Dev Lge: Raith Rovers 3 – 6 Berwick Rangers

Match Report

New Central Park, Kelty, 26th October 2016

On an evening which saw an impromptu firework display to the north of the ground, this was reflected on the park with an entertaining nine goals.

Sadly, there was a reversal of fortune for the young Rovers from last week’s romp, with Berwick having five listed first team players on the team sheet and only Yaw Osei in the side for the ‘home’ side.

David McKay made a welcome return from his loan spell at Montrose and replaced Coach Easton in the middle of the park.

The game started as it finished with both sides playing at a high tempo, typified by a cross from Jones who chipped the ball just over the Rover’s bar, minutes later the provider became scorer when as the recipient of a cross, headed home from 12 yards 0-1

Raith upped their game against an athletic Rangers on 10 minutes with Trialist F whipping in a cross which Yaw Osei diverted into the net from 10 yards 1-1

Berwick didn’t let the goal get them down as they pressed from the restart, with Stephen Scott testing the Rover’s keeper (Trialist A) with a header from the middle of the box. The reply to this was swift with Valentine with a great cross into the area and Trialist F finding the back of the net 2-1

Minutes later it could have been three, Ryan Stevenson stood over the ball at the right corner of the 18-yard box and struck his free kick, which beat the keeper, off the bar.

Both sides kept the pace, but the only attempt on goal in this phase was Yaw Osei, through on the keeper trying a lob only to see the ball go high over the bar.

Just before the half, the crowd was further entertained with Berwick pressing with successive corners ending with Watt bundling the ball into the net with an undetermined part of his body  2-2

With the echo of the referee’s whistle barely still from the restart, Berwick drove down the left and a ball knocked into McKenna saw him beat the keeper at the near post for a half time lead 2-3

Rovers started the better side after the break with Yaw breaking up the right, first losing the ball to the LB then winning it again, his efforts were in vain as his cross into the box was dispatched up the park, it’s return saw the Rovers rewarded with a free kick 25 yards out which wasn’t as dramatic as Stevenson’s prior attempt as it sailed into the crowd.

Rovers were rewarded with an equaliser via a back-post header from Trialist E which fell to Yaw Osei who drilled the ball into the net from close quarters 3-3

Berwick took control from this point, firstly Hogg firing over the bar then Orpu cutting in on the left and volleyed past the keeper at the back post 3-4

Ten minutes later with the ball pinging around the halfway line, Watt caught out the back line and went through on the keeper and adeptly finished from 15 yards 3-5

With 15 minutes left to play, Berwick passed the ball across the pitch, the last ball finding Stephen Scott who found the net from the right-hand corner of the 6-yard box 3-6

Berwick seemed to think that their work was done, but Rovers had other ideas, Stevenson coming close with a free kick, Thorsen heading just past the post and notably Yaw Osei megging a defender and hitting the back post.

With a few minutes left, from wide left, Valentine hit a cracking low cross which almost caught out the keeper at the near post who denied Yaw who was in the ideal poacher’s position waiting to finish. The last kick of the game saw sub, James Collins see his shot parried high at the keeper’s right.

Full time, Raith Rovers 3-6 Berwick Rangers.

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