Fifers frustrated as full-back’s strike settles scrappy affair

EAST STIRLINGSHIRE 1 EAST FIFE 0

East Fife player-manager Gary Naysmith admitted his side didn’t do nearly enough to take the full three points from Ochilview.

The Fifers kicked off their bid at League Two promotion in high spirits having dumped Dumbarton out of the cup seven days before. But it was a frustrating afternoon for Naysmith’s side against a Shire team they had difficulty in creating many chances against.

A Lloyd Kinnaird second half strike was enough to separate the sides.

Boss Naysmith was honest in his assessment. He said: “I didn’t have a rant and a rave at the players, they know themselves that they never hit the standard of the previous week.

“I’ve stressed to the players that the cups are great but it’s the bread and butter of the league that’s important and we just weren’t good enough.

“It’s a game that we didn’t deserve to lose but we also didn’t do enough to win it. We were poor but when you restrict the home team to two shots in the second half you shouldn’t be coming away having been beaten.”

Nathan Austin found himself frustrated by the home defence as he was rarely afforded a clear sight of goal.

But the East Fife fans felt the attentions of Shire’s Jon Tully were a little too close as he barged through the forward, leaving the travelling supporters howling for a penalty.

Ally Roy posed a threat at the other end for the hosts but found Jonathan Page in the heart of the East Fife defence more than a match.

Max Wright was another who tried to probe at the visiting defence while, at the other end, East Fife’s Kyle Wilkie did his best to create an opener.

Both sides huffed and puffed and it was little surprise that the game’s only goal was a scrappy one.

East Fife were unable to clear their lines and the ball broke to Kinnaird on the edge of the box and the right-back lashed home an unstoppable drive.

The Fifers had another penalty claim turned down when Nathan Shepherd appeared to handle but again the officials snubbed the appeals.