Club 50/279 – Burntisland Shipyard

Match: Burntisland Shipyard v Kinnoull
Date: 28/05/2022
Venue: Recreation Park, Burntisland
Competition: EOS Conference B
Entry Fee: £6
Travel: £12.90
Miles completed today: 104
Total miles remaining: 36426

“Don’t you know pump it up, the shippy are going up“. This turned out to be the chant of the day on one of my most enjoyable trips yet.
I was torn between coming here or heading for Edinburgh United, so much so that I put up a Twitter poll to decide for me and this is the very short story of how I ended up in Fife two weekends in a row.
Burntisland is a bit of a tourist town. The ‘shows’ that are often held on the links are synonymous with the childhood memories of Scots all over. Tucked hidden away in the north of the town behind a housing scheme however, is the home of Burntisland Shipyard.

It’s the final game of the season and there’s still a lot riding on it. With a victory, Burntisland can make next seasons first division whilst opponents Kinnoull have already qualified. Bookies had Kinnoull at 4/9 favourites whilst Burntisland were available at a pretty big 11/4. I disagreed with the odds here, it was going to be a close game.

The Ground

There aren’t many better backdrops for a football ground. There was a buzz around the place with a crowd of (probably) just over 100. The club have a bar which I’m told is always busy, and a gazebo to let the punters drink and watch the game (I’m sure a fair few didn’t leave the gazebo for 90 minutes!).
It’s a very tidy setup and a magnificent view of the nearby hills. The sun was out and there was a jovial atmosphere around the place. A big shout out to the ‘young team’ who brought their drum and made noise for almost the full 90 minutes!
I’ve been blessed a few times this season with a moment where I felt that I was in the right place at the right time, entirely content and at peace – I felt that here.
I believe the pictures speak for itself on this one, you can see them at the bottom.

The Game

Kinnoull may have been the favourites but Burntisland certainly looked the better side. In the early stages Ben Anthony was causing problems down the right and his pinpoint cross found Darrell Anthony who had the ball in the net. Unfortunately he knew he was offside and there was more of a hint of handball but the warning signs were there.
Darrell Anthony had another big chance from a Shaun Keatings free kick but despite a great delivery and run his header was wide and Kinnoull had survived.
It wasn’t quite chance after chance but Burntisland had the bulk and controlled the game. Still, half time arrived and the score was 0-0.
In the second half Burntisland were on the front foot again and were given a golden chance to go in front when they were awarded a dodgy penalty. Remember, I’m neutral here so I can call it without bias but I think the ref has had a shocker. The poor defender had the ball volleyed at him from close range and the ball seemed to cannon off his side! In his protest he ran to the ref and lifted his shirt to show a big circular red mark on his body which really proves it didn’t hit his arm but the ref wasn’t interested much the the entire Kinnoull squad’s disbelief.
Ben Anthony stepped up and scored. The game was starting to heat up now. Both sides were playing the dark arts. Not ‘dirty’ but shirt pulls and kicking the ball away seemed to be a constant.
If the first penalty was contentious the second certainly wasn’t. Thomson won the ball off a defender and raced towards goal only to be tackled from behind before he could get the shot away. I don’t think it’s a red as there’s a genuine attempt to get the ball and the ref agreed but there were considerably less complaints around this one.
This time Anthony’s effort was saved by Osinski and kept Kinnoull in the game. The away side were down to 10 after their number 10 was sent off after a late challenge earned a second yellow (both cards correct).
As the full time whistle blew a roar went up from the supporters and players of Burntisland as they secure second tier football in the east for next season.
The goal may have been a little controversial but there’s absolutely no doubt that the better side won. A good performance & result.
As I left the ground I could still hear the young teams drum and chant in the distance 15 minutes after the final whistle! “Don’t you know pump it up, the shippy are going up”

Full time: Burntisland Shipyard 1-0 Kinnoull

MOTM

A very tough decision but I’ll go Ben Anthony. The forward showed plenty of quality and endeavour throughout the 90 minutes. Much of this time he was isolated and feeding off scraps but his attitude was first class and dangerous on the ball. For a little more luck he could’ve had a couple of assists and despite missing one penalty, he scored the other and ultimately the winning goal.

Summary

Genuinely, what a place to watch football. It always helps when it’s sunny but that was a fun experience and the occasion was bigger and better than I’d expected it to be. A great result against the odds which secures a place in the division above next season, the day couldn’t have gone much better for the Shippy!
I’ll maintain a claim I made in last weeks post – Fife is a treasure trove of great football grounds and Recreation Park in Burntisland is no different.
A good town, a good ground and a good team, what more can I ask for?

On a final note, a massive congratulations to Oakley United who won this division after last weeks disappointment. A good day for clubs in the west of Fife.

