Fifers twice pegged back in 2-2 draw

Mark Lamont's deliveries proved too much for Rovers.

The Fifers were handed a tough assignment in their return to the nation’s third tier as Darren Young brought Albion Rovers to Bayview.

After winning League Two the season before, Rovers proved a tough nut to crack last term and had more than held their own.

Despite getting a point on the board ahead of two difficult away games, there will be a sense of disappointment the Fifers couldn’t wrap up all three.

Twice they took the lead in the game only to be pegged back.

Not being able to see the game out clearly irked boss Gary Naysmith who said after the game the performance had fell below what was now expected at the club.

He said: I’m a bit disappointed because you should be winning the game if you score two goals at home.

“We looked a real threat at the set plays which we’d worked on in training which is pleasing.

“But for the standards we’ve set at the club in the last 18 months our overall performance wasn’t what it should have been.”

Before the game chairman Jim Stevenson unfurled the League Two flag.

It was an appropriate moment for the Fife chief who, along with his board, have dedicated themselves to stabilising the Bayview club and driving it forward.

The celebrations had barely died down when East Fife took the lead.

Mark Lamont sent the first of several fantastic crosses into the box and it was met by Kevin Smith who headed past Ross Stewart.

The lead didn’t last, and Calum Ferguson rounded Willie Muir before finding the net despite the best efforts of Jonathan Page.

After the frantic start the game soon calmed down.

It wasn’t until deep into injury time at the end of the first half that the scoring was added to.

Another brilliant Lamont delivery wasn’t dealt with by the Rovers defence and Ross Dunlop fired past his own ‘keeper.

Apart from East Fife’s first, the goals were scrappy and the fourth was no different.

Ryan Wallace picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and fired a shot towards Muir’s goal which caught a deflection off Page and found the net.