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Back to Bayview for Fighting Fifers after Cup Success
Tomorrow afternoon Airdrieonians make their first visit of the season to Bayview Stadium. After reaching the play-offs in May, the Diamonds have got this campaign off to a slower start than they would have hoped for, although their cause has not been helped by the transfer of striker Andy Ryan to Dunfermline Athletic. There have also been changes off the park to contend with; the departure of Mark Wilson in the summer, former East Fife manager Willie Aitchison taking over on a temporary basis, before the appointment of current manager Stevie Findlay at the end of September.
Nonetheless, the Lanarkshire men have demonstrated that on their day they are a match for anyone in this division, as Stranraer found to their cost in their last league outing two weeks ago when a Ryan Conroy double helped earn a fine 2-0 win. They have also been one of the few teams to date to take points from league leaders Ayr United.
Bayview boss Darren Young will be happy to be back on home “turf” after three consecutive games on the road. Although disappointed by the defeats at Raith Rovers and Forfar Athletic, there were some good spells of possession from his side in both games. Last week’s Scottish Cup victory against Clyde at Broadwood saw the Fifers take their opportunities in front of goal, while equally importantly, denying their opponents at the other end of the park.
Better news too for the Bayview faithful on Saturday was the return of captain Kevin Smith to the starting line-up and the appearance of defender Craig Watson as substitute after several weeks absence through injury.
Recent encounters between the sides have been difficult to predict, with both teams performing better away from home. The only meeting this season saw the Fifers come out on top thanks to a Mark Docherty penalty, while Airdrieonians secured an impressive 4-0 victory on their last visit to Methil with the aforementioned Andy Ryan hitting a hat-trick.
Supporters of both clubs are reminded that they are welcome to enjoy refreshments at the stadium bars before and after the game.
£1,350.00 Goldmine Jackpot Winner of 15th November 2017.
We regret delay publishing the winner of the Goldmine Jackpot of 15th November as we have had issues with the website. Nevertheless, although belated, the above photo shows George Logie receiving his cheque for £1,350.00 on Friday, 17th November from Director, John Donaldson. George said that the cheque came at a great time for Christmas. George has been a long time member of the Goldmine Lotto and also a life long East Fife supporter.
Well done George and have a Happy Christmas!
The Bayview | League Cup Winners 1947 Part 1
This year marks the 70th anniversary of East Fife’s first League cup triumph in the 1947-48 final. The competition had come into existence in 1946-47 as successor to the wartime Southern League Cup played throughout the hostilities only by teams in the Southern League.
When the war finished the two leagues were resurrected but as Divisions A and B. given the popularity of the Southern League Cup it was decided to retain it but open it up to all clubs in the two divisions of the league. Season 1946-47 began with league games on 14th August and the first matches in the League Cup on 21st September. East Fifer entered the record books in that first season as the first team to go through their section without conceding a goal in any of their six games.
Double-legged quarter-finals followed with East Fife meeting Hearts at Tynecastle where they won 1+0 on 1st March only to lose 5-2 at Bayview four days later. The semi-finals were played on 22nmd March with the final, in which Rangers defeated Aberdeen 4-0, on 5th April.
Season 1947-48 opened with matches in the league cup sections on 9th August. Midweek league games were played with the cup clashes on the Saturdsys, Knockout matches were held on the Saturdays with the final on the last Saturday of the month.
East Fife were drawn in Section D of the Division B clubs along with Ayr united, Kilmarnock and Stirling Albion. On 9th August, the Fifers opened the new season entertaining Stirling Albion at Bayview and beating them 3-2 with two goals from Henry Morris and one from Davie Duncan. The team was; Niven, Laird, Stewart, Philp, Finlay, Gilmour, D Davidson, Morris, Bain, Duncan. Twelfth-man W Fleming.
During the next midweek East Fife went through to Edinburgh to play Leith Athletic in a league match. A goal from Davie Duncan was enough to produce a 1-0 win. The second League Cup tie was against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on 16th August. Manager Scot Symon made only one change from the team that played the week before introducing jimmy Canavan at the left-half for George Gilmour who was the twelfth-man. It ended 0-0.