Club 49/279 – Oakley United

Match: Oakley United v Heriot-Watt University
Date: 21/05/2022
Venue: Blairwood Park, Oakley
Competition: EOS Conference B
Entry Fee: £6
Travel: £12.90
Miles completed today: 92
Total miles remaining: 36530

The final months of the season have been pretty kind to me. I’ve seen Crossgates, Fraserburgh, East Kilbride lift trophies in the last few weeks and I’m lucky enough to take in another huge game as Oakley look to wrap up the Conference B title and secure Premier League football next season.

Oakley are in a fantastic position and their goal is simple – win and they are the champions. There is room for error. A draw or loss will keep them top but it’d be a nervy final day as both Preston Athletic and Glenrothes can still realistically win the division too!
Heriot Watt Uni are the opponents and are 23 points behind Oakley but this is far from a formality. The Uni could still qualify for next seasons Division one, this is not just a meaningless end of season fixture for them. When the two sides played the reverse fixture back in October it was the Uni who took a 2-0 scalp so this was going to be tighter than the table suggested.

Odds:
Oakley 4/7
Draw 21/5
Heriot-Watt 12/5

The Ground

Oakley is a wee place only a few miles from Dunfermline. Easily done on a bus and it’s a straightforward and quick trip. I took a walk around the place as I normally do and in my eyes Blairwood Park is their crown jewel. There were plenty of cars around the ground so I anticipated a good crowd and it was exactly that.
I feel like I say this all too often but I love Oakleys setup. As I arrived punters were streaming out of their highly rated clubhouse ready for the action. I love how close you can get to the pitch, which was in remarkable condition with not a blade of grass out of place. There’s a small mound behind one of the goals, a couple of barriers to lean on scattered around and even a wee bench in one of the corners.
It has floodlights, good pies, nice surroundings and a good crowd in for a big game – it’s perfect.

The Match

I’ve never really understood the term ‘you can feel the tension in the air’ until now. This was as nervy as they come played by an Oakley team who knew what was at stake.
Heriot Watt kept the ball well at times without putting too much pressure on their opponents defence but that only frustrated Oakley’s players who closed down frantically and competed for every loose ball. It’s supposed to be their day but they weren’t getting things their own way.
The first period was goalless but entertaining. The Uni’s captain Gregor MacDonald was the highlight of the half with his well timed runs and good decision making on the left – Oakley struggled to cope with him.
Heriot Watt gave the home side an early second half scare when a half volley from a corner came through a sea of bodies and with the Uni players almost celebrating they were denied by Oakley’s goalkeeper who must’ve saw the ball very late – great save.
At the other end Oakley had a chance or two themselves and whilst they couldn’t take one the crowd stayed with them and gave plenty of encouragement. They believed a goal was coming and it certainly looked that way.
They thought they’d done it when a 30 yard volley from Oakley’s 7 looped over the keeper but crashed
off the bar.
It felt like it wasn’t Oakley’s day and that was summed up with the last kick of the ball. Uni’s number 16 who is named on their social media only as ‘Scholsey’ fired a low shot through a crammed penalty area and into the net. The contrast of emotions in that moment between Oakley’s disappointment and the sheer joy of the Uni players was a good way to sum the game up.
The full time whistle was blown just as Oakley kicked off. A cruel way to lose.

Full time: Oakley United 0-1 Heriot Watt University

MOTM

I’ll add the name in when I get it but Oakley’s number 5 (centre back) was colossal on the day. He headed, kicked and tackled every ball – nothing got by him.
I’d describe the lad as a no nonsense old school defender. Nothing flashy, just does his job and did this very well. His best moment came in the second half when he threw himself in front of a goal bound effort at 0-0 knowing that the ball would be blasted off his chest and that it’d hurt! That type of defending is not seen all too often in modern football but as today showed, there’s certainly still a place for it.

Summary

I don’t think Oakley were quite at their best, dare I say the occasion might even have gotten to them? However, I did think the Uni would be a decent side but they far exceeded my expectations. They were phenomenal right through the team and I have seen some praise on social media from Oakley fans which is both classy and honest.
Losing with the last kick of the game is a bitter pill to swallow but it doesn’t make too much difference in terms of the title race. Even if they’d picked up a point, Oakley would likely need to win next week regardless and that hasn’t changed. Sure, it’s a shame that they couldn’t win on their own patch with a game to spare but in years to come people only remember whether it was won or lost – not how.
Put this one behind you, dust your selves down and go again
I fancy them to get the job done next week away to Edinburgh South but with 3 teams still in contention going into the last day – what an exciting league!

