadium
East Fife produced arguably their best performance since the COVID-19 pandemic, cruising past championship side Greenock Morton 3-0 at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium on Saturday. The result has placed the Fifers at the head of the Group F table, on goal difference, following Alan Trouten’s hattrick heroics.
The game started slowly for the Fifers, with Morton looking the better of the two teams in the first quarter of an hour. It counted for nothing however, as we took the lead after our first attack of the game. Jack Healy could not get his shot away from the edge of the box, so he swapped it across to Liam Newton on the left flank. Newts cut inside himself and dinked a magnificent ball into Austin, who nodded his header down to Alan Trouten, who could do nothing but burst the net. It was a fantastic team goal, and it put the Fifers on a huge upward trajectory.
Five minutes later, Andy Munro was bundled down in the box, as he prepared to attack a set-piece. The referee had no choice but to point to the spot and Alan Trouten put it right into the goalkeeper’s bottom left to give the Methil Milan a much-needed cushion.
After the second goal, the game was largely competed in the middle of the park with neither side making any clear-cut chances. East Fife marshalled the game excellently from the back and stopped Morton at their roots on several occasions.
The second half started in a similar vein to that of the first. Morton flew from the traps with vigour, and it looked as though they would cause some problems in the second period.
These worries were put to bed early inside the second half when Trouten secured the match ball. Austin grabbed his second assist of the day with a lovely pass to Trouten who released a world class finish from the left-hand corner of the box. He floated one over with his right foot which nestled right into the postage stamp, a great way to start the season for the absolute Rolls Royce.
Morton had chances from 3-0 down to fight back, even receiving a penalty of their own with twenty minutes still on the clock. Liam McFarlane stepped up however, and got a massive glove onto the poor penalty, keeping his clean sheet intact, a great way to make his competitive debut for the Fife
In the late stages, McFarlane had to call on support from the East Fife backline to maintain the shutout, as they all mucked in, including clearing a shot off the line to mark a great win with a top-quality performance.
St Johnstone’s 2-1 win over Brechin City places them in second place in the group, while Alloa Athletic are in third after sitting out the opening matchday.
Reporter’s Man of the Match: Alan Trouten
There could be a genuine argument for any one of the squad taking away the match award, with Jess Norey, Reis Peggie and Liam Newton standouts on the day, though Alan Trouten’s hattrick was simply too good to ignore, thus it is him who takes the first award of the season.
East Fife: McFarlane, Murdoch (Docherty 76’), Easton, Peggie, Munro, Newton (Shepherd 77’), Millar, Norey (Slattery 76’), Trouten (Nicol 84’), Healy, Austin (Ramsay 85’). Subs not used: Fleming, McManus, Murray
Greenock Morton: Mullen, Ballantyne, Delaney, Boyes, Broadfoot (Baird 56’), Moffat, Blues (Garrity 45’), Lyall, Wilson (Gillespie 65’), Davies, Reynolds. Subs not used: Bearne, O’Boy, Woods, Murdoch
Referee: Colin Whyte
Attendance: 662
Report by Oli Anderson
