Burgh quickly returned to action at East Shore following last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Stirling Uni with a daunting visit of Premier Division Fife neighbours Hill of Beath Hawthorn in the 3rd Round of the League Cup.
On paper, many would expect the opposition from two divisions higher to brush the Burgh aside, but the beauty of the Cup meant it did not go to script.
The visitors started brighter with keeper David Chalmers called into action in the 12th minute saving a low shot from Adamson and then moments later diving at the feet of a Haws striker enough to put the attacker off finishing.
Jones then had a chance from the right hand side of the area go across the far post in the 18th minute and Baur having a header saved by Chalmers in the 20th minute before Newburgh had their first chance by Ciaran Mayne who volleyed over moments later.
Ruairidh McPhate has recently made his way into the side following injuries in midfield, but he has made a great impression and set up a glorious chance by getting a cross in before the ball went behind. His ball found 2 Burgh players unmarked but Mayne was unable to trouble the Haws keeper.
There was a warning on 30 minutes when Andrew Cameron was robbed 10 yards outside his area but Chalmers was quick off his line to deny Jones through on goal.
Chalmers was in dominant form in goal and this bred confidence throughout the defence.
At the other end, Jamie Fyfe received the ball just inside the Haws area with his back to goal. He held off any challenge before turning and firing a shot just wide with Michael Perrie possibly in a better shooting position.
It was to be Fyfe’s last action as he succumbed to injury moments later and was replaced by Kellar Harris on 40 minutes.
The second half started with Jones missing another chance for the visitors before action swiftly changed ends and Burgh were awarded a penalty when Harris was bundled over by Leishman as he set up to shoot. Perrie stepped up to make no mistake sending the keeper the wrong way.
Harris was nearly on the end of another ball into the Haws box but was denied by a brave dive from keeper Halliday before he got his shot away.
A repeat move occurred just moments later, but this time Harris got there first to poke a shot beyond Halliday and Cameron dived to head home from close range to give Burgh a 2-0 lead.
The visitors looked shell-shocked and didn’t really look likely to recover with the Burgh defence excellently repelling anything that came their way.
Chances of a Hill of Beath come back suffered a big set back in the 83rd minute when Luke was shown a straight red for a crunching tackle on sub Ronan Hall in the centre circle.
The Burgh were still dealing with a late push of pressure from the Haws with Adamson shooting over following a brief scramble before Fleming nodded home a consolation deep into injury time.
But again Chalmers, Cameron, Lawson, Malcolm and Grieve battled and performed heroics to hold on for a deserved victory.
It was a fabulous result for Burgh. All over the park, each and every player were more than a match for their higher-league opponents. It was been a difficult and transitional 18 months for the club, but this is the carrot to show that the rewards are out there and fully justified.
Well done, lads!
