It was a trip to Methil this weekend for Peterhead as they travelled to face second place East Fife at Bayview Stadium. The hosts began the day four points behind the Blue Toon after a shock defeat away to Stranraer whilst Peterhead kept their unbeaten run to start the season going with a win over Stirling Albion. There were two enforced changes to the Peterhead line up with Scott Ross and Rory McAllister replacing Ryan Strachan and Cammy Smith in the starting eleven.
East Fife started brightly and should have gone ahead in the second minute. Nathan Austin won the ball back high up the park and squared to Alan Trouten but he missed the target with his effort. Peterhead nearly had a goal of their own shortly after as a flowing move found Cieran Dunne with plenty of space to pick out Seb Ross but his shot went over the crossbar. Trouten did find the back of the net moments later as his header from Newton’s cross looped over Stuart McKenzie to put the hosts in front. The goal sparked Peterhead into life as they grew into the game – several dangerous crosses into the area were dealt with by the East Fife defence before Seb delivered one into an outstretched McAllister but he couldn’t convert the opportunity. More efforts followed for Peterhead through McAllister and Peter Pawlett before a sucker punch blow on the stroke of half time from East Fife. A ball was played across the box and into the path of Stewart Murdoch, who produced a fine finish past McKenzie into the far corner.
Half Time: East Fife 2-0 Peterhead
The second half started the same way as the first half ended with Peterhead having most of the ball but creating very few good chances. McAllister had a few half chances which went wide, whilst Max Barry forced a decent save from Allan Fleming. East Fife always looked dangerous on the counter and had a couple of chances of their own through Austin and McManus but McKenzie was equal to both. Despite a lot of huffing and puffing from Peterhead, they were unable to break down the stubborn East Fife defence and fell to a first defeat of the league campaign.
Full Time: East Fife 2-0 Peterhead (Trouten 7’, Murdoch 44’)
Starting XI: McKenzie, Danny Strachan (Goldie 79’), Jason Brown, Scott Ross, Dunne, Forrest, Jack Brown (Jordon Brown 79’), Pawlett, Barry, Seb Ross (Armour 67’), McAllister (Ward 71’)
