East Fife 4-1 Hearts B – Match Report by Oli Anderson
🏆KDM Evolution Trophy
📍MGM Timber Bayview Stadium
🗓️Tuesday 12th August | Kick-off: 7:45pm
A fantastic second-half hattrick from Nathan Austin saw East Fife complete the turnaround against Hearts B, running out 4-1 winners in the opening matchday of the KDM Evolution Trophy.
A host of changes were made from the side that narrowly lost out to Alloa last weekend, with both Tommy Goss and Sam Culbert making their debuts for the Fifers.
The game did not start in the desired fashion however, as East Fife went behind inside the opening ten minutes of the contest. Tommy North slipped the ball past the trialist goalkeeper, and into the bottom corner.
Rob Jones almost answered the cry instantly, although was denied by some valiant defensive work from the young Jambos.
East Fife grew into the game as it progressed, and Harry Stone was forced into a fair few excellent saves, with his diving save to deny Alan Trouten the pick of the bunch.
Mamadou Bah brought the sides onto level terms just before the interval, with a lovely header from the penalty spot, after the centre half went unmarked at a set piece.
That proved to be the changing of the tide in the game, and after half time, the management team subbed on Nathan Austin and Fash took off.
His first goal came just after the hour mark. McLeod was sharp from his throw-in, picking out Austin inside the 18-yard box. His first touch with the outside of his boot gave him enough space to wrap his foot around the ball, and fire into the far bottom corner.
Ten minutes later, Fash had doubled his tally. Norey found McLeod in acres of space on the right-hand side and slipped him into the by-line. The Dunfermline loanee then squared it across the goalmouth for the onrushing ‘Stone Cold’ Nathan Austin, who bundled it over the line.
Fash’s third came when Liam Newton slipped him down the channel on the left-hand side, he darted into the box and cut inside, before his effort on his (supposedly) weak foot easily beat a stranded Stone to round out the scoring.
Reporters Man of the Match: Nathan Austin
Sam Culbert was class on his debut my man of the match has to be Fash for his second half hat-tick.
East Fife – Trialist, McLeod, Newton, Munro, Bah, McManus (Millar 45’), Trouten (Nicol 74’), Latona (Peggie 45’), Culbert, Goss (Norey 66’), Jones (Austin 45’). Subs not used: Thomson, Slattery, Gordon.
Hearts B – Stone, Crookston, Lister (Smith 75’), Smutek, Osborne, Gillies, Hogarth (Walker 66’), Stevenson, Wilson (Muirhead 66’), Dow (Plank 75’), North (Robb 59’). Subs not used: Ross, Sanders, Kelly, Lyon.
Referee – Daniel Graves
Attendance – 301