The third match of the campaign was against Ayr United at Somerset Park on 23rd August. That venue, which has never been regarded as one of East Fife’s favourites, saw the visitors secure a 5-2 victory. Again, the manager made only one change from the previous week with William Fleming replacing Ian Bain ay inside left. The incomer started the Fifers on the road to success with their opening which equaliser the home side’s first. Both Henry Morris and David Duncan score in the first-half to give a 3-1 interval lead. Both scored again in the second-half to ensure the comprehensive win. Again, George Gilmour was the twelfth-man.
In midweek the league visitors to Bayview were St Johnstone whom the host beat 2-0 with goals from Dougie Davidson and William Fleming. The return league cup fixtures began on 30th August with Fife travelling to meet Stirling Albion at Annfield. There were no changes from the team that had beaten Ayr United but Ronnie Mitchell was twelfth-man this time. The Fifers recorded another 5-2 victory with two goals each from Henry Morris and Tommy Adams and one from Davie Duncan.
Kilmarnock visited Bayview on 6th September and put a pole in the Fifers wheel with a decisive 3-1 win, Henry Morris netting the consolation goal. For that game the manager brought in Danny McLennan at left-half and moved Jimmy Canavan to inside left to the exclusion William Fleming who was twelfth-man.
The final match of the section at Bayview on 13th September against Ayr United was crucial for both teams as each had seven points and so the winner would win the section. Given that the manager’s changes to his side had been at left half and inside left, it was no surprise that he had gone into the transfer market to sign Jack Davidson from Dundee United. He was to join brother Dougie at inside left in the forward line. To accommodate him, Jimmy Canavan was restored to left half with Danny McLennan twelfth-man.
The Fifers were in devastating form winning 5-0 with Henry Morris notching a hattrick and both Tommy Adams and Dougie Davidson also finding the net. East Fife were section winners.
Part 2 will feature in this weekend's (25th November) edition of The Bayview (Issue No. 9) for Saturday's game v Airdrieonians
Fifers Progress In Scottish Cup With Win Against Clyde
William Hill Scottish Cup 3rd Round
Saturday 18th November 2017
Broadwood Stadium
Clyde 0
East Fife 2 (Smith 32’, Page 67’)
Clyde XI: Currie, Home, Breslin (Wright 68’), McNiff, Stewart, Duffie, Nicoll (Ramsay 75’), Cuddihy, Lowdon, Gormley (Osadolor 67’), Goodwillie
Subs: Wilson, Brown, Lamont, Craig
Booked: Breslin, Nicoll
Dismissed: McNiff
East Fife XI: Goodfellow, Dunsmore, Kane, Page, Wilson, Wilkie (Reilly 82’), Docherty, Lamont (Watson 75’), Millar, Smith (Mutch 75’), Duggan
Subs: Willis, Cordery
Booked: Page, Dunsmore
Referee: David Munro
Attendance: 527
East Fife progressed to the 4th round of the William Hill Scottish Cup curtesy of a 2-0 win against Clyde at Broadwood, although the game was a lot closer than the score line suggested. Manager Darren Young made four changes to the side that lost to Forfar Athletic last time out with Ben Reilly making way for fit-again Captain Kevin Smith and Ryan Goodfellow, Chris Kane and Kyle Wilkie replacing Mark Hurst, Jordan Piggott and Nathan Flanagan who were denied permission to play by their parent clubs.
