Match Report - This Time It’s The Fash that Does the Smoking
Niall Anderson looks back at Saturday’s match against Stirling Albion.
East Fife travelled across the M9 to face Stirling Albion last Saturday in their fourth fixture of the league season. Both teams went into the game following positive results last week, Stirling winning against title favourites Clyde, and East Fife against Forfar Athletic. The Methil men made two changes from last week as Jack Healy came in for Scott Shepherd with Stewart Murdoch taking the armband and replacing Connor McManus in the starting line-up.
East Fife made their intentions clear inside the first 5 minutes as Reis Peggie was released through on goal by Trouten, narrowly missing the back of the net as the left winger’s effort fizzed past Gaston’s upright from a tight angle. Stirling soon had their own chance to open the scoring on 8 minutes where a mix up in the East Fife defence allowed Carrick to flick the ball back to his strike partner on the edge of the box but, fortunately for the Fife, the effort was right down McFarlane’s throat.
Perhaps the best chance of the first half should have put the Fifer’s ahead on 25 minutes. McFarlane’s low flighted long ball to Austin was expertly flicked on to Trouten with only the keeper in his way, however the striker was caught in two minds as he tried a lob with his weaker foot and Gaston was able to collect easily.
They say lightning doesn’t strike twice, well think again! Norey collects the ball on the edge of the box, Norey is fouled, Fash stands over it… Heard that one before? Perhaps a little more central than last week but the exact same outcome. Austin fired an unstoppable freekick on 39 minutes at the keeper’s near side to give us a 1-0 lead!
The goals wouldn’t stop there though - following a tussle in the middle of the park Trouten collected the ball, before laying it off for Peggie on the edge of the box and he fired in an equally impressive finish to double our lead, fooling both defender and goalie as he reversed the ball into the bottom corner! The local lad scoring his first goal for the black and gold (wearing blue and white) since his move during the summer break. It could’ve been three on the stroke of half-time when Andy Munro headed the ball into the back of the net but was flagged for offside.
Half Time Stirling Albion 0-2 East Fife
If the first half an hour was a fairly even affair, the second half was almost entirely dominated by the away team. Perhaps feeling slightly aggrieved to not have been set up for his second of the match a minute earlier, Austin extended the Fife’s lead on 52 minutes! After another fantastic tackle in the centre circle by Millar, he gave the ball to Fash who stone cold smoked his marker with a cheeky nutmeg and fired the ball past Gaston for 3-0!
Austin almost repeated the effort 30 yards out, but his speculative effort was held by Gaston at the second attempt. The front man completed his hat trick on 83 minutes following a good interchange down the right-hand side. McManus delivered a curling cross to the back post for Austin to power the ball into the back of the net with a side footed volley - 4-0! Adam Laaref almost added a fifth in the dying moments as he jinked through the Stirling defence but dragged his effort wide.
Full Time Stirling Albion 0-4 East Fife
East Fife welcome Clyde to Bayview this weekend with the chance to top the table if results go our way. East Fife sitting in lofty 2nd place on 9 points whereas Clyde sit in 8th place after poor starting to the season with just 4 points.
Reporter’s MOTM - Who else? Nathan Austin! The man was absolutely on fire. The Stirling defence didn’t know whether it was Pancake Tuesday or Sheffield Wednesday, beating them both in the air and on ground. “It’s as good a hattrick as I’ve ever seen”.
Stirling Albion – Gaston, McGeachie, Sula, Weir (Davidson 79’), Dall, Kerr, Wright (Knox 60’), Waugh (McKinlay 60’), Crane (Milne 79’), Carrick, Roy. Subs not used: Featherstone, Howe, Reilly, McIlravey.
East Fife – McFarlane, Murdoch (Docherty 45’), Newton, Easton, Munro, Millar (Slattery 75’), Norey (McManus 76’), Trouten (Shepherd 76’), Healy (Laaref 76’), Austin. Subs not used: Fleming.
Referee – Sean Murdoch
Attendance – 794
Report by Niall Anderson