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Fifers Face Old Foes Elgin
East Fife conclude their Betfred League Cup campaign for 2017-18 tomorrow night when they entertain Elgin City at Bayview Stadium. Unfortunately, despite Darren Young’s men’s best efforts, the Fifers are now out of the running for a place in the next stage, but there have been many positives to take, particularly after Saturday’s second-half showing against Hearts at Tynecastle when they had their Premiership opponents on the back foot at times with a spirited display.
Opponents Elgin City find themselves in a similar position, having been on the receiving end of a 6-0 defeat at East End Park, but putting in an improved performance last Tuesday at home to Hearts, going down to a solitary Kyle Lafferty goal.
In contrast to Saturday’s meeting with Hearts, East Fife and Elgin City are no strangers to each other, having served up several hard fought encounters in the race to the championship in 2015-16. The clubs have only locked horns on one previous occasion in the League Cup, with goals from Rob Ogleby and Ryan Wallace giving the Methil men a 2-1 win in July 2011 at Bayview. Brian Cameron was the man on the mark for the visitors. The Bayview faithful will need no reminding that their favourites followed up this victory by defeating Dunfermline Athletic and Aberdeen, before eventually going down to Kilmarnock in the quarter final at Rugby Park.
The Fifers squad should be along the usual lines, with Ben Gordon looking set to miss out after being the recipient of two yellow cards on Saturday.
Battling Display at Tynecastle
Betfred League Cup Group B
Saturday 22nd July 2017
Tynecastle Stadium
Hearts 3 (Lafferty 22’, 86’(P), Berra 70’)
East Fife 0
Hearts XI: Hamilton, Smith, Souttar (Petkov 45’), Berra, Walker (Stockton 77’), Buaben, Lafferty, Cowie (Martin 62’), McGhee, Grzelak, Goncalves
Subs: Noring, Nowak, Brandon, Moore
Booked: McGhee, Stockton
East Fife XI: Goodfellow, Dunsmore, Docherty, Watson, Slattery, Duggan, Wilson, Millar, Gordon, Reilly (Flanagan 75’), Willis
Subs: Wilkie, Inglis, Mutch, Young
Booked: Gordon
Dismissed: Gordon
Referee: Nick Walsh
Attendance: 6265
East Fife travelled to face Hearts on matchday 3 of the Betfred Cup but left empty-handed as Premiership side ran out 3-0 winners at Tynecastle. Manager Darren Young made two changed to side that drew with Dunfermline on Tuesday with Ryan Goodfellow and Kieran Millar stepping in for Nathan Flanagan and the injured Thomas Cordery.
The home side could have been ahead on 6 minutes when Michael Smith beat the offside trap but saw his shot rebound off the inside of the post into the arms of Goodfellow. Hearts were doing all the running in the early stages and passed up another two great opportunities inside the first 15 minutes when first captain Christophe Berra couldn’t find the target after losing his marker at a corner before Kyle Lafferty headed wide from a couple of yards.
East Fife’s first sight of goal occurred on 17 minutes when a break upfield by Mark Docherty saw Chris Duggan cushion the ball down for the onrushing Ben Reilly. Reilly was beaten to the ball by Berra but the defender’s clearance ricocheted off Reilly and flew narrowly wide. Hearts broke the deadlock on 22 minutes when Lafferty got on the end of Smith’s cross to head past Goodfellow from close range.
Lafferty almost doubled the lead 10 minutes later but for a timely intervention from Ben Gordon. Hearts continued to press; this time Jamie Walker denied by a smart stop from Goodfellow. East Fife’s best opportunities in the first half came from set pieces with former Fife ‘keeper Jack Hamilton struggling under high balls and being bailed out on more than once occasion by his defence.
East Fife had to weather a storm of a different kind after the break after the heavens opened and puddles started to form on the Tynecastle surface. Summer football anyone???? It was the visitors who adapted best to the conditions; Duggan beating the offside trap a couple of minutes after the restart but no one was able to get on the end of his cut back. A good break by Aaron Dunsmore saw the ball reach Paul Willis unmarked at the back post but was denied by a great save from Hamilton.
Just before the hour mark, Willis was again denied by Hamilton who managed to hold at the second attempt with Duggan waiting to pounce. When the conditions easing, Hearts started to regain control of the match with Walker going narrowly wide with a volley on 65 minutes before terrific defending by Gordon denied Esmael Goncalves. The home side grabbed a second goal on 70 minutes when Berra rose highest to head home from a corner. Walker should have made it three 5 minutes later but dragged his shot wide from a couple of yards.
Kyle Wilson found the side netting for East Fife on 77 minutes before the striker almost set up Kieran Millar with a tap in on 81 minutes but the Hearts defence were able to clear before Dunsmore saw his shot saved by Hamilton. Gordon was sent for an early bath 5 minutes from time, picking up his second booking bringing down Gongalves inside the box; his first coming following an altercation with Cole Stockton in the middle of the park 10 minutes earlier. Lafferty placed the ball on the spot and sent Goodfellow the wrong way for his second of the afternoon.
There were chances at both ends as the game drew to a close; Duggan forcing Hamilton into a decent save with his effort from 40-yards before Goncalves heading narrowly over into stoppage time.
