East Fife 4-0 Brechin City, Tuesday 23rd July 2024
Premier Sports cup Group F MD4, MGM Timber Bayview Stadium
An emphatic win for the Fifers leaves group F hanging in the balance, as we head into the final gameday of the Premier Sports Cup group stage. A terrific performance from East Fife saw them run out comfortable 4-0 winners.
The game was back and forth in the opening stages, before the Methil Milan started ploughing through the gears.
Goal number one came from Liam Newton, who was in the right place at the right time to answer a Jack Healy cross. Shepherd did excellently to set Healy up to deliver the course, and Newts made no errors with his finish.
Less than ten minutes later, it was 2-0, when Austin showcased his striker’s instincts to tuck the ball home. Reis Peggie’s cross looked goal bound, though Austin popped up at the last moment to tuck it away.
Moments later, Austin should have had his brace, though Wilson, Brechin’s goalkeeper, was out from the traps quickly and made a great save.
The third came five minutes before the break, where Scott Shepherd, who put in a fantastic shift, tucked away a very difficult chance. After beating Wilson to a loose ball following a corner kick, he tucked it by the keeper from a tight angle.
That sent the sides in at the break separated by three goals.
Seconds after the restart, it was four! Austin managed to get his brace this time around as he headed home from a great Newton cross.
We controlled the game in large parts of the second half, though at times lacked the cutting edge in the latter stages. Shepherd had a free kick flicked over the bar in the dying embers, which was the best chance for either side after the fourth goal.
A comprehensive win leaves us with one clear motive ahead of Saturday. Beat St Johnstone, and progress into the last 16.
Reporter’s MOTM: Scott Shepherd.
As per usual, this could’ve been three or four players, with Newton, Peggie and Norey all having yet another fantastic game in East Fife colours. However, I opted for Shepherd on Tuesday night due to his unrelenting work rate, which created the first and third goals for the Fifers.
East Fife: McFarlane, Murdoch (Docherty 80’), Easton, Peggie (Laaref 45’), Munro, Newton, Millar (Slattery 67’), Norey (McManus 68’), Healy (Nicol 77’), Shepherd, Austin. Subs not used: Fleming, Murray, Ramsay
Brechin City: Wilson, Ferguson, Martin, Cruickshank, McKay, McHattie, Patrick (Milne 89’), Moreland (McDonald 63’), Logan (Hastie 77’), Robertson, Loudon (Tosh 45’). Subs not used: Spark, Scott, Macleod
Referee: Daniel Graves
Attendance: 558
Report by Oli Anderson
Photograph by iSport Media
