O'Reilly hat-trick sees East Fife take control of Stranraer
ALLY MCROBERTS
AT BAYVIEW
East Fife 4
Gibson (10), O'Reilly (43, 45, 54)

Stranraer 1
Moore (55)

EAST Fife took a commanding lead into the second leg of the Scottish League Second Division play-off after defeating Stranraer 4-1 last night.

Former Dundee striker Craig O'Reilly raised his goal-scoring total this season to 17 after securing a hat-trick at Bayview.

It was Graham Gibson who opened the scoring for the Fifers after ten minutes. Neil Jablonski's flicked-on header off a long cross was blocked by Alan Ferguson, but Gibson clipped the ball into the net from the tightest of angles. Joe McAlpine picked out Michael Moore at the back post moments later for the visitors but Smart hooked the knockdown clear. Veteran East Fife striker Paul Ritchie then played a delightful ball across goal but there were no takers.

O'Reilly put East Fife ahead by two goals after 43 minutes when he collected Gibson's knockdown, swivelled and smashed the ball into the corner.

On the stroke of half time he struck again, outpacing McAlpine before rolling the ball past Ferguson from ten yards.

The 19-year-old then grabbed his hat-trick in 53 minutes when the Stranraer defence fell apart and he cracked the ball past Ferguson. Some of Stranraer's away support trooped out after their side fell behind by four goals and missed Moore giving his team a lifeline in 55 minutes. James McKinstry's shot was only half cleared and with his back to goal the Moore cleverly back heeled the ball into the net.

Moore almost pulled another back when he thumped a header onto the roof on the net on the hour mark but it was the Fifers who finished the stronger team.

East Fife: Dodds, Smith, Smart, McDonald, McBride, Gibson, Young, Jablonski, Hampshire (Blackadder 76), Ritchie (Nicholas 76), O'Reilly (Gordon 89). Subs not used: McGowan, Iain Ross. Booked: Hampshire.

Stranraer: Allan Ferguson, Wilson, Hamilton, Snowdon (Gibson 83), Sharp, McKinstry, Dillon, Ramsay, McAlpine (Mullen 46), Moore, McGrillen. Subs not used: Janczyk, Walker, Black. Booked: Wilson, Sharp.

Referee: S Finnie. Attendence: 742

How can you thump a header onto the TOP of the net? Would it not just land there? Unless Moore is a giant or leaps like a salmon

Thumping looping header perhaps? a la Kenny Deuchar in his prime!

Still not sure if you can thump a looping header

If you thumped a header from 30 yards out it might, eventually, land in the roof of the net. Can't remember seeing that last night though...

Salmon can leap but they're not very good at heading the ball.

I am sure Alec Salmond could head a ball Eugene!

Alex Salmond is a heid the ba

I have seen Jack McConnell heid the ba'. I have seen several years of him heiding the ba'. His technique has not improved, and shows no signs of improving. I would like to see someone else be given the chances McConnell has had, to help make Scotland a better place than McConnell managed to achieve.