Burgh entered into this game with an understandable feeling of trepidation on a difficult run of form against the League leaders Whitburn who had already banged in six goals back in December to inflict another dent in confidence to the East Shore Park side.
In fairness, the scoreline doesn’t tell the full story and doesn’t give the home side the credit for making life extremely difficult for Whitburn for the opening 36 minutes.
The visitors had the early pressure with a chance in the 4th minute by Maguire saved by Mark Robertson, back in the Burgh goal.
As with the game at Central Park, Newburgh produced the early scare to Whitburn by taking the lead. In the 16th minute a ball was played wide into the visiting area and Johnny Malcolm managed to reach it before it went behind to send in a peach of a cross for the unmarked Hamid Eddouss to dive and head home into the far corner.
Burgh were more than holding their own and frustrating Whitburn into not getting their own way. Andrew Cameron did well in the 29th minute to win a header on the edge of the box and then turn to get his shot away that was saved low by the Whitburn keeper.
The Burgh defence was finally beaten, in fortuitous manner, in the 36th minute when a speculative cross/shot hit the bar with Robertson stretching. The ball landed nicely for Crawford to tap home from a few yards out to make it 1-1.
Jamie Fyfe had a good chance for Burgh in the 40th minute with an effort from a Cai Macdonald cross from the right which was well saved and Eddouss was unable to convert the rebound.
Whitburn went ahead just before half time when a low corner into the box was met sweetly by McGarahan who volleyed home a good finish.
The second half was largely all going Whitburn’s way and you could see why they are top of the table. A goal five minutes into the second period put the game to bed when Crawford netted his second with a low shot that curled in at the far post.
Credit to Burgh that they kept battling away and Struan Grieve and Kellar Harris both had chances with headers before Crawford was in the way to deflect his team-mate, Hamilton’s header into the net to complete his hat-trick in the 67th minute.
4-1 very quickly turned to 5-1 when sub Henderson fired home from close range from a Crawford cross from the left, whilst substitute Jamie Gay drove on with a chance but couldn’t keep his effort on target in the 74th minute. ‘Jives’ had another effort in the closing stages after a good cutback from Michael Perrie but his chance went over.
Whitburn finished the scoring in the 87th minute when sub Taylor knocked home from close range after a scramble.
On the face of it, it was a tough scoreline but does not reflect the dogged play from the Burgh, particularly in the first half. Debutant Ciaran Mayne impressed alongside Calum Anderson in the middle of the park, and despite the score, it was a performance that offered more positives than negatives against a very strong Whitburn team who look certain to get promoted, if not gain the title.
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