EAST CRAIGIE v TAYPORT (report sent by Stephen Durcan, East Craigie)

 The only surviving fixture for miles around brought a healthy crowd to Craigie Park for this Thorntons Property East Region League Cup last 16 tie. East Craigie, still boasting a 100% home record in all competitions this season, would surely be put to the test against the higher ranked opposition from just across the silvery Tay. With neither side having played a competitive fixture since 8th February it was anyones guess as to how the teams would (if at all) be affected. 

 With just 6 minutes on the clock Tayport's Shaw charged like a rhino through the home defence but saw his firm strike blocked by the feet of keeper Iain Ross. It was then the turn of Finlay Baird at the other end to weave his way through defence but his run was cut short by the legs of two defenders who conceded a penalty for their troubles. GEORGE JOHNSTON drove the spot kick straight down the middle with the keeper diving to his left. 1-0 Craigie with just 10 minutes gone. 

 The early pace was blistering with the hosts very much in the ascendancy. Adam Brown, despite being felled, showed great determination when jumping to his feet, robbing the ball off a defender then advanced on goal and shot wide. Midway through the half Ross Mcnaughton took a set piece from 30 yards out which fooled everyone except Shaw who pushed the effort round his post. Seconds later Brown got on the end of a cross but saw his header blocked by the busy visiting keeper. 

 On 25 minutes East Craigie doubled their lead with opportunist ADAM BROWN picking up a ball from Rory Faulkner, seeing a glimmer of a chance, then firing low between the legs of the keeper for a memorable goal. Tayport responded with a shot from Rollo which the home keeper pushed to safety. A severe blow for East Craigie as top scorer Johnston limped off to be replaced by Dylan Harkin. Whyte then struck a thunderous shot wide of the far post as the Fifers looked to take advantage of Craigie's enforced change. On 41 minutes Shaw launched a free kick into the box but Rollo could only nod wide. A free kick from the hosts seconds before the break fell to Scott Brannan who watched as his close range shot was blocked by the frame of Shaw in the Tayport goal. 

 Another blow for the Shipbuilders as the half-time whistle sounded with substitute Harkin, on the field for all of 20 minutes, receiving a knock which would end any further participation. 

 HALF-TIME: East Craigie 2 Tayport 0 

 Tayport introduced Robertson and Mackie for the start of the second period as they sought fresh ideas up front. Craigie brought on Conan Howett to replace the injured Harkin but still their attacking options had been seriously dented. The visitors, with four fresh legs, came out all guns blazing and halved the deficit within 6 minutes of the restart. A fine high corner from Shaw was picked up by JAMIE MACKIE who nipped round the defence at the far post and poked home. An effective substitution if ever there was one. Game most certainly on. 

 On 64 minutes Tayport's second substitute DAYLE ROBERTSON also proved his worth. He rose high to nod a cross from Gill against the post but was a tad fortunate as the rebound off his own body found the net for the equaliser. With new found belief the Fife side threw everything including the kitchen sink at a beleaguered Craigie defence. As the sink, fridge, pots and pans rained down the Shipbuilders had to dig very deep into their well of determination to prevent further damage. 

 At the mid point of the half Mackie lifted a free kick into the path of Robertson but his shot was blocked by Ross. Seconds later another attacking move from the resurgent visitors led to Gill clipping the outside of the post amid panic in the home defence. With Tayport looking the most likely victors the game swung back to East Craigie. Fraser MacLeod received the ball deep in the Tayport box on 77 minutes and, as he attempted to force a gap to shoot, he was upended by Strachan and the referee pointed to the spot. A deep breath and CONAN HOWETT drove the penalty kick straight down the middle to put the ecstatic Shipbuilders back in front. 

 That was the killer blow and the one that completely knocked the stuffing out of a Tayport side whose belief had been shattered by the gutsy never-say-die attitude of East Craigie. The hosts saw the game out without further anxiety to set up a quarter-final tie at home to Premier League leaders Carnoustie. 

 FINAL SCORE: East Craigie 3 Tayport 2 

 MAN OF THE MATCH: Rory Faulkner 

 EAST CRAIGIE: Ross, Reekie, Paterson, McDonald, Brannan, Baird, Brown, MacLeod, Faulkner, Johnston (Harkin 27, Howett 46)), Mcnaughton (Conway 74). 

 TAYPORT: Shaw, Strachan, Sturrock, Ness, Whyte, Rollo, Gill, Wilson, McArtney (Robertson 46), Cabrera (Mackie 46), Shaw (Irvine 80).