YFS
East Fife Youths needed penalties to overcome Rosyth in the Summer Cup Final at Warout Stadium in Glenrothes on Sunday. After a goalless game offered little to separate the two sides, it was Jay Chricton who kept his composure to score the decisive spot kick and bring the cup home for his team.
In a tight and closely fought match, it was Rosyth who perhaps started the better; pressing high up the pitch and possessing a dangerous outlet in forward Jay Thompson. East Fife were looking to capitalise on their opponents high line however, and created the first opportunity of the match when, following a corner, Jack Strang fizzed a shot at goal but to no avail.
East Fife were looking to hurt Rosyth on the counter attack, and when a corner routine broke down at one end, Corey Jardine did well to carry the ball forward and win a corner for his own side. When the ball was delivered into the box, it fell kindly for Dylan Page, but he couldn’t control the shot and the ball sailed harmlessly over the bar.
East Fife soon found joy again playing into the space behind Rosyth’s defence, as Ryan Gilmour was released on the right to deliver a fantastic ball into the box, but despite getting a glancing touch on the ball, Thomas Birrell couldn’t direct the effort towards goal as another chance came and went.
Despite being vulnerable to the counter attack, for the most part Rosyth were doing a good job of controlling possession and looking to play their way through the East Fife defence. Sam Russell was next to try his luck, taking aim with a right footed shot from distance; but the shot was comfortably saved.
That chance proved to be the catalyst for Rosyth to pile on the pressure as the game moved towards half time, with Cain Dow doing well to dance his way past the East Fife backline, but he couldn’t finish as the goalkeeper came out to smother the danger.
Then, a well worked corner routine resulted with Rory Watson being teed up on the edge of the area, but his side footed effort whistled over the bar.
There was just enough time in the half for one more chance, as Zachary Humphries whipped a dangerous looking ball in from the right wing, but it was too close to the goalkeeper who collected with ease; leaving both teams to leave the field at half time with the score locked at nil-nil.
