
Berwick’s Stephen Tulloch marks Greig Spence of Raith ( in red ) in the SPFL Reserve League game on February 4th.
Photo by kind permission of Tony Fimister.
Berwick boss Colin Cameron was at Starks Park, Kirkcaldy on Tuesday night to see the Reserves play their penultimate match in the SPFL Reserve League. Berwick opened the scoring but were ultimately undone by the Raith spearhead of Greig Spence and Gordon Smith who between them scored all five home goals.
In the 12th minute, Damian Gielty forwarded a free kick to Ewan Saunderson whose low cross from the right wing was tucked away in style by Josh Morris.
Rangers’ keeper Billy Bald threw himself into the air to make a spectacular one-handed save from Spence to produce the game’s first corner. Another corner from Fraser Mullen on 25 minutes resulted in Smith heading in the equaliser. Jonny Fairbairn shepherded the menacing Spence away from goal to win a goal kick. Unfortunately, on 35 minutes, Stephen Tulloch was unable to do the same and was left floundering as the menacing Spence put the home side ahead.
Berwick were a tad unlucky to be 2-1 down at the interval after Gielty dribbled through three players only to see his final delivery travel just beyond the far post.
Two goals inside a minute early in the second half effectively killed off the visitors. Smith rounded Dean Carse and Saunderson en route to the edge of the goal area before his short pass presented Spence with an easy goal. Next, the Berwick defence was caught too far forward and Smith was able to shrug off Fairbairn when a higher pass came over to set Raith’s number ten away for the Fifers’ fourth goal.
Bald denied Spence a hat trick with a two handed point blank save but on the hour, Smith did achieve a personal treble. Stephen Tulloch’s bad night continued when he gifted the ball to Spence who repaid his strike partner for his second goal by playing the ball on to Smith for the last score of the night.
Raith’s dynamic duo were then substituted allowing Berwick scope to get back into the game. Kenny O’Brien ended a solo run with a long drive which skirted the outside post. Home keeper Roberts punched away a shot cum cross by Berwick’s other Tulloch, Greig, as it hung close to his line. Their best chance of a second goal went begging when Conor Scott, right in front of goal, was unable to cash in on a Morris header.The tiring Scott was later booked for stopping Jon McInally’s progress by blatantly pulling the Raith man’s shirt.
Berwick Rangers Reserves: Bald, Brady, Saunderson, S.Tulloch ( Scanlan 75 ), Fairbairn, Elliot ( Downie–Trialist 46 ), Scott, Gielty, Carse ( G.Tulloch 70 ), Morris, O’Brien