East Fife Football Club are delighted to announce a partnership with Fife based charity Seescape, who support blind/partially sighted individuals, providing a season ticket for the use of Seescape service users.
Sandy Allan (pictured below), a Seescape client and EFFC fan, recently went along to the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium to collect the season ticket on behalf of Seescape.
Stephen Mill, East Fife FC Disability Access Officer and audio-descriptive commentator, commented: “Having partnerships with community groups such as Seescape is really important to all of us here at East Fife FC. We are determined to welcome as many fans as possible here to the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium for matches and I really hope this initiative encourages those who may not have the confidence to come to games, to take advantage of this offer and give it a try.
“Football has given many of us some real highs and lows over the years but the one thing that brings us all together is the love of the game. This is a great opportunity to get more people involved and I would encourage people to do so.”
Seescape, formally Fife Society for the Blind, is the leading provider of support services for people with a visual impairment in Fife.
The Spartans 0-1 East Fife, Saturday 28th September 2024, William Hill League 2, Ainslie Park
East Fife climbed to the summit of the William Hill League 2 on Saturday after a brilliant away win at The Spartans.
A slow start from the Fifers saw Allan Fleming (who retained his place in the starting lineup following an excellent performance at home to Peterhead) forced into a strong save from Hamish Ritchie in the opening five minutes.
On top of this, skipper Stewart Murdoch’s afternoon came to a rather abrupt halt as he had to be substituted early doors due to injury. This, however, opened the door for Jess Norey to come back into the fold following his spell out of the team.
Chances then started to flow for the Fifers after we settled back into the game, with Trouten challenging Carswell from the edge of the box. Five minutes later, Nathan Austin stood over a free kick which was just outside of the area. Despite hopes he would match his feats from earlier in the season, this one found the wrong side of the crossbar and the score remained goalless.
The Spartans were not without threat, unfortunately, and just after the half an hour mark, ex-Fifer Brogan Walls set up the chance of the half. He dinked a routine free kick into Ayrton Sonkur, who’s header challenged Fleming. Flem made no mistakes and tipped the ball over the crossbar, with Fleming again called into action to keep out an effort from the resulting corner.
That took the sides in at the break goalless, in what was an incredibly tight game.
During the half time interval, the Fifers made a change which would prove crucial in the contest. Jack Healy came on for Reis Peggie, and he made an instant impact on the game. Jack beat his man on the wing and raced to the by-line. He whipped in a cross for new signing Andrew Tod, though it floated over him, and into the path of Trouten, who launched an effort at Carswell, though the goalkeeper saved with ease.
Healy continued to be a nuisance for The Spartans and created another opportunity bang on the hour mark, this time for Nathan Austin. Jack intercepted a rather sloppy back pass and pinged the ball across to Fash, though The Spartans’ keeper pulled his defence from the gutter with yet another smart stop.
They say things come in threes and that certainly was the case for Healy, and this time it paid dividends! The Fife’s number 11 bombed forward with the ball at his feet before sending a beautiful early cross which looked destined for Trouten. It bounced over Trouts though, and into the path of Fash, who slotted home with a beautiful finish into the bottom corner, securing his tenth goal of the season in all competitions.
Carswell continued to perform for The Spartans, even after East Fife ramped up the pressure. Just minutes after East Fife opened the scoring, we went for two. With Andrew Tod and Alan Trouten both having efforts in quick succession forcing a double save from the goalie.
East Fife continued to push, though we just could not put the game to bed. We had one last chance before the full-time whistle, as Austin found himself through on goal in a one-on-one scenario, though the goalie held firm and denied Fash.
That was the last chance of the game, which saw East Fife walk away with all three points, and due to results elsewhere, saw us go top of the league, somewhere we would like to stay for the foreseeable.
Reporter’s Man of the Match: Jack Healy.
It is not often that we a see a substitute walk away with the man of the match award, though Healy completely changed the game last Saturday. Not only was he pivotal in setting up the only goal of the contest, but his introduction in the match put The Spartans to the sword, as he created numerous chances, and caused all sorts of bother at Ainslie Park. It was a Saturday to remember for Healy.
