Burntisland Shipyard: Shippy relegated to second division after home defeat against Rosyth

With a fine turnout of 235 spectators looking on, a poor defensive display cost Shippy as their defeat – combined with drop rivals Lochore Welfare winning 4-3 at fellow strugglers Coldstream – saw Dave Costello’s team end third bottom on 28 points from their 30 games, three fewer than fourth bottom Lochore.

Shippy looked tense and nervous whereas Rosyth, who had nothing to play for, were relaxed and played with a freedom and style the hosts couldn’t match.

The home team fell behind in disastrous circumstances after 14 minutes when keeper Scott Costello and defender Iain Millar got in each other’s way and the ball ended up in the net as it appeared to come off the big centre half.

Things looked even more grim for Shippy when the visitors doubled their lead on 20 minutes when a corner was knocked in by Darren Ormiston.

It was soon 3-0 and Burntisland were staring into the abyss. Callum Strang was released into the box and he slotted the ball beyond Costello to realistically put the game out of the Shippy’s reach.

A Rhys Wardlaw cross come shot hit the top of the bar for Shippy and the big striker was then unlucky to see his header go just wide after he had won an aerial challenge with keeper Macauley Jarrett at the edge of the area.

Shipyard should have pulled one back on 64 minutes when Wardlaw burst into the box only to be denied by the keeper. It looked certain that Cammy Lewis would prod the loose ball into the net but a defender beat him to the ball and cleared.

Costello pulled off a smart save from Thomas Hampson as the game drifted towards its conclusion, though there was time for another couple of goals.

The Shipyard defence struggled to clear the ball and eventually it fell to Ryan McDonald who netted from the centre of the goals.

The home team immediately pulled one back with a fine strike from sub Robbie MacAulay when he floated the ball over Jarrett and into the top corner.