East Shore Park was pressed into late action after Treaton Park seemingly was declared unfit and credit to the Committee men who rushed into late action to set up the ground for the short-notice visit of Fife neighbours from Kennoway Star Hearts.
The game got off to a blistering start when a low shot from Bennett took a deflection to loop over the diving Joe Russell to give the visitors a 3rd minute lead.
Within moments Burgh had equalised when Struan Grieve’s header from a corner on the left pin-balled off two defenders on its way into the net for 1-1.
The scoring wasn’t finished there with another exchange of goals when Black rolled home an effort from the edge of the area from a cut back to beat Russell to restore the visitor’s lead on 14 minutes. Newburgh weren’t going to take that lying down and following another corner from the left Andrew Cameron headed goalwards with the ball ending up in the net in the 22nd minute.
People around me felt it was the skipper’s goal, but Lewis Stevenson was heavily claiming it. For now, the ‘dubious goals panel’ awarded the goal to Stevo, pending the results of the forensic analysis of Veo later.
Grieve was unlucky not to make a meaningful connection on a cross from the right on the half-hour mark, whilst good play from Connall White produced a good save from the visiting keeper moments later. Mitchell Sharp then went close with a good turn and shot from the edge of the area in the 38th minute but keeper Moran parried the ball well.
The visitors started the second period brighter with a shot saved by Russell moments from the kick off, whilst a desperate late tackle from Cameron and then Russell bravely diving at the feet of the striker denied Kennoway a third within the opening minutes.
Sharp then had another effort saved by Moran before play switched quickly to the other end and it was Russell’s turn to keep out an effort on goal.
Both sides continued to exchange efforts on the opposing goal with Kellar Harris having a good chance blocked on 61 minutes whilst Russell was in action shortly after. White then went close with a low shot across the face of goal in the 72nd minute.
The killer goal came in the 77th minute and, in fairness, was worthy of winning any match with a screamer of an effort from sub Malcolm with a shot from distance that flew into the top right hand corner giving Russell no chance.
The game was still pretty even with Sharp’s flick across goal just evading Kellar Harris getting a touch to knock home, whilst the visitors had three good chances through Walker, Johnstone and Malcolm in the final ten minutes.
Burgh had a penalty appear turned down on 85 minutes when Sharp appeared to have been brought down and White was unlucky in the 89th minute when he couldn’t get a clean touch on a ball on the six yard box with the ball coming to him too quickly and his touch looping just over the bar.
In stoppage time Kennoway put the game to bed when a move cut through the middle of the Burgh defence and Bryce side stepped the advancing Russell to slot home.
A painful defeat for the Burgh in a game which was fairly even with little between the two sides other than a wonder strike and a bit of composure in front of goal.