East Fife were unlucky not to be ahead inside 3 minutes when Mark Lamont whipped in a free kick from the touchline which was met by Smith with a diving header at the near post but Clyde ‘keeper Blair Currie got down well to his left to stop the ball on the line. The home side’s first chance of the game fell to former Fifer Kieran Duffie on 13 minutes when a quickly taken free kick made its way to him on the right-hand side of the box and forced Goodfellow into a smart save low to his left. Clyde should have taken the lead 5 minutes later when David Goodwillie picked up the ball on the half-way line and raced in on goal only to drag his shot wide of the right-hand post with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Chris Duggan fired in a cross from the left on 29 minutes that was cleared by the Clyde defence but only as far as Mark Docherty but he couldn’t find the target with a volley from 20-yards. Goodwillie forced Goodfellow into a save from a tight angle just before the half-hour mark before East Fife took the lead. Chris Kane’s cross from the right was headed down by Duggan into the path of Smith who volleyed past Currie for his first goal of the season on 32 minutes. Clyde had a half-claim for a penalty on 33 minutes when David Gormley went down inside the area but referee David Munro was uninterested.
Clyde came out fighting after the break; a long-throw making its way to Barry Cuddihy on the edge of the box but his shot was straight at Goodfellow. Smith should have doubled the visitor’s lead on 53 minutes; Docherty got in behind the Clyde defence, his initial shot was blocked before laying the rebound off for Smith but he was unable to find the target from 10-yards.
Clyde’s best chance of an equaliser came on 59 minutes. Duffie fired in a cross from the right that Goodfellow did enough to push the ball away from Goodwillie but only as far as Gormley who could only lift the ball over the bar from 8-yards. Aaron Dunsmore then pulled off a superb last ditch blocked to deny Gormley on 64 minutes before East Fife put the game to bed on 67 minutes. Smith was fouled by Jamie Breslin on edge of the box, 5-yards from the by-line. Docherty whipped in the free kick from the right-hand side of the goal and Jonathan Page rose highest to head the ball past Currie.
As the game drew to a close, the home side had a couple of opportunities to pull a goal back. First, Goodwillie fired high and wide from 12-yards before Goodfellow was on-hand to punch away a long-range effort from Cuddihy. In between that, Martin McNiff was dismissed for the home side for a miss-timed challenge on Ben Reilly. The decision looked harsh at the time and replays showed that although McNiff didn’t play the ball, the challenge was neither malicious or dangerous.
East Fife have played better and lost this season but a win’s a win and, more importantly, we’re into the 4th round where we have been drawn a home tie against Highland League side Brora Rangers.
Clyde Matchday Information
Kindly provided by Clyde FC.
Clyde v East Fife
Kick-off: 3pm
Match Sponsor: WILLIAM HILL
Admission: Season tickets are not valid. Entry prices are; adults £13, concessions £8, Under-12s from both clubs go FREE (when accompanied by an adult). Free un-der-12 tickets should be collected from the Clyde Matchday Office, situated in the Pod to the south end of the Main Stand, before entering via the turnstiles.
Visiting Supporters: Fans of East Fife should enter by;
Turnstile A for Adults
Turnstile B for concessions
Both turnstiles are located at the south end of the Main Stand
Refreshment facilities for East Fife fans fans will be situated in Kiosk 2 on entry to the stadium through turnstiles A and B
Car Parking: Access to the Main Stand car park will be restricted to those with ac-creditation; players, staff and officials, visiting directors, Executive Club members, hospitality guests and those with disability parking badges.
Home Fans
As usual, home fans will be directed to the parking spaces behind the south stand
Visiting Fans
Car parking provision for East Fife fans will be provided at the nearby St Maurice’s school.
Car parking in and around the Broadwood campus is free of charge, including St Maurice’s School
The Clyde View: No programme will be published for this match
Teamsheets: Available from the Clyde Matchday Office approximately 30 minutes before kick-off and charged at 20p per copy.
Bar 58: Open for both sets of fans, both pre-match from 1pm to 2.45pm and post match 5pm to 5.45pm. Entrance is via the turnstiles from 2pm onwards, and via the main reception door of the Main Stand until 2pm.
For Post match entry to Bar 58, fans should leave the ground and enter via the main reception door. Please note, Bar 58 is not available at half-time.
Smoking Areas: Open at half-time only, in the designated area at the North end of the Main Stand for Clyde fans, and at the South End of the Main Stand for East Fife fans.