Peterhead 0 East Fife 1 (0-1 on aggregate)

Division 2 Playoff Final Second Leg, Balmoor Stadium,

Sunday 19^th May 2013

Match report by Liam Thomson

East Fife Pull Off The Great Escape!

The Fifers left Peterhead with a stunning victory which means that they avoid the drop to the basement league and Second Division football will again be played at Bayview next season.

With the tie finely balanced after Wednesday’s scoreless first leg, a goal just after half time from David Muir was enough to claim all the spoils.

The Fifers knew that it would be a difficult fixture. After all The Blue Toon hadn’t lost for eleven straight matches prior to this game. However the Methil team displayed a gritty and fierce determination to overcome Jim McInally’s side in a match which will be remembered for some time by the Fife faithful.

It was the home team that had the first opportunity of the game when Rory McAllister hit a cross-cum-shot from the right that went across the face of the goal after only a couple of minutes of play

East Fife’s first attempt came a few minutes later when Paul Willis fired a drive over the woodwork.

The opening period carried on from the first leg with the two teams slugging it out knowing how much was at stake.

In the 20^th minute central defender David White came to the rescue for The Fife when he cleared the ball off the line after Andy Rodgers’ shot had beaten goalkeeper Calum Antell.

After the half hour mark Peterhead dominated and credit to East Fife that they held out until half time. Some last gasp valiant defending was required as the home team applied a huge amount of pressure

Bryan Gilfillan went close with a header from a David Cox corner, and in the 38^th minute Antell had to be alert to make a terrific save from a McAllister effort tipping it around the post.

It was three minutes after the interval when the all important goal came. Paul Willis sprinting down the right flank was prevented from crossing the ball after he was slide tackled by an opposing defender and the ball went out for a corner kick. Craig Johnstone delivered an excellent ball deep into the area and David Muir was on hand to prod home sparking huge celebrations amongst the very impressive and vociferous travelling support.

The Balmoor side tried to respond shortly afterwards when McAllister, who was Peterhead’s best player of the afternoon, managed to get a shot in after the ball fell to him from a blocked David Cox attempt, but Antell was equal to it.

As one would expect, the final ten minutes was incredibly tense as both sides pressed to find a goal. McAllister came close twice and Paul Willis nearly wrapped it up for The Fifers when he found himself with space in the area but Graeme Smith in the Peterhead goal denied him twice.

When the final whistle went it was the signal for scenes of joy reminiscent of five years ago when the East Fife supporters poured on to the pitch at Fir Park when their team clinched the Third Division Championship away to East Stirling.

Having secured their Second Division survival, the club now eagerly anticipate a number of mouth watering fixtures against Fife rivals Dunfermline Athletic and Glasgow giants Rangers in what promises to be a hugely exciting 2013-14 season.

Peterhead: G Smith, Sharp, Ross, R Smith, Noble, Redman, Cowie, Gilfillan (Bavidge 81), Cox, McAllister, Rodgers. Subs Not Used: Jarvie, McCann, McGlinchey, Fitzgerald.

East Fife: Antell, Durie, Johnstone, Muir, White, Campbell, Willis, Smith, Samuel, McManus (Barr 74), McBride. Subs Not Used: Brown, Gormley, Sloan, Keenan.

Attendance: 1,855