Jim's Reports
YM Washout!!- 23/01/12
< Back to reportsAgain the visitors pushed forward, and Andy Wilson set fellow striker Kevin Masson up but the shot just missed. An attempted attack from Bankfoot was thwarted by good work from Arran MacDonald, a man destined to feature in dramatic style in the home penalty box later on. Meanwhile, YM picked up where they had left off, in the opposition half, and Scott Orrock fired a good cross into the path of Mark Westwater whose effort followed the same trail as Massons had previously. These two players were again involved when Arran MacDonald sent a good pass into enemy territory, finding Westwater who in turn found Masson who was off target again.
As turned out, it was a pity the Kirkcaldy side did not find the net during this period of ascendancy, for Bankfoot were encouraged by events, and YM never again dominated.
Athletic begasn to take control and the remainder of the first half was more or less a series of corners at the visiting end. Occasional YM excursions to the other half were confined to Andy Wilson being caught offside, Mark Westwater heading over, Scott Orrocks shot going the same way, and Andy being dispossessed by the keeper as he came through from a Masson head flick.
Meanwhile, the hosts were making little of their possession until the 35th minute when David Fyfe finished a good move to put his side ahead. YM picked up a bit and snatched an equaliser three minutes later, when Arran MacDonald was the man of the moment as he got the final touch from a corner, and the visitors were again in contention!
Not for long though. In what was probably the moment when Lady Luck deserted the men from the Kingdom, only two minutes from the interval, Bankfoot were awarded a penalty! Blair Smart was the victim of misfortune when he lost a battle with an opponent, and, in attempting to rectify the situation, sent his man crashing earthwards. In vain did visiting onlookers proclaim Smartys innocence, and Danny Dobie scored, despite Jason Curran getting a hand to the ball. Luckily, shell-shocked Langtonians had little time to brood, for the half time whistle sounded soon after.
Whatever words of encouragement and advice were passed on during the break by Manager Ness and his coaches were blown away right after the second half began, for Bankfoot increased their lead through Sean Fergus. The visitors hit back and Ian Lally was just off target with an effort, but Langtonians breathed a sigh of relief as an offside whistle prevented Athletic finding the net again.
The home sides confidence was visibly increasing as they found themselves winning practically every battle for possession, and their followers howled for revenge when Scott Orrock was penalised for what Bankfooters described as a rugby tackle. Certainly, it would not have been out of place at Murrayfield!
Scott was replaced by Craig Smith whose arrival coincided with a brief YM revival when Andy Wilson was through on the keeper only for keeper Rice to dive successfully at his feet. By this stage, the strong wind and lashing rain were making things difficult for both sides, though the home team were coping better, and they took the game further out of YMs reach with Fyfes second goal. In vain did the watching Langtonians loudly advise the referee that the weather conditions were too bad for the game to continue. One Fifer was even heard to ask locals if the pub, strangely closed till 3pm, would be open by that time!
Ian Lallys frustration got the better of him thereafter, and the midfielder was booked for a rash tackle, joining his colleague Andy Wilson in the match officials little book.
YM brought on a young trialist and Jason Quinn, returning from long term injury, and it is one of the few plusses on a day of disappointment, that Jason survived his reintroduction to active life unscathed. Then - drama! A glimmer of hope for the visitors as they reduced the Bankfoot advantage, though the goal, a bit of a freak, was scored unintentionally by a defender.
As time was running out, it is to the credit of Kirkcaldy players that they never gave up, but continuied to show determination on a day that was just not theirs. Andy Wilson was again denied at the last moment by the keeper, and Craig Smith was unlucky to see his shot rebound off the bar. But the last word belonged to Bankfoot Athletic when Fyfe scored his third goal as time was running out.
A day to forget then, and League glory is unlikely now. Still, Kirkcaldy YM will be looking to get their season back on track as they return to the north for next Saturdays game at Kinnoul. As high a League finishing spot as possible is the target now!
Kirkcaldy YM: J Curran, R Smith, F Giove, A MacDonald, B Smart, I Lally, T Carr, S Orrock, A Wilson, K Masson, M Westwater. Subs: J Quinn, R McNeill, C Ness, C Smith, Trialist, Trialist.