Peterhead 4-1 East Fife – Match Report by Oli Anderson
🏆William Hill League 1
đź“ŤBalmoor Stadium
🗓️Saturday 2nd August | Kick-off: 3:00pm
East Fife’s return to William Hill League 1 did not start in the desired fashion, as the depleted Fifers’ squad fell to last season’s League 2 champions Peterhead at the Balmoor Stadium. Dick Campbell was without six players who all made a significant impact on last season’s results, so East Fife were far from full strength in the Highlands. On top of this, manager Campbell was still serving his suspension from last season’s play-off final, adding to the list of absentees.
Despite all of these setbacks, East Fife actually opened the scoring at the Balmoor through new loanee Lewis Latona. A defensive error was pounced on by Alan Trouten, who teed up Latona and the youngster on loan from Livingston made no mistake, and his lovely strike nestled into the bottom corner.
Things started to go south soon after the opening goal, as Peterhead levelled two minutes later. Wilson was the scorer as he headed home from close range past the trialist goalkeeper.
Five minutes later, Peterhead were awarded a penalty, when Mamadou Bah was adjudged to have fouled Max Barry in the box. Kieran Shanks stepped up and wrongfooted the goalkeeper, putting the Blue Toon in front.
Peterhead were relentless in the first half and made it 3-1 just before half time. Club Captain Brown fired his header into the back of the net from a corner kick, handing the hosts a two-goal cushion at the interval.
East Fife grew into the second half slightly but struggled to threaten the Peterhead backline.
With twenty minutes to go, Peterhead were shouting for their second penalty of the afternoon, but this time round, the official got the call correct following some excellent defending by Andy Munro.
Munro had a couple of chances at the other end towards the tail end of the game, but he couldn’t convert.
In the last minute of the contest, Brown grabbed his second of the afternoon, finishing off what was an afternoon to forget for East Fife.
Peterhead – Newman, Strachan, Jas Brown, Wilson, Forrest, McGuffie (Colloty 74’), McCarthy, C Smith (Ross 67’), Pawlett (J Brown 30’), Barry, Shanks (McGinn 74’). Subs not used: Oluyemi, Carnwath, Mackie, A Smith.
East Fife – Trialist, McLeod, Slattery, Munro, Bah (Newton 45’), McManus, Peggie, Latona, Austin, Trouten, Nicol (Jones 62’). Subs not used: Thomson, Bell, Blake, Gordon.
Referee – Peter Stuart
Attendance – 742
