The Burgh took a break from League action for a visit Ormiston in the League Cup at New Recreation Park.
It was the visitors that started the strongest with Ormiston conceding a number of free kicks around their penalty area that allowed for two floated balls into the box for Matty Mitchell to go close in the opening 10 minutes.
In the 23rd minute there was a brief moment of panic in the Ormi defence when a ball into the box by Calum Geddes fell to Mackenzie Williamson who turned his man before the ball was cleared. Unfortunately, the ball cannoned off the back of a team mate and Williamson’s header looped over the keeper and the Ormi defence hacked clear.
On 32 minutes Williamson picked up a short pass from Calum Black on the right side of the area and he charged towards goal but his shot went just over the bar.
On 38 minutes another free kick outside the area was flicked on by Geddes for Williamson to head across goal and Andrew McCallion was on hand to dive and head home. Unfortunately the referee blew for offside.
In the 41st minute Andy McCallion got on the end of a pass from Williamson and saw his shot blocked at close range.
The opening 45 minutes was dominated by Burgh maintaining possession and pressing, but without converting anything serious on the Ormi keeper’s goal.
The break-thru came just before half time when Geddes played a ball towards the far post towards Willie Laing who had stayed up from the previous move before be clipped by a defender and brought down.
Andy McCallion stepped up to slot home the penalty for his 5th goal of the season in the 44th minute.
Burgh really needed to put the game to bed in the second half and in the opening seconds Black lofted a shot off the top of the crossbar, whilst Kian Beattie had a looping effort from distance just clear the woodwork on 49 minutes.
Moments later Burgh had a penalty shout when Blair Campbell appeared to have been nudged over in challenging for the ball under pressure from defender and keeper but the referee was not convinced.
As the game progressed without that second goal, there was a always that concern that Ormiston could grab an equaliser and they went close on 71 minutes when Brown had two efforts saved well by Scott Kyles, and then the Burgh keeper was up again to block McLaren’s follow up.
If that was a warning shot across the bows, Ormi followed this up with an unexpected equaliser when Anderson was on the end of a ball into the box to rifle home from about 8 yards out.
It was looking like Burgh were going to be punished for not putting the game to bed, but the new-found character in the side saw Burgh step up a gear and push themselves ahead again.
In the 79th minute another Black free kick into the box was headed goalwards by Geddes and flicked onto the bar by Calum Leadbeatter. There was a debate that the ball had crossed the line but the referee hadn’t blown and Williamson dived in on the goal-line to head home to make sure and put Burgh 2-1 ahead.
Ormiston couldn’t find a second way back into the game and Andy McCallion did well to round the keeper in the 85th minute but having been forced wide, defender Aitken dived in to take the ball off McCallion’s feet and away. Moments later Kyle Tracey went close on the left hand side but his effort went just wide of the far post.
Whilst there was no doubt that the better team won on the day, Burgh will need to step up their game to avoid the risk of being punished. But a pleasing 2nd Round home tie against First Division Lochore Welfare awaits on August 30th at East Shore Park.
Man of the Match: Kian Beattie.
