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The Season So Far
LEAGUE TABLE
As we approach the packed Christmas Fixture list, the Fifers are sat in 4th place, the last available playoff spot with 21 points from 15 games. We are one point shy of 3rd place Elgin City, and just one point ahead of the chasing pack, Stenhousemuir and Stranraer. We face important games in the coming weeks, hosting 8th and 9th place Annan Athletic and Bonnyrigg Rose, before two tricky ties, against two other teams eyeing up promotion, first hosting Stranraer, and then travelling to the league leaders’ Dumbarton on Christmas Eve.
QUARTER BY QUARTER
The first quarter saw us gather 11 points from our opening 9 games, recording wins against Elgin City, Albion Rovers and Forfar Athletic. We shared the spoils with Stranraer and Annan Athletic and were unfortunately left empty handed after the games against 1st and 2nd placed Dumbarton and Stirling Albion as well as newly promoted Bonnyrigg Rose and Stenhousemuir too. So far after 6 games this quarter we have tallied up 10 points and look set to improve on the first round of games’ tally. We have matched our results against Elgin City and Forfar Athletic and greatly improved on our result against Bonnyrigg Rose, taking three points in all of those games. We also turned our loss against Stenhousemuir into a draw. Unfortunately, we lost to Albion Rovers and Stirling Albion despite incredible performances.
BEST/WORST RESULT
We have seen the clear improvement in the side over the progression of the season, and this is crystal clear in our two games against newly promoted Bonnyrigg Rose. We suffered our worst league defeat to them at the start of this season, being on the receiving end of a 3-0 hammering. However, the boys turned up at New Dundas Park with fire in their bellies and despite going a goal behind after 90 seconds, the Fifers recorded their biggest league win since August 2021, digging deep and playing freely as they ran out 4-1 winners.
SCORERS
In all competitions this season, there is a two-way tie for top scorer, with Scott Shepherd and Alan Trouten having both scored 6 this season. Ryan Schiavone follows closely, having slotted home 5 this season for the Black and Gold. Shepherd leads the way with goal involvements having scored or set up a goal every second game. Trouten has maintained his stellar penalty kick success rate, having scored all five penalties that he has stepped up to take this season. Youngster Schiavone is our most prolific goalscorer this season and was hitting very fine form before his picking up a knock before the home win vs Elgin City. Schiavone saw back-to-back braces, in the 3-1 win at Forfar Athletic, followed by the previously mentioned win against Bonnyrigg Rose.
HIGHLIGHTS
So far there have been many moments for the Fife this season. However, one of the biggest has to have been Allan Fleming’s amazing reaction save in our 1-0 win against Albion Rovers at the start of the season. His performance was one of the main reasons that we walked away with 3 points on the day. Another game saving moment came at the hands of local lad Jack Healy, whose outstanding curled effort rescued a point on the road at Ochilview Park against Stenhousemuir. The last kick of the game was certainly one to remember for the young lad, who has scored 3 goals against Stenhousemuir this season. The third moment is the man of the moment, Joao Balde, and his remarkable brace against Albion Rovers. Despite walking away empty handed, Balde opened his East Fife account in style, putting in the performance of the season, covering all areas of the pitch on the day.
Oli Anderson
Half-Season Tickets Now On Sale
We’re pleased to announce that half-season tickets for our 2022/23 campaign are now on sale.
Half-season tickets are valid for 9 home cinch League 2 matches over the second half of this season starting with the visit of Stranraer on Saturday 17th December and prices have been confirmed as follows:
Adults - £145
Concessions - £115
Students (16-19) - £65
Under 16s - £25
Tickets can be purchased online here or by contacting the club office on 01333 426323.
Please note, those purchasing concession or age-discounted season tickets may be asked for proof of age/disability.
All members of East Fife Community Football Club under 16 years old will continue to be entitled to free admission to all SPFL cinch League Two games at Bayview when accompanied by an adult, or as part of an organised group. Distribution of tickets for these games are being handled by the EFCFC.
Healy Signs Contract Extension
Jack Healy has signed a 1-year extension to his current contract, keeping his at Bayview until the summer of 2024.
The 20-year-old midfielder made the step up from the under 20s at the start of 2022 following a successful loan spell at East Stirlingshire in the first half of the 2021/22 season where he earned great reviews from both the Shire’s management team and supporters before being recalled in January.
Manager Greig McDonald commented: “Jack is a local lad and I’m pleased he has committed his future to the club. He’s enjoying his football and has been working hard to develop his all-round game. I’m sure he will continue to do well for the club over the next couple of years”.
To date, Jack has featured on 35 appearances for the club since making his debut as a 17-year-old in November 2019. His 5 goals have all come during this campaign including memorable late equalisers against Stranraer and Stenhousemuir.
Cunningham Signs Contract Extension Ahead of Loan Move
Mikey Cunningham has penned a 1-year extension to his current contract ahead of completing a loan move to Cowdenbeath.
The 21-year-old forward has extended his contract until the summer of 2024 and will now gain some much needed game time at Lowland League side Cowdenbeath after missing the majority of last season through injury.
Manager Greig McDonald: “I’m really pleased Mikey has chosen to commit to the club for a further season. Now that his future is sorted, we feel a loan move to Cowdenbeath will allow him to play games at a good level and ultimately aid his development before returning to us in the summer”
Mikey started his footballing journey with the East Fife Junior Supporters Club as a 6-year-old, excelling in a side 2-years above his age group, before moving on to Celtic at the age of 10 and then making the move to Dens Park in 2018.
Mikey joined the club in the summer of 2021 from Dundee, but an ankle injury unfortunately ruled him out for much of last season. To date, Mikey has 19 appearances and 1 goal to his name.
Good luck Mikey!
Match Report - Stirling Albion
East Fife were back on the road on Saturday, taking a trip to Forthbank Stadium to face 2nd placed Stirling Albion. Off the back of a heart wrenching defeat last weekend against Albion Rovers, the team were hoping to leave that behind them and put in another solid performance.
One change was made to the team that lost to Albion Rovers at Bayview last weekend as Aaron Steele, serving a one match suspension after being sent off early last weekend, was replaced in the starting line-up by Stewart Murdoch.
There was drama early on as the Binos struck first. In the fifth minute, Dunsmore was fed the ball on the right wing and sent in a pinpoint accurate cross to Fotheringham at the back who knocks it past Fleming putting the home side 1-0 up.
Five minutes later, the Binos doubled their lead as once again Dunsmore was the provider, this time finding Leitch in the box whose header finds the net, giving Albion a strong advantage after only 10 minutes.
The Binos pressure didn’t stop there as instantly after the restart Carrick laid the ball off to Fotheringham on the left who took the ball into the area however this time Fleming was able to stop the ball from rippling the net.
After the early onslaught from Stirling, East Fife began to grow more into the game as more chances fell the way of the Fifers. In the 28th minute, Shepherd took the ball round McGregor and drove into the box and fired in a a shot although the Stirling ‘keeper got down well at his near post to stop East Fife from pulling a goal back
With five minutes left of the half, the pressure finally paid off for the Fifers. Newton plays in Ferguson who reaches the by-line to cut the ball back for Trouten in the middle of the box who taps it past Currie.
HALF TIME: Stirling Albion 2-1 East Fife
The East Fife pressure continued into the second half with a good passage play, starting from Fleming, saw the ball fall to Shepherd in the box whose shot had the power taken out of it by McLean and Currie was able to collect.
Against the run of play, Stirling broke up the field and had a chance to put the game to bed when Carrick picked up the loose ball on the edge of the area and lays off to Cooper, but his shot is comfortably saved by Fleming to the centre of the goal.
