Burgh travelled down the A92 to meet Fife neighbours Lochgelly Albert at Purvis Park and had it not been for a number of controversial decisions, may well have returned with 4 points from the available 6 from their meetings with their hosts.
The game started brightly for the men from East Shore Park as Mitchell Sharp forced keeper to tip a free kick round the post in the 9th minute. From the resultant corner from Ryan Heatherill, Callum Roughead did enough to put off the keeper whose punched clearance fell short to Logan Whyte who smashed home from 8 yards out.
Mackenzie Williamson did well to ride a robust tackle to run on, cut inside and fire just over the bar in the 13th minute.
In the 16th minute Boundy did well to hold off Johnny Malcolm and fired a low shot that cannoned off the base of the Burgh far post and away. The ball fell to Sneddon who played a long ball forward for Sharp to chase. The ball was picked up on the edge of the area but the referee – not for the first time – was so far away and judged that the keeper had leant outside the area to collect the ball to stop Sharp.
In the 24th minute, the official’s inability to keep up with play caused further controversy when Boundy was through on goal with Malcolm chasing. As the Lochgelly striker swung at his shot he fell in the same motion. With the referee still in the opposing half he guessed that Malcolm had touched the striker. Much to the disbelief of Newburgh, and the surprise of the non-complaining home side, a penalty kick was awarded. Russell stepped up and sent Joe Russell the wrong way to equalise.
On 28 minutes Williamson saw a charging run from deep blocked by a Lochgelly defender on the edge of the area, whilst in the 42nd minute a shot curling away from goal by home side’s Geddes was pushed away by Russell.
Just before half time Burgh had a great chance to re-take the lead when a floated Heatherill free kick found Sharp unmarked whose header from close range hit the post and went behind.
In the 54th minute Newburgh did justifiably take the lead when Williamson intercepted a pass on the half way line and ran towards the right wing. Waiting for options he took his time before picking out a superb cross to the far post for Sharp to head home towards the opposite corner for 2-1.
More controversy was not far away, though, as in the 56th minute a ball put Dews through towards goal. With Cammy Newsome breathing down his neck, the player already appeared to be falling down under the weight of Newsy’s breath when the whistler, again some distance away from play, decided that the Burgh defender’s Colgate smile was enough to tackle the opposition dive that Tom Daley would have been proud of.
As the fans were getting their judging scorecards ready, the referee viewed differently and awarded his second penalty and Russell netted his second of the game after Newsome had been despatched for an early bath and to get some more mouthwash presumably.
If the home side were praising the impeccable eye-sight of the man in the middle, they were later lamenting the same skill as in the 76th minute Russell collided with a Lochgelly striker going for a high-ball into the box. If the Burgh keeper was lucky to avoid a red card for his exuberant challenge, he also had to thank the official for the incident that was at least 2 yards inside the penalty area was – somehow – deemed outside.
It, ultimately, didn’t matter too much for the home faithful when the free kick hit the post and in the scramble was poked home from close range by Geddes to give the home side a 3-2 lead.
It was a bitterly disappointing afternoon for Burgh. Despite a hard-working and good performance, it was ruined and owed much to the official’s running – or lack of – of the game combined with suspect 20-20 vision. Major and critical decisions were made from such a distance from play, causing a damaging impact on the game.
Man of the Match: Owen McCallion - put in another hard working performance, whether in midfield or as emergency right-back.
