Newburgh welcomed 5th-placed Livingston United to East Shore Park with a score to settle following the side’s previous meeting. Back in October, Burgh raced into an early 3-1 lead but somehow surrendered their lead to lose 4-3. But it was more about making amends, rather than revenge, and Burgh duly obliged.
With Kian Beattie making his debut in the middle of the park, ahead of his loan colleagues Calum Leadbeatter and Jack Keast in defence who were making their second starts, Burgh were also boosted by the new signing of Andrew McCallion from Thornton Hibs on the bench, eager to join younger brother Owen on the park.
The game got off to the best possible start for when the game just moved into the 3rd minute when a charging run down the right by Mackenzie Williamson was only partially cleared by Livingston and Owen McNally took one touch just inside the box before burying a low shot past Duffy to give Burgh the lead with an excellent finish.
The Burgh defence was defending stoutly with Leadbeatter and Callum Roughead standing firm and keeper Scott Kyles in fine form, with full backs Keast and Calum Geddes also impressing.
In the 7th minute Livingston worked a good move down the right with a teasing ball into the six yard box which Arthur was just unable to stretch enough to connect.
At the other end, Williamson and Tam Hampson were looking very lively with the latter having his best game so far for the Black & Whites. In the 14th minute he picked up Williamson’s flick on to beat two defenders before cutting inside to unleash a shot that flew just narrowly wide of the top corner.
Moments later Kyles came to Burgh’s rescue as he came out well to block Burchill’s effort when through on goal.
Burgh doubled their advantage in the 25th minute when a ball from Leadbeatter went over the Livingston defence and set Hampson through on goal. As the Burgh no.9 rounded the keeper with defender Lennie in close attention, Hampson forced the defender into an error has he swung at the ball and only ended up rolling the ball into his own net. The heart wanted to credit Hampson the goal he deserved to break his Burgh duck, but the head said no. Thankfully Hampson would get his chance later on.
On 32 minutes Williamson’s stretched flick in the Livi area found McNally who turned well and got his shot away, unfortunately it lacked enough power to cause the keeper too much trouble.
Hampson was looking comfortable on the ball and his persistence almost set up another chance as he laid a ball back to Williamson from the by-line to the Burgh skipper whose chipped effort just eluded the far post.
The Burgh extended the lead in the 50th minute as CJ Thomson’s ball from his own half was flicked on well by McNally, who took a sore tackle in the process, to put Hampson away on the left. The Burgh striker took his time holding off his marker before putting over a sublime ball to the back post for Williamson to head home from close range past substitute keeper Keough.
Credit to Livingston, however, as they were still searching for a way back into the game and creating chances. In the 53rd minute a free kick into the Burgh area was flicked on and Leadbeatter was on hand to head over from under his own crossbar.
On 55 minutes McNally succumbed to his injury in contributing to the third goal but it presented a debut to new-boy Andrew McCallion who made a great impact.
Burgh’s fourth goal of the game came in the 58th minute as a long throw from Roughead was flicked on by Williamson to his strike partner Hampson who nodded into the far corner past Keough. It was a well-deserved goal for Hampson’s effort in an excellent performance.
On 60 minutes another long Roughead throw caused problems. When the ball was half-cleared back out to Roughead, his cross beat everybody and found Andrew McCallion at the far side of the area and his low shot was cleared unorthodoxly by Keough’s foot.
In the 66th minute, Lyall Brown’s battling attributes presented a chance to Williamson and his low shot was saved, again, by Keough’s foot. Then Owen McCallion showed tremendous persistence by starting and finishing a move that ended with the wee man firing a low shot across goal from the tightest of angles.
The only negative point of the afternoon came in the 73rd minute when Williamson picked up a second yellow card as he took a shot at goal just after the referee has stopped play for a foul. A little leniency might have been hoped for with it not a deliberate act and with the score at 4-0, it was hardly an intentional time-wasting act, but it will be something for the younger striker to learn from on an, otherwise, good personal display from the skipper.
Livingston, however, were not dead and buried and were still looking for a goal and Kyles again did very well to dive bravely at the feet of Mahood to push away to safety in the 77th minute.
As the game moved into injury time, the visitors had their best chance of the game when a deep cross from Lennie was pushed away by Kyles but fell to Avinou who fired wide with the goal at his mercy.
The final act of the game was an excellent brother-to-brother move as Owen made a run down the left from defence, played a one-two with Adam Wilson before sliding a beautiful ball through to big brother Andrew who turned inside and fired a low shot that was well saved by Keough.
It was an extremely pleasing performance and result for Burgh, not to mention a deserved clean sheet. It was a scoreline and performance that the team have been threatening for a while and it was great to do it at East Shore Park.
Hampson put in an excellent performance, alongside Williamson, for his 62 minutes on the park. Had he stayed on the park he could well have picked up the Man of the Match award, but that went to Kian Beattie who got through a mountain of work in the middle of the park with a great attitude and application.
Notable other mentions to goalkeeper Scott Kyles on his saves and performance, which will do much for his confidence. Also, Geddes and Keast also performed well. To be honest, there were Man of the Match performances all over the park.
But the important thing now is to carrying this performance into the next game and beyond, starting with Saturday’s visit of a tough and physical Edinburgh United side (kick off 2pm).
