Burntisland Shipyard boss Lee Richardson assesses 6-2 home win over Vale of Leithen

The Fife outfit – with goalkeeper Ryan Couser back between the sticks following several weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury - put their Borders visitors to the sword in this East of Scotland Football League second division encounter.

Shipyard were very quickly 3-0 up within 13 minutes thanks to Michael Gibb’s opener and a Jordan Hunter double, and this remained the score at half-time.

Although Yassar Sambo pulled one back for Vale on 51 minutes, Burntisland then increased their lead to 6-1 courtesy of strikes by substitute Kris Murphy (2) and Gibb’s second.

The visitors scored a late second goal via substitute Dean Burgess, but it was still a great day for Shippy boss Richardson, who told club media post match: “I am really pleased with that today.

"We looked a real threat going forward and thoroughly deserved our six goals.

"Equally satisfying is that three strikers each got a couple of goals and young Jordan also had a hand in two others, in what was a great all-round performance from him.

"Although we conceded a couple, I thought we defended very well with Matty (Robertson) winning everything in the air and Ryan looked solid on his comeback.”

A perfectly observed pre-match minute’s silence had been held in memory of ex-Shippy star Robert Matthew, whose hat-trick in the Scottish Cup second round 30 years ago helped beat St Cuthbert Wanderers – also by a 6-2 scoreline.

Shippy, who are now 10th in the table having accumulated 21 points from 17 fixtures, continue their league campaign at home to bottom of the league Harthill Royal this Saturday in a match which kicks off at 2.30pm.