Club 48/279 – Pollok

Match: Pollok v Clydebank
Date: 16/05/2022
Venue: Newlandsfield Park, Glasgow
Competition: WOS League Cup Quarter Final
Entry Fee: £7
Travel: £0
Miles completed today: 8
Total miles remaining: 36749

When I started out at the beginning of the season Pollok was one of the clubs I was most excited to visit. I’m aware that I’ve done a fair whack of the west clubs already compared to some other areas so I planned to leave Pollok for a season or two knowing that my future self would be thankful I put in bigger mileage elsewhere but this was an opportunity not to be missed.
Not only was this a tasty cup tie between the west’s third and fourth best sides this season, it was a big night in the history of Pollok FC too. The club are going for their license and part of this process requires evidence of a game being played under floodlights. The club have forked out a considerable expense but an incredible fundraiser from everyone involved with the club (and the wider football community) has paid a large chunk of this back.
Tonight would be the night that the floodlights were switched on paving the way for a new chapter in the clubs history.

Both Pollok and Clydebank have had decent campaigns but this is the last opportunity for either to get their hands on a trophy this season.
Pollok have the upper hand, on their opposition so far with 2 wins in 3 matches this season but there really isn’t much between them. For one club the dream will live on and for the other – the season ends tonight.

Odds:
Pollok 7/10
Draw 4/1
Clydebank 2/1

The Ground

No beating about the bush here – easily one of if not the best ground I’ve visited this season. Tucked away in the south side of Glasgow, Newlandsfield Park has it all. Terracing, shelter, character, atmosphere, floodlights and most importantly they have rolls and sausage available.
The pitch has a slight diagonal slope but in excellent condition and the showers that fell throughout made the grass slick and slippery.
There’s a mixture of the old and the new here but it’s a proper ground and I’m kicking myself for not visiting earlier considering it’s only 4 miles away!
Both clubs are well supported and with only a handful of other games around the country a healthy crowd braved the rain.

The Game

It was Clydebank who started well with a flurry of early corners that caused Pollok problems but they found a way to deal with the dangers.
The first ‘big’ chance of the game fell to Adam Forde who did well to glance a header towards the back post but Jamie Donnelly reacted well to save from close range. He was called into action again when Shaun Fraser cut in from the left and curled an effort towards the far post but his effort was again pushed wide by the keeper.
The quality of balls into the box from Lee Gallacher were still asking questions of the Pollok defence but to their credit they kept their goal protected by any means possible.
Just before halftime Pollok had a chance as the ball fell fortuitously to Adam Forde but unfortunately slipped at the vital moment and Clydebank survived.
No goals by the break but not a bad game by any means.
In the second half Clydebank came closest to taking the lead. Lee Gallacher cut inside and had a strike at goal which was saved but rebounded to Ciaran Mulcahy but with the goal gaping the ball came at him waist height and too fast. The ball bounced off him before he could sort out his body position and trickled agonisingly wide of the Pollok goal.
Jamie Donnelly was again being put to work punching clear a corner and managing to sort his feet in time to save a goal bound effort from Bryan Wharton and again shortly after saving from Jonathan Lyon after beating his man out wide and coming inside.
I began to wonder if we’d see a goal and after Shaun Fraser mishit a glorious opportunity much to Donnelly’s relief I was certain we’d be going to penalties but the best was yet to come.
Adam Forde swung in a glorious free kick from the right hand side and Stuart McCann met the ball to direct a header into the top corner. Not an easy opportunity at all and a goal worthy of winning a cup tie.
Pollok were fairly comfortable and managed the last 10 minutes professionally and efficiently.

Full time: Pollok 1-0 Clydebank

MOTM

Jamie Donnelly is in with a shout after some excellent saves but I was especially impressed with Adam Forde up top for Pollok. He won a disproportionately large amount of aerial duels considering his height disadvantage. His relentless pressing forced Clydebank’s defenders to get rid of the ball quickly which his team mates often picked up. His cross for the winning goal was outstanding and I was not surprised to learn that he was the clubs top goalscorer this season.

Summary

A low scoring affair but it was a great cup tie to watch. The atmosphere was outstanding and the quality of the two teams were clear to see.
It genuinely wouldn’t surprise me if in 10 years time this was an SPFL clash. There wasn’t much in the game but Pollok had the better of the chances and the games only goal was a beauty and I don’t think there’s any complaints over the result.
Newlandsfield really captured my imagination and it certainly won’t be my last trip here. I do like to travel around a bit but with the installation of floodlights midweek games may become a little more frequent and you can bet I’ll be there.
What a wonderful place to watch football.

A roll and sausage at the football is top tier scran

Action Shot

The Newlandsfield stand shortly after kick off

And another

Sometimes it just isn’t your day

The young team celebrate with goalkeeper Jordan Longmuir

Lowland League Cup Final 21/22

The teams line up for what turned out to be a brilliant final

It’s been almost a month since I did any groundhopping at all and I was finally back with a first visit to Ainslie Park but not to watch Spartans, LTHV or Edinburgh City – the Lowland League Cup final was in town.

History

The Lowland League Cup is now in it’s 7th season having first ran in 2013/2014. It’s a pretty simple format where full members of the Lowland League play a group stage followed by a straight knockout and today would see it’s conclusion. Bo’ness United are here for the first time and are the 10th different side to contest the final.
East Kilbride on the other hand have lifted the trophy twice and are the only club to do so making them the most successful in the competitions history.

Road to the Final

Team Lineups

East Kilbride
1. Conor Brennan
2. Jamie Stevenson
3. BJ Coll
4. Billy Owens
5. Luke Kenny
6. Chris Millar (C)
7. Greig Stewart
8. Neil McLaughlin
9. Cameron Elliott
10. Luke Watt
11. Joao Victoria

Bench – R. McLaughlin, McDonald, McManus, Mcannich, Smith, Fellowes, Orr

Bo’ness United
1. Andy Murphy
3. Ryan Stevenson
4. Greg Skinner
6. Michael Gemmell (C)
7. Gregor Nicol
9. Kieran Mitchell
10. Nick Locke
12. Devon Jacobs
16. Keir McAuley
18. Kyle Johnston
19. Lennon Walker

Bench – Hunter, Hawkins

The Match

Bo’ness started well but once East Kilbride settled they began to dominate possession. Despite this Bo’ness had the first opportunity as Kieran Mitchell’s half volley was well saved by Conor Brennan.
As the half went on EK saw more of the ball but I was impressed with Bo’ness’ defending as the favourites couldn’t find a way through.
Both side’s attacking play came down the same side which manufactured a fascinating battle between Billy Owens and Gregor Nicol as they chased each other up and down the near side with both looking good defensively and in attack.
Neil McLaughlin’s eyes lit up as he beat two men and dribbled into the box but just as he looked to get a shot away Nick Locke came from nowhere to make a goal saving tackle.
The opening goal came soon after and it was excellent. A perfectly weighted through ball found Joao Victoria who had timed his run well and he had the composure to place the ball through Murphy’s legs and into the back of the net.
At half time East Kilbride led 1-0. I wouldn’t say they were comfortable but certainly in full control.
That control was soon relinquished as Bo’ness equalised 10 minutes into the second half. A corner found Gregor Nicol who’s header looped over Brennan (via a deflection I think) and into the net.
East Kilbride’s reaction was excellent and almost took the lead when Cameron Elliott pulled off a Bergkamp-esque backheel round a defender but this shot from a tight angle was equalled by Murphy.
When East Kilbride managed to get Joao Victoria on the ball he looked like he’d make something happen and they retook the lead after the forward initiated an attack by beating two men out on the left. The ball was laid off to Liam Watt who’s side footed effort curled into the top corner from the edge of the box – an excellent goal.
Another followed shortly after as Neil McLaughlin’s wide free kick turned into an excellent ball between defence and goalkeeper and Cameron Elliott converted a diving header into the net.
Bo’ness refused to give up but were dealt another blow as McLaughlin scored the goal of the day.
Picking up the ball on the edge of the box, he had a quick look up and with the outside of his right foot, caressed the ball into the opposite top right corner and Andy Murphy was left a helpless spectator.
Testament again to the fact Bo’ness refused accept defeat they got a goal back through Lennon Walker as he capitalised on a cross palmed out from Brennan and volleyed the ball into the net.
Bo’ness put more late pressure on East Kilbride but the South Lanarkshire side coped well and saw the game out.

Full time: East Kilbride 4-2 Bo’ness United

MOTM

Neil McLaughlin was outstanding and his individual performance was a joy to watch. His quality going forward was unmatched and his goal displayed absolutely ridiculous technique.

Summary

East Kilbride were excellent on the day and deserved to lift the cup. It’s the first time I’ve seen Bo’ness and I don’t think their coaches and followers could ask any more of the players. They were a constant danger in attack and defended resolutely but each of East Kilbride’s four goals were top quality.
There can only be one winner in finals but for what it’s worth both teams should be happy with their level of performance. Bo’ness took a good crowd with them and the cheer when they got their equaliser really took me back! I must go and visit them at home soon.
There were no odds on the game pre match but East Kilbride would’ve been favourites and they’ll be happy to end the season with silverware and make history by winning the Lowland League Cup for the third time.
Cup finals are often cagey, tense and a little dull but this was outright entertainment and as a neutral I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Congrats East Kilbride!

Cup Winners