Burgh started the new campaign with a disruptive journey to Dalkeith thanks to a combination of traffic and accidents, but were on course for a great start to the season when Kyle Fraser doubled Burgh’s advantage in the 49th minute. Sadly, it wasn’t to be as a second half revival by the hosts sealed the points at a warm King’s Park.
The game started with the home side having the early pressure but the Newburgh were happy to soak up any danger with little trouble.
Andrew Reade had Burgh’s first chance after good play by debutant Kellar Harris which saw the number 9 cut inside but fire his shot wide of the near side post.
But the new striker was in the thick of the action when he slid home Jamie Gay’s pinpoint cross from the left wing and knocking the ball past the keeper in the 15th minute. Throughout the opening half, there was much encouragement to be seen, particularly with the link up play between ‘Jives’ and Kellar.
This was evident again in the 31st minute when great play from Gay put through Harris who kept his cool, held off his defender before turning and forcing the keeper into a save for a corner. From the resultant corner, defender Josh Doyle tried an overhead kick as the ball bounced loosely in the Dalkeith box but his effort just went over.
In the 41st minute it was Kellar feeding sub Kyle Fraser with a one-two which saw Fraser’s effort saved for another corner by the Jaggy’s keeper.
Things got even better for the Burgh in the 49th minute when a silky cross from Rory Marshall met the jumping Harris whose header beat the keeper but crashed against the crossbar before falling to the feet of Fraser who converted past the keeper from a tight angle for 2-0.
This goal seemed to galvanise the hosts as a flurry of chances came their way. Callaghan beat Mark Robertson from the penalty spot on 56 minutes, Russell then missed a glorious chance to equalise for Dalkeith as he blazed over from close range. Russell made amends in the 67th minute when he received a short free kick, turned and fired home to make it 2-2.
Burrows latched onto a through ball past a static-looking defence to complete the home side’s comeback in the 77th minute.
Deep into injury time with Burgh chasing the equaliser, Dalkeith caught Burgh on the break and Burrows rounded Robertson to fire home.
It was a disappointing result, particularly given a solid first half performance and leading 2-0 early in the second half. Ultimately you cannot afford to give the opposition as many chances as we did in the second period. But there was plenty of positives to work on. Kellar Harris and Jamie Gay linked up well, with the striker putting in a hard working shift and deserving of his goal. The defence also looked comfortable and solid until the penalty went against them.
It's a marathon not a sprint, but the club have got plenty to work with and a chance to put things right comes quickly when Lochgelly Albert are the visitors to East Shore Park on Tuesday evening (kick off 7.30pm).
