Albion Rovers 1 v 4 East Fife

Attendance : 472

Scorers ~ Albion Rovers : Gemmell (70). East Fife : Cameron (58), O'Reilly (81), Gordon (86), Stewart (90).

League leaders East Fife went into this match on the back of two straight defeats and Rovers made it difficult for them until their all too familiar trait of losing goals in the dying minutes of the match.

Striker John Gemmell made a welcome return to Rovers starting lineup after missing the Boxing day match at Stranraer due to work commitments. It took him a mere three minutes to try his luck although his shot wasn't troublesome for veteran 'keeper Willie McCulloch.

Rovers were at it again a minute later when Kenny Wright crossed from close to the corner and Iain Chisholm headed goalward only to be thwarted by Jonathan Smart. Barry Donald was shown a yellow card in 5 minutes for a foul. 

Then Wright came close himself as his effort bobbled past the post when it seemed easier to have put it on course to goal.

Callan Adam then blasted the ball into the side netting. Although East Fife had plenty of possession no real chances were created until 37 minutes when Smart powerfully headed the ball down close to the goal but David Scott pulled off an instinctive save from point blank range.

A one-two with Wright and Pat Walker saw the latter head the ball past the Fifers goal as McCulloch stood rooted to the spot. Lloyd Young then had a sot cum cross saved by Scott. On the stroke of half-time Barry Donald cleared a Smart shot off the goal line.

Half-Time

Graeme Watson replaced Donald in the interval which was widely interpreted in the stands as a move to prevent him gaining a second yellow card. A defensive fankle by Rovers gave Ryan Blackadder an opportunity which he squandered by blasting the ball over the crossbar.

Dougie Cameron flighted in a cross to Rovers box which Greg McDonald headed ludicrously wide from a decent position. Young unleashed a shot which Robert Walker managed to clear off the goal line, it fell to Bobby Linn who was taken by surprise and he put it past an open goal.

At the other end of the park Callan Adam tried a long range lob but McCulloch was equal to it. Then came the opening goal, Linn cut the ball back to Cameron who hit a low ball through the crowded box into the net.

John Gemmell had three shots in as many minutes thwarted by former Airdrieonians 'keeper McCulloch. Firstly a snap shot from 30 yards in 65 minutes was stopped on his line, followed by a weak header and a much stronger header resulting from a Wright cross.

In 70 minutes Gemmell was rewarded for his efforts when once more his head met a Wright cross but this time it floated over the head of McCulloch and into the net.

East Fife fought their way back into the match and only Alan Reid at the near post prevented a goal as he cleared off the line. In 81 minutes the visitors took the lead after a long run down the wing by Paul Stewart, the ball was crossed for Craig O'Reilly to tap in. Five minutes later a carbon copy goal sent the Methil men 3-1 up, Stewart this time providing substitute Kevin Gordon with the ball.

East Fife added a fourth in injury time when Stewart found himself in the clear and put a low ball into the net from the edge of Rovers box as Scott advanced towards him.

Summary

Rovers losing late goals is all too familiar lately and if that one weakness was done away with they'd have a much more respectable league position. The second half was marred by some bizarre offside decisions by the far side assistant referee who failed to see visiting players clearly being nearer their goal than attackers.

Albion Rovers : Scott, Buckley, Reid, Robert Walker, Benton, Donald (Watson 46), Pat Walker (Hunter 84), Chisholm, Gemmell, Adam, Wright. Subs Not Used : McKenzie, Martin, Mitchell.

East Fife : McCulloch, McDonald, Cameron, Smart, Tweed, Fotheringham, Young, Stewart, O'Reilly, Linn (Gordon 85), Blackadder. Subs Not Used : Guy, Nicholas, McGowan, Fox.

Referee: Steve McLean

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