Hill of Beath Hawthorn 4 - 0 Peebles Rovers
EoS Conference A
Kiers Park, Hill of Beath
Hill of Beath made it five league wins out of five with a dominant win over Peebles Rovers, to stay in third sport in Conference A. Two goals in either half was enough for Haws against a toothless looking Rovers side, who finished with just nine men on a miserable afternoon for the visitors.
Haws came into the game on a high having blown away Easthouses Lily 8-1 in mid-week, and were quickly into their stride, Lewis Elder with an early test for Kerr in the Rovers goal. Rovers had to make a change with just 7 minutes on the watch after what looked like a hamstring injury for Joe Davidson. Shortly after, Peebles had a chance to take the lead through Ross Lamb, but Hall saved comfortable for Haws.
Haws looked at their best in the wide areas, Shaun Leishman in particular getting the ball forward quickly and linking up well with Callum Adamson. Forward Adamson was dangerous every time he was on the ball, and looked most likely to make something happen for Haws. In the 25th minute he found himself in acres of space on the left byline and tried to beat the keeper at the near post. Kerr stopped the effort, but could only push it into the path of the onrushing Lewis Elder, who slammed home first time from point blank.
The goal had been coming for Haws, and with the wind in their sails, they started to pour forward in search of the second. Greig Smith, Elder and Adamson all had chances to add to the tally, but it took until the 34th minute for the second to come, Adamson again doing the damage with a bullet header from Smith's cross.
It was one-way traffic at this point. Adamson had another chance with a great run and shot, and it took a brave stop from Kerr to deny him. There was another blow for Rovers when Michael McEwan limped off injured just before the interval.
After the break, Haws picked up where they'd left off Lee Reid, back in the side after injury, heading number three from a corner in the 50th minute. Greig Smith got in on the act five minutes later with a fine strike for number four. That was job done for Haws, and they shuffled the pack - Kellichan, Elder and Smith earning a rest with Grierson, Denton and Watt getting a run out.
The first of two bizarre sendings off came on the hour mark. There didn't seem to be anything too sinister in Cammy Sclater's sliding tackle, but referee Barry Reid obviously saw something and showed him a straight red.
At 4-nil down and a man short, the signs were ominous for Rovers, but Haws seemed too take their foot off the gas slightly in the last half hour. Sure the game was won, but Rovers were there for the taking and it was a chance to add to an already healthy goal difference. Haws were still well in control, but the ruthless streak seemed to desert them and they kinda let Rovers off the hook a little.
With five minutes to go there was another straight red, this time for Ross Lamb, which was even more strange than the first one and left almost everybody in Kiers Park asking what had happened. It really wasn't that kind of a game, but Rovers were left to hang on with nine men never the less.
With a goal and an assist, Adamson must surely have been in the running for Man of the Match, and any one of the Haws defensive line could easily claimed the award. It was captain Rikki Dair who got the nod through, the centre-half was solid as a rock at the back, never looking flustered and always in control of proceedings.
So Haws perfect league record in still is tact, with a healthy goal difference and two games in hand, the Fifers look comfortable in third spot. It's a break from the league programme next week though, as Haws welcome Musselburgh to Kiers Park for their third round Challenge Cup fixture.
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