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Albion Rovers 0 v 1 East Fife |  |
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Albion Rovers 0 v 1 East Fife | |
| Scottish League Third Division 12th August 2006 |
Attendance : 334
Scorers ~ East Fife : Smart (56).
Albion Rovers first home league fixture of the season wasn’t the spectacle all attending hoped for. From the outset it didn’t look like being a high scoring game and so it proved with a single Fifers goal separating the teams.
The visitors dominated the opening skirmishes but it was Rovers who had the first notable move. Lee Sichi was the man who was well tackled by McGowan whilst inside the opposition penalty area.
With Smart assisting, Paul Ritchie fired a shot close to the Rovers goal followed soon after by a quality move up the far wing with ended with Ryan Blackadder having a disappointing effort.
Gordon Lennon stopped another East Fife attack in its tracks on the edge of his own box and Rovers thrust forward. Scott Chaplain ran goalward but the defender was well placed to intercept.
Smart had a woeful shot after a move involving many passes by his colleagues. Kevin Gordon flighted in a cross just a couple of yards from the goal line but Ewings was there to palm the ball, changing it’s trajectory away from a lurking attacker.
A quick move was on and Martin Bonnar put the ball through the defence to the advancing Chaplain but ‘keeper Ross saw it and got there first.
In 29 minutes Rovers were awarded a free-kick 5 yards from the East Fife box but Doyle gave the ball too much elevation and the chance was lost. Ritchie was next to show willing when he broke free from his markers to skim the ball over the crossbar.
In 36 minutes Chaplain incurred the wrath of referee Somers who showed him a yellow card for kicking the ball into the Fifers net despite clearly being adjudged offside before he did so.
Sichi and Walker were involved within the Fife box when Ross jumped to get a high ball, he dropped the ball to safety but was ruled to have been fouled as ‘keepers often are in such circumstances.
In 41 minutes Rovers had 3 corners in quick succession but failed to capitalise on the opportunity. At the other end of the pitch Gordon Lennon did well to gain the ball from the attacker and take it out of harms way.
HALF TIME
A few minutes into the second period an East Fife attacker beat Graham McGhee for pace on the far side but Gordon Lennon was on hand to intervene and shepherd the ball out for a goal-kick.
Poor defending gave Walker and Chaplain a chance at the Methil sides’ goal but the potential of the situation went unfulfilled.
A long ball into Jamie Ewings area saw the ‘keeper and Paul Ritchie tangle but neither gain control of it.
In 55 minutes a Jonathon Smart corner caused problems for the assembled Rovers defence and eventually resulted in another corner. This time Blackadder took it and Smart rose above the defenders to head his side into what proved to be an unassailable lead.
Rovers attempted to strike back and Sichi took a short corner which Doyle crossed into the box only to see Ross palm it away to safety. Patrick Walker was next up and he spun round to have a snap shot at the East Fife goal but it proved to be wayward.
A 30 yarder from Ritchie had Ewings diving although it proved to be wide of the mark. Unproductive moves by both sides were followed by Smart trying to fend off the attentions of Gordon Lennon who did enough to make the eventual shot at goal easy for Ewings to deal with.
In 72 minutes Smart stood on Rovers 6 yard line awaiting a pass upfield to descend, up-stepped Gordon Lennon from nowhere to head the ball to the grateful Ewings. A Blackadder free-kick was then almost shepherded onto Rovers goal by Smart who looked aghast as the ball went inches round the goalpost.
Donnelly and Walker had the last decent attempt of the match to no avail for the Coatbridge side, Gordon Moffatt having an injury time blast over the bar ended this disappointing game.
Albion Rovers : Ewings, Chisholm, McGhee (Clearie 74), Lennon, Watson, Donnelly, Doyle, Chaplain, Walker, Bonnar (McBride 62), Sichi (Moffat 80).
Subs Not Used : Creaney, Thompson.
East Fife : Ross, Smith, Linton, Jonathan Smart, McGowan, Blackadder, Craig Smart, Jablonski, Ritchie (O'Reilly 85), Gordon (Martin 88), Courts.
Subs Not Used: Mitchell, Fortune, Dodds.
Referee : David Somers
Man of the Match : Gordon Lennon
