Peterhead 1-0 East Fife

Chris Kane again skippered the club in their opening Betfred Cup group match. (Stock image)

Aaron Dunsomre, Mark Docherty, Craig Watson, Ben Gordon, Paul Willis and Nathan Flannigan were all fresh faces at the club while Ross Mutch spend the majority of last season out on loan.

Darren Young has had to be patient to get the players he wants in and the squad is clearly still a work in progress.

The rain lashed down, creating conditions the home side are more than used to playing in.

They used them to their advantage well and took a deserved lead on the 10 minute mark.

Young had said during the week that if you give Rory McAllister an inch then the hitman will punish.

And the Fifers were indeed punished when McAllister picked up a through ball, raced in on Goodfellow's goal and calmly slotted the ball home.

East Fife were struggling to create much going forward with the front pairing of Mutch and Chris Duggan starved of any real deliveries.

At the same time they looked steady at the back although Jason Brown went close with a header which dropped a foot wide.

It took East Fife a good 40 minutes to get into their groove and force a serious spell of pressure on the Peterhead goal.

They were unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty a few minutes before the break when Duggan was bundled to the ground as he set to take a shot a few yards into the box.

Ref Graham Beaton had a quick glance to his assistant for help and decided to snub the Fife appeals.

East Fife needed to get back into the cup tie but it was the hosts who started the second half better.

McAllister shaved the post a minute after the restart before the striker nearly turned provider for Jason Brown until Docherty scrambled the ball clear.

There was a clear lack of creativity for the visitors who couldn't be accused of lacking effort, just that piece of quality to cut open Peterhead.

They continued to probe and a square ball across goal from Paul Willis almost found Pat Slattery but the covering Blue Toon defenders got back to clear.

Young said: “Apart from their goal, defensively we looked pretty solid and comfortable.

“We created a few chances but need to create more from the middle to front.

“We don’t want make excuses but there are also five first team regulars out, guys who have been there and done it at this level.”