East Fife 1-2 Livingston
🏆Premier Sports Cup Group H MD1
📍MGM Timber Bayview Stadium
🗓️Saturday 12th July | Kick-off: 3:00pm
Despite a valiant effort from Dick Campbell’s East Fife, they fell 2-1 to Premiership opposition Livingston at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium on Saturday. A performance with lots of positives was undone by five minutes of madness either side of the half time whistle, which allowed David Martindale’s side to pounce.
The first quarter of an hour saw Livingston hold the majority of the ball, although in areas which did not threaten the Fifers. So, when the hosts were in possession, they hit hard and fast, almost breaking the deadlock in the third minute, when Pat Slattery’s shot was cleared from the Livi goal line.
East Fife’s next chance came from Rob Jones on the half an hour mark. He galloped in behind the Livi centre half and looked to chip the goalkeeper from the by-line outside of the 18-yard box. Miraculously. His shot looked to curve goalwards, and Jones was unlucky that his shot hit the post and bounced back into play, rather than the back of the net.
Livingston has to wait until 35 minutes to really cause issues, but from there until the half time whistle, East Fife were under some real pressure. In their first period of real sustained threat, the visitors took the lead, with Robbie Muirhead finding the breakthrough in in first half stoppage time, firing into the top corner from close range following a misplaced defensive clearance.
The Fifers knew that they would have to start quickly to pull themselves back into the game, following a disappointing end to the first half. However, the second 45 started in disaster as a defensive mishap saw East Fife concede a second goal minutes after the restart. McLellan won the ball in his own half and darted the length of the pitch. His shot was blocked, before Peggie and Rollo both contested for the loose ball, leaving Macaulay Tait unmarked at the back post who nodded the ball into the open net.
The Methil side then got their tails up and started to see some more success with a second wind of pressure. First, Trouten forced Prior into a save, then East Fife pulled one back through Pat Slattery - who is not one to find the back of the net often. Averaging a goal every two years for East Fife, the versatile midfielder/defender cannoned his shot with his right foot, beating Prior via a deflection.
Chances flowed for both teams, but neither side could add to the scoring as the game went on. Slattery came close to a brace, but it was not to be. The game ended in a disappointing manner for East Fife, with defender Mamadou Bah was sent off following a second bookable offence. This now means that the already thin East Fife squad, has lost yet another body early ahead of next weekend’s trip to Kelty.
Man of the Match: Pat Slattery
A strong debut showing from Matty Rollo, but this week’s Man of the Match goes to Pat Slattery for an all-round solid performance — capped off with a rare goal!
East Fife – Rollo, Easton, Peggie, Munro, Bah, Millar, McManus, Slattery, Trouten, Austin, Jones (Nicol 82’). Subs not used: Thomson, Gilfillan, Bell, Gordon, Ramsay.
Livingston – Prior, McGowan, Finlayson, Wilson, Pittman, McLennan (Rudden 82’), Smith (Carey 60’), Sylla (Winter 59’), Muirhead (May 60’), Tait, Montaño. Subs not used: McAlear, Hamilton, Shinnie, Kabongolo.
Referee – Ross Hardie
Attendance – 743
Report by Oli Anderson