EAST FIFE 1 SHIRE 0

If only referee Craig Charleston has chosen to end the game 30 seconds earlier Shire would deservedly emereged as only the second team this season to have taken home points from East Fife this season.

But he didn't and that allowed Dougie Cameron to swing over a cross from the left. As Greig McDonald tried to reach it David King applied a nudge in the back and the referee pointed to the penalty spot.

With three minutes of injury-time already showing on the clock Cameron stepped forward to place the spot kick into the net low to Shire keeper Michael Brown's left. There was only enough time left to re-start the match before the final whistle blew.

It was the toughest of luck on Shire who refused to lie down and let the runaway league leaders walk all over them.

Coach Gordon Wylde gave new signing Andy Rodgers his debut and included a few susprises too.

The team shape changed, with Rodgers partnering Joe Savage up front in a 4-4-2 formation.

That meant some personnel changes, with David King coming in at left-back for his first start since early December. Craig Donaldson was preferred to Marc McKenzie wide on the right while Derek Ure dropped to the bench to make way for Kevin McBride to fill the wide left berth.

Those predicting an East Fife onslaught were probably not surprised to see the home team's Bobby Linn clean through after just five minutes but he shanked his shot horribly wide of goal in what was to be a taste of things to come.

That said, Shire really should have taken the lead after eight minutes. Donaldson was relased down the right and his cross was pinpoint perfect for Rodgers to head into an empty next, except the Shire debutant's header was way off target.

Michael Brown was easily the busier of the two keeper as the first half wore on but he was hardly over-worked.

He did well to make routine saves from a Cameron header and an effort from Chris Templeman.

On the half hour some nice play involving Savage and Paul Brownlie set up Andrew Brand for a shot from the edge of the box but his effort went just wide of the post.

After 34 minutes East Fife wasted their best opportunity of the first half. Linn made room for a shot but with only Brown to beat his effort rebounded off Templeman on its route to goal.

With two minutes of the half left some great work by Rodgers allowed him to cross for the well-placed McBride but his effort was blocked by some desperate East Fife defence.

Brown was in action at the start of the second half, making a routine stop from Templeman and a spectacular full-length dive to push a Linn effort round the post for a fruitless corner kick.

After an hour Stephen Oates stepped on the ball while trying to pass back to brown and that left Linn clear, but his shot, from a tight angle, flew harmlessly over the bar.

A minute later Rodgers really ought to have scored for Shire. He showed good pace to outrun the East Fife defence before cutting inside the box. But he tried to curl the ball past McCulloch instead of blasting his shot and the home keeper made a comfortable stop.

As the game entered its closing quarter both teams made changes. Templeton and Linn were withdrawn by home boss Dave Baikie while Shire sent on Paul McBride for Savage.

And the Shire substitute almost made an immediate impact. He was just half a stride away from reaching a long ball out of defence before the East Fife keeperand rolling it into the empty net, but McCulloch saved the day for the home side.

There was a bit of penalty box bagattelle three minutes from time when no East Fife player could get a foot to the ball  when all that was required was a simple tap-in.

After surviving that scare Shire must have thought a point was theirs. Alas, it was not to be.

East Fife : McCulloch, McDonald, Cameron, Smart, Tweed, Fotheringham, Davison(Gordon 71), Stewart, Templeman(Nicholas 84), Linn(O'Reilly 79), Young.

Shire : Brown, Gibb, King, Oates, Thywissen, Brownlie, Donaldson(McKenzie 71), Brand, Savage(P. McBride 81), Rodgers, K. McBride(Ure 81).

Referee : C. Charleston.

Attendance : 829.

 

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