The Spartans – Carswell, Waugh, Denholm (Hunter 89’), Sonkur, P Watson, Dishington (Whittaker 89’), Ritchie (K Watson 71’), Walls (Stowe 71’), Craigen, Whyte, Henderson. Subs not used: Scott, Wylie, Meek.
East Fife – Fleming, Murdoch (Norey 8’), Newton (Slattery 71’), Munro, Walker (Docherty 80’), Millar, McManus, Trouten, Peggie (Healy 45’), Tod (Shepherd 80’), Austin. Subs not used: Laaref, McFarlane.
Referee – Alastair Grieve
Attendance - 589
We have been drawn at home to Banks O’Dee in the second round of the Scottish Cup.
The tie is scheduled to be played on Saturday 26th October 2024. Full details will be announced in due course.
Tickets for our William Hill League 2 match against Bonnyrigg Rose at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium on Saturday 5th October are now on sale and can be purchased here.
Admission Prices
Adults - £18
Concessions* - £14
Under 16s* - £5
Parent & Child - £21
Parent & 2 Children - £24
*Proof of age may be requested
Season tickets are valid for this match. Supporters who have still to collect their season ticket card can do so during normal office hours or from the club shop on matchday.
All member of East Fife Community Football Club & East Fife Girls & Womens’ Football Club who are under 16 go free with a paying adult or as part of an organised group for all William Hill League 2 matches at Bayview this season.
There are no cash turnstiles at Bayview and supporters are strongly encouraged to purchase their tickets online. Online sales are available right up until kick off. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone by calling 01333 426323 or directly from the club office for those unable to purchase online.
Please note, parent and child tickets must be purchased directly from the club office.
Supporters outside the UK and Ireland can also watch via East Fife TV with a monthly or annual subscription. There is no live stream option for viewers within the UK or Ireland this weekend.
Oli Anderson previews today’s match against The Spartans
An outstanding victory at the weekend over current table toppers Peterhead sees the Fifers close the gap to the leaders to just one point. Goals for Alan Trouten and Stewart Murdoch saw off the Blue Toon.
This week, the Fifers make their first trip into the capital this season, to face The Spartans at Ainslie Park. The Spartans have spent the early stages of the league campaign battling fixture congestion due to their remarkable League Cup campaign, as they reached quarter finals of the competition.
William Hill League Two Table
| Team | Pld | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peterhead | 7 | 6 | 16 |
| 2 | East Fife | 7 | 10 | 15 |
| 3 | Elgin City | 7 | 4 | 13 |
| 4 | Bonnyrigg Rose | 7 | 1 | 10 |
| 5 | The Spartans | 6 | 2 | 9 |
| 6 | Stirlig Albion | 7 | -4 | 9 |
| 7 | Clyde | 7 | -6 | 6 |
| 8 | Edinburgh City | 6 | -4 | 5 |
| 9 | Stranraer | 7 | -4 | 5 |
| 10 | Forfar Athletic | 7 | -5 | 5 |
A Message from the Management Team
Ahead of this week’s game, Assistant Manager Ian ‘Pink’ Campbell spoke with the East Fife media team. Here’s what he had to say:
“We are respectful of what The Spartans have achieved, and they have some terrific players, though it is up to us to fight for our marks and impose ourselves on the game. It’s another contes that we are really looking forward to.
Last Week’s Results
Clyde 0-0 Elgin City
East Fife 2-0 Peterhead
Forfar Athletic 2-1 Stranraer
Stirling Albion 0-2 Bonnyrigg Rose
This Week’s Action
Bonnyrigg Rose vs Forfar Athletic
Elgin City vs Edinburgh City
Peterhead vs Clyde
The Spartans vs East Fife
Stranraer vs Stirling Albion
The Form
The Fifers
East Fife have 4 wins and 2 losses in their most recent six games.
Firstly, East Fife faced Forfar Athletic in William Hill League Two action, where a late Alan Trouten penalty proved the difference between the two sides, as the Fifers came out 2-1 victors, with Nathan Austin on the scoresheet.
Up next was a resounding win for the Methil Milan as they trounced Stirling Albion 4-0 at Forthbank stadium. Fash was on fire, netting a hattrick, with Reis Peggie also on the scoresheet just before half time.
We then kept our fine scoring form ticking over, as we ran out 5-1 winners over Clyde FC, at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium. Austin was on fine form once more, scoring a brace, one of which being an early ‘goal of the season’ contender. Trouten also bagged twice for the Black and Gold, while Adam Laaref opened his account too.
Our two losses have come in consecutive weeks, with the first coming against Dunfermline in the Trust Trophy. East Fife defended resolutely for the first 45 minutes, which proved frustrating for the Pars. Unfortunately, they came out with a clear intention in the second half, and two quick goals looked to put the contest outwith East Fife’s reach.
The most recent defeat came to Stranraer last weekend, at Stair Park. A poor start saw us go in 1-0 down at the interval, before a good start to the start of the second half saw us bag the equaliser through Alan Trouten. The lead never lasted long however, as Stranraer retook the lead just minutes later, which East Fife could not recover from. Calamity in the final moments saw goalkeeper Liam McFarlane sent off for (?), which saw gaffer Dick Campbell see red in the aftermath.
Last week saw the Methil Milan bounce back in style, cruising past Peterhead at the Wooden Fortress. Two first half strikes from the Fifers bedded the Blue Toon with ease. Alan Trouten bagged the first before a tidy volley from captain Stewart Murdoch sealed the points.
Our Opposition
In the last six games, The Spartans have struggled for results, with just one win, with two draws and three losses.
It is quite difficult to read too far into the losses though, as one came last week against Aberdeen at Pittodrie, which saw the Dons run out 4-0 winners. Another loss came in the SPFL Trust Trophy, where they fell to promotion chasing Livingston. Livi ran out 2-0 winners when the sides met at Ainslie Park. The final loss came away to Stirling Albion, with the Binos running out 1-0 winners.
The Spartans’ two draws have come against teams at the sharp end of the League Two table, playing out a goalless tie with Peterhead, as well as a score draw against Elgin, as the game finished 1-1. Hamish Ritchie found the net for the Spartans.
Their win came in dramatic fashion, with Kieran Watson grabbing a 92nd minute winner against Forfar Athletic. The game was largely controlled by the Loons, though it’s goals that win games, and Watson did the damage on the day.
Previous Encounter
East Fife 1-2 The Spartans
4th May 2024- MGM Timber Bayview Stadium
The last time the sides met, The Spartans snuck victory at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium. The visitors opened the scoring just after half time through Craigen, before Scott Shepherd replied with a goal of his own just minutes later. The game was even, and looked destined to finish that way, however, in the 89th minute, loanee Robbie Thompson broke Fife hearts, grabbing a late winner.
Squad News
Reis Peggie returns to fitness after last week’s absence, meanwhile Docherty survived last week’s encounter and is getting sharper by the day.
Liam McFarlane returns from suspension, though Brian Easton still misses out through injury.
Match Tickets
Tickets for today’s match can be purchased in advance although pay-at-the-gate is also available.
Adults- £17
Concessions (Over 65s/U18s)- £12
Under 16s- £5
Under 12s- Free
Please note, under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Live Stream
For our International Fans, Live Streaming for today’s game will be available on EFTV, using a Monthly, or Annual Gold Pass. There is no live streaming option for viewers within UK/Ireland this weekend.
Club Colours
The Fifers will don the new, MPH Group sponsored home kit. They will wear the famous black and gold striped shirt, with black shorts and socks. The Fife goalkeeper will wear orange for the tie.
The Spartans will be in their traditional colours too, wearing a white top with red shorts and white socks. The Spartans goalie will be all blue.
Officials
The referee today will be Alastair Grieve, with his assistants Barry Reid and Tommi Kerr running the lines