Late Penalties Punish Burgh

Burgh started life without Allan Moody with a visit of Fife neighbours Burntisland Shipyard to East Shore Park.

It was a slow start for the home side and the visitors forced the early pressure with Keatings lofting a shot over the bar in the 9th minute and Murray rattling the bar moments later from just outside the area.

The first goal came in the 13th minute when Keatings beat the offside trap to run in on goal and meet the ball on the bounce to loop his shot over the advancing David Chalmers to give Shippy the lead.

Their joy was short-lived as Burgh equalised a few minutes later when an Elliot Jowitt free kick into the box was knocked back by the defender and met by Struan Grieve to side foot an effort against the far post and across the line for 1-1.

Kellar Harris went close with an effort against the post in the 20th minute following a corner, while Thomson and Keatings tested the palms of Chalmers in quick succession. Keatings nearly made Burgh pay after Chalmers and Jowitt collided going for the same high ball but his sliding effort was recovered by the keeper in the 38th minute.

Newburgh had a handball appeal for a penalty turned down in the 53rd minute, while the visitors hit the post moments later. Cai Macdonald had a good chance charged down in the 76th minute.

With the game edging towards a creditable draw under the circumstances, the game swung the way of Burntisland in the final few minutes thanks to two penalties – one clear cut, the other heavily debatable.

In the first incident in the 86th minute, substitute Johnny Malcolm was adjudged to have brought down the striker who through on goal. Keatings sent Chalmers the right way but the keeper couldn’t stop the effort.

In stoppage time, Shippy were awarded a second penalty when the striker collided with Chalmers as he flicked a pass to his right and fell. It appeared extremely harsh as neither player seemed unable to avoid the collision whilst going for the same ball. Keatings completed his hat-trick by this time sending Chalmers the wrong way.

On the face of it, it was a harsh result for the Burgh side who more than matched their opponents for much of the game in what had been a disruptive week with the events behind the scenes – but given the circumstances and allowing for the dust to settle, the team will do fine when a bit of ‘normality’ resumes and preparations for next week’s game are underway.