As the match was drawing to a close, East Fife ramped it up the ante searching for the equaliser. Substitute Steven took the ball out wide and crossed for Ferguson whose header dropped wide of the post.
In the second minute of injury time, Stirling managed to kill the game with a quick break up the part from East Fife’s corner with the Binos finding themselves with two forwards against Fleming. Fleming did incredibly well to save the initial one-on-one against Fotheringham however Dunsmore collected the rebound and finds the net, capping off a game whereby both had strong spells of control, but it was the home side who claimed the three points.
FULL-TIME: Stirling Albion 3-1 East Fif
After a week’s break due to Scottish Cup matches, the Methil Men are back at home for three consecutive matches, the first being versus 8th positioned Annan Athletic.
Report by Andrew Laing
Stirling Albion Team: Currie, McGregor, Dunsmore, McLean, McGeachie, Banner, Leitch (Clark 64’), Fotheringham, Denholm (Moore 76’), Davidson (Cooper 64’), Carrick (Burns 90+4’)
East Fife Team: Fleming, Mercer, Denham, Murdoch, Newton, Millar, Balde, Ferguson, Healy (Steven 70’), Shepherd, Trouten
Referee: Alan Newlands
Attendance: 893 (170 East Fife fans)
Match Preview - Stirling Albion
The Black and Gold journey to Forthbank this weekend for an encounter against Stirling Albion at the sharp end of the table. The Binos sit second in the cinch League Two table and have mirrored Fife’s results for the last 5 weeks, having lost last weekend 2-0 at home to Albion.
The Fifers will be hoping to replicate their second half performance, after fighting valiantly against Albion Rovers last week, falling to a last-minute penalty.
Squad News
Aaron Steele will serve this 1 match suspension after his early dismissal against Albion Rovers. Youngster Ryan Schiavone remains sidelined along with the long-term injuries: Conor McManus, Brogan Walls, Rabin Omar and ‘keeper Scott Gallacher.
Team Colours
East Fife will don their green shirts, with white shorts and socks, with the goalkeeper in all yellow.
The home side will be in their home colours, with a red top and shorts, alongside their red and white striped socks. Their goalkeeper will be clad in turquoise.
Previous Encounter
East Fife hosted Stirling Albion on 1st October, in what was Greig MacDonald’s first game as East Fife Interim Manager. The visitors took the game by the scruff of the neck, and after a flurry of saves, Fleming was beaten inside 6 minutes, giving Stirling the advantage.
Fife were given a lifeline, when Trouten scored a penalty just after the half an hour mark. It was all for naught though as Darren Young’s men re-took the lead in injury time.
Fife defended well in the second half to stop the score line being further stretched but struggled going forward last time out.
East Fife Team:
Fleming, Murdoch, Steele, Denham, Murdoch, Healy (Schiavone 61’), Ferguson, Slattery (Steven 61’), Baldé, Trouten, Shepherd.
Stirling Albion Team:
Currie, McGeachie, McLean, McGregor, Clark, Fotheringham, Leitch (Clark 78’), Banner (Denholm 85’) Moore (Dunsmore 27’), Thomson, Carrick (Davidson 85’).
Match Tickets
East Fife fans will be housed in the East Stand this weekend. Tickets are pay at the gate, and the turnstiles take cash only. They will be open from 2pm. Prices Below:
Adults: £15
Over 65s: £10
U17s: £5
U12s go free with a paying adult.
Parking
For fans travelling by car- there is free, unallocated parking outside of the East Stand.
Officials
Alan Newlands will be the on-pitch official at the weekend. His assistants running the lines will be Steven Traynor and Barry Reid.
Live Stream
There will be no Live Stream for British and Irish viewers, however for those outside the UK & Ireland, the game can be watched on EFTV with a monthly or season pass.
Catering
It has been confirmed that Forthbank’s speciality pie for the week will be Steak and Sausage! This can be bought at the pie huts inside the stadium grounds. These will be cash only.