St Andrews United 0-3 Jeanfield Swifts

St Andrews United's first ever league fixture as a senior club ended in disappointment when Jeanfield Swifts claimed all three points.
Saints were pretty blunt in their first East of Scotland League game.Saints were pretty blunt in their first East of Scotland League game.
Saints were pretty blunt in their first East of Scotland League game.

Lee Wilson made a decent block in the twelfth minute as the Jeanfield players controlled proceedings but the United ‘keeper could do little about the opening goal 90 seconds later when Connor McLaren made the most of sloppy defending.

The Saints’ midfielders then gained enough confidence to start passing the ball around and opposing goalie Mark Mitchell went on to make saves from Dylan Honeyman and Jack Wilson at the top end of Barnetts Park.

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However, the Swifts continued to look dangerous on the break and any hopes that the home team would get back on level terms were soon dashed when further slack passing presented Gary Fergus with the opportunity to run around Wilson before rolling the ball into an unguarded net.

Some stern words from manager Andy Brown subsequently encouraged the Saints players to begin the second period slightly stronger and a good cross from Jack Wilson provided Daryl Falconer with a chance to shoot.

But the result was put beyond doubt on the hour mark when Swifts’ Chris Anton bundled home a crossed ball.

Brown thus chose to replace Jack Wilson and Stephen Forbes with Gary Graham and young Jack Blaney but both sides struggled to create decent chances.

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Jeanfield almost added a fourth in the dying stages when Neil Ritchie cleared the ball from his own line.

On Saturday Saints hosted Musselburgh in the The Alex Jack Cup, a competition for clubs who do not possess the necessary SFA licence to allow them to play in the Scottish Cup.

After a hectic first 20 minutes, in which all the goals were scored, this was a well-balanced game against last season’s runaway SJFA East of Scotland’s Premier League champions.

Jack Wilson’s fourth goal in two games equalised a cracking opener, scored from 25 yards.

This was not enough, however, to prevent a first round exit from the cup, with Burgh snatching a second.