EAST FIFE 3
McManus 7, 13, McDonald 76FIRST past the post in British football this season are East Fife, celebrating their first league title in 60 years. Wrapping up your division by mid-March takes some doing, and a merry band
of chuffed Fifers were dancing all the way back to Methil last night.
New Bayview will witness Second Division football next season. Firs Park will most definitely not, East Stirlingshire still sitting at the bottom of the class in Scottish football. They too have ambitions. It is just that it might take them a bit longer to realise them.
East Fife finally delivered the goods after another bite at the cherry. Had they beaten Albion Rovers last weekend they would have clinched it, but they drew a blank, and here we were at falling-apart Firs Park for a contest with top billing. East versus East… bottom versus top… Falkirk versus Methil… "The Shire" versus "The Fife". Was there a more significant fixture in British football yesterday? Nah.
Striker Paul McManus sent East Fife on their way with an early double and defender Greig McDonald added a third late on. East Stirlingshire offered some resistance but this was to be East Fife's day. The visiting fans took the final whistle as their cue to spill on to the pitch and race to congratulate their title-winners. The cameras flashed, the champagne splashed. The players lined up in the main stand to bask in the glory. The crowd weren't for moving. No need to head back just yet. They sang the praises of club chairman Willie Gray. "This is great," he said. "It's fantastic for the people of Methil."
Manager Dave Baikie took a while to emerge from the dressing room celebrations but when he did he said: "It's a fabulous day for the club and everyone associated with it. I'm delighted especially for the fans and for those who have been with the club for a long, long time. It's a good feeling. I'm surprised it's happened so early in the season but they're a good bunch of players. We started really well today."
Three times already East Fife had defeated East Stirlingshire this season but they had always been required to work for their win. Last time they met, it took an injury-time penalty to separate the pair. East Stirlingshire, who had such a surprising and decent start to their league campaign, before plummeting to their accustomed place, had lost their past seven league games.
They seek to avoid finishing bottom of the bottom tier for the sixth season in a row, because, if they do, their full league status would be due a reduction to associate membership. The first target of new manager Jim McInally is to ensure East Stirlingshire don't come last again. And the last thing McInally wanted yesterday was East Fife marking a title win on his debut. Opposite number Baikie felt it would be a tough contest. His team made it easier for themselves with a great start.
There was quite a crowd at Firs Park – and not a quiet one either. Those East Fife fans were in an expectant mood. "We are the boys from the New Bayview," they reminded us. The balloons were out for a party atmosphere at this magnificent arena. Once seen, Firs Park is never forgotten. Some would say best forgotten. But they are wrong about that. The East Fife ringleader called through his loudhailer. The Shire support, such as it was, stood to one side of the terracing, switching ends at half-time. Both visible and audible, they played their part too, because that's the way they are.
The home side's Scott Gibb smashed a shot past the post and off the wall in the early moments but within 13 unlucky minutes East Stirlingshire had gone two goals down and the visiting fans were crowing about being champions. The opening goal sprang from Paul Stewart who centred for Bobby Linn who fed McManus. His initial strike was saved brilliantly by Gary O' Connor but the home goalkeeper could not prevent McManus from slotting the rebound low into the net. Soon after that, it was 2-0 to the visitors, McManus collecting the ball from 35 yards out and taking a few steps before crashing a mighty shot past O'Connor. East Stirlingshire looked dead and buried. East Fife were alive and kicking towards the finish line.
The league's runaway leaders tried to add to their lead after the break as Linn had a good attempt stopped by O'Connor. East Stirlingshire's Derek Ure flashed a free-kick over the East Fife crossbar. McManus was clean through at the other end and he should have sealed his hat-trick but pulled his shot wide. Then Stewart looked like adding to the tally, but O'Connor dived to deny him at the crucial moment.
The East Fife fans asked Baikie for a wave. So he waved and they cheered. But the home side were not for giving up. Substitute Paul McBride's fine drive was caught by Wight and East Stirlingshire were nearly back in this contest when Ure's looping header crashed off the bar.
East Fife's third started from Kevin Fotheringham's corner. McDonald rose to place a neat back-header for the finish. East Fife were home and dry and high on championship success.