A much better performance from East Fife after the break; more creative, more confident but the hosts ran out deserved winner. Onwards to Tuesday for our final group match of the Betfred Cup when Eglin City visit Bayview.
Friendly Announcement
Following the completion of our Betfred Cup Group B matches on Tuesday, we continue our preparations for our forthcoming Ladbrokes League 1 campaign by welcoming a St. Johnstone XI to Bayview on Saturday 29th July with a 12 pm kick off.
Admission Prices
Adults - £5
Under 16s - Free
Fifers Face Capital Challenge
East Fife head to Tynecastle tomorrow for the first time in over 34 years where they continue their Betfred League Cup campaign against Ian Cathro’s Hearts side. The Gorgie boss was not even born in 1983 when the Fifers considered themselves unfortunate as they went down 2-1 in the last sixteen of the Scottish Cup.
It will require a similar display in the capital city if the men from Methil are to stay in the hunt to qualify for the next stage but Darren Young will be heartened by Tuesday night’s efforts in drawing with county rivals Dunfermline Athletic. There were plenty positives for the Bayview gaffer to take from the game, not least a clean sheet and a sterling performance from a back four in only their second outing together.
The last time the two sides met in this competition was back in October 1999 which saw the Fifers drawn first out of the hat, but the game being moved to Starks Park on police advice. Hearts progressed to the quarter finals thanks to a first-half Colin Cameron penalty and a last minute Derek Holmes goal. Despite this disappointment East Fife have an impressive League Cup record against tomorrow’s opponents with five wins and four defeats. Hearts can however boast lifting the trophy on four occasions compared to three successes by the Methil club.
Tomorrow’s squad will hopefully be bolstered by the return of Chris Kane from injury and the availability of midfielder Kieran Millar after serving a two game suspension.
Information for supporters travelling to Tynecastle on saturday 22nd July
Heart of Midlothian FC has given information for our travelling support. If fans are travelling by rail, please leave the train at Haymarket Station and the walk to Tynecastle takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes. There are service buses from Haymarket to Gorgie, with about 6 different numbers of buses for that destination. Also if you travel by car, you will have to take your chances with side street parking as there are no car parks specifically for supporters.
Betfred Penalty Heartache for The Fife
Betfred League Cup Group B
Tuesday 18th July 2017
Bayview Stadium
East Fife 0
Dunfermline 0
(Dunfermline win 9-8 on penalties)
East Fife XI: Cordery (Goodfellow 45’), Dunsmore, Gordon, Watson, Docherty, Flanagan (Mutch 72’), Reilly (Young 88’), Slattery, Willis, Wilson, Duggan
Subs: Inglis
Booked: Flanagan
Dunfermline XI: Murdoch, Williamson, Lewis, Morris, Ashcroft, Wedderburn (Lochhead 68’), Higginbottom (Shields 68’), Paton, McManus (Smith 81’), Clark, Cardle
Subs: Gill, Mvoto, Splaine, Duthie
Booked: Ashcroft
Referee: Gavin Ross
Attendance: 1094
Dunfermline were the visitors to on matchday 2 of the Betfred Cup for the first game to be played on the new artificial pitch at Bayview. Manager Darren Young made three changes to the side that lost to Peterhead at the weekend with Ross Mutch, Chris Kane and Ryan Goodfellow making way for Kyle Wilson, Ben Reilly and Thomas Cordery who was making his first appearance in an East Fife shirt.
The visitors started in the ascendency; Joe Cardle almost finding himself through 1-1 with Cordery but was denied by a superb tackle by Aaron Dunsmore. The first real action in front of goal occurred in the 17th minute when Dunfermline were awarded an indirect free kick inside the East Fife box after Cordery handled a pass-back from Craig Watson. The ball way laid-off for Kallum Higginbottom who could only hit the wall before the ball was cleared for a corner from which Nicky Clark headed narrowly over.
Dunfermline were continuing to press and should have taken the lead when first Higginbottom was denied by an excellent save by Cordery with his legs before Declan McManus delayed his shot too long allowing the East Fife defence to cover when he had a near open goal to aim for. At the other end, the home side had their first sight of goal when Nathan Flanagan turned his marker and cut inside but could only find the side-netting. The visitors had one final chance before half-time but Cordery was able to turn Higginbottom’s drive behind for a corner.
East Fife were forced to change ‘keepers at the break after Cordery picked up an injury during the first-half and replacement Goodfellow was called into action shortly before the hour mark to keep out a header from Callum Morris. The home side were growing into the game and were unlucky when a great cross into the box by Dunsmore just evaded Wilson in the 6-yard box before Chris Duggan tried his luck from 30-yard after winning the ball in midfield. Dunfermline had another good opportunity 10 minutes from time; the offside flag sparing the blushes of Clark who put the ball over the bar from a couple of yard.
Neither side were able to find a breakthrough so the tie went to penalties. No one was able to find the target during the 90 minutes but there was no such trouble from 12-yards with 17 consecutive penalties finding the back of the net before Ben Gordon saw his spot kick rebound off the inside of the post and rolling to safety to give Dunfermline the bonus point.
A very encouraging performance from East Fife who must now recovery quickly and do it all again against Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday.