EAST FIFE: Young thrilled with his ruthless Fifers

Hosts eased to victory despite late rally from visitors

East Fife boss Darren Young reckons Stranraer were lucky to escape Bayview having lost only four goals at the weekend.

The Methil manager watched his side put the bottom-of-the-league Blues to the sword despite the visitors threatening to make a fist of things in the closing stages.

Despite Stranraer netting twice within the space of a minute to halve the deficit, it was largely a comfortable afternoon for the Fifers.

Boss Young insisted the four goals his side netted didn’t flatter them.

“They had a chance to take the lead, they never, and we went up the park and punished them by taking our own chances,” he said.

“Overall it was brilliant and that’s six points we’ve won from the three games we’ve played this week which we probably would have taken.

“We scored four goals at home and at the same time had another three or four opportunities to really put the game to bed.

“The guys have been brilliant and have worked so hard for us. It’s great to see that and the number of chances we created was brilliant too.”

“We were ruthless but, at the same time, we had other chances through Danny Denholm, Callumn Morrison

“The guys have been brilliant and have worked so hard for us. DARREN YOUNG

has a great strike, there was another one from a cut back, Craig Watson has a diving header as well. It was great to see everybody get in on the act.”

Stranraer may be propping up League One but they went into Saturday’s game having drawn their previous six league games.

They clearly aren’t a side that’s easy to break down and the Fifers had to be patient.

Stranraer had an early chance to open the scoring when Andy Stirling was played in on goal by Ryan Stevenson.

Stirling dragged his shot wide of Brett Long’s goal and should have done better. James Hilton was the next to go close as the visitors pressed. They were made to pay when the Fifers took the lead.

Anton Dowds was played in on Max Currie’s goal and the striker lashed an unstoppable effort past the Stranraer keeper.

They didn’t have to wait much longer for the second goal, though. Ryan Thomson was penalised for a handball inside the box and Agnew made no mistake from the spot.

East Fife appeared to be cruising and things were made even easier for them when Danny Denholm netted a third.

It was no surprise when they added a fourth, although it arrived in unconventional style. A swirling wind was whipping around Bayview and Wallace used it to his advantage, curling his corner kick directly into the corner of the Stranraer net.

It was a case of just seeing the game out for the hosts but they almost conspired to let Stranraer back into the game.

Scott Robertson scored for the Blues and straight from the centre, the Fifers gifted possession away and allowed Joao Victoria to net a second.

SNS. Ryan Wallace was on the scoresheet for East Fife, scoring their fourth against Stranraer.