SHIRE 1 BERWICK RANGERS 0

An early Michael Bolochoweckyj goal secured Shire a vital three points but doesn’t tell the whole story of the game.

It simply was never that close. Berwick keeper Ryan McGurk had an inspirational afternoon, making a string of unbelievable saves to stop Shire scoring an emphatic victory.

The former Hibs youngster best efforts were simply breathtaking but his own defence probably didn’t enjoy such a high approval rating. Certainly, afterwards Borderers boss, Alan McGonigal, was in no doubt that the better team had won and that his goalkeeper had saved his team from a rout.

There was just one change to the Shire line-up from the side that scored a good 0-0 draw at Cowdenbeath. Dean Richardson was ruled out with an injury sustained in Thursday night’s training session. His place in the eleven was taken by David Dunn.

Boss Jim McInally pulled a surprise by asking Dunn, nominally a midfielder, to fill Richardson’s role at left-back in a 4-5-1 formation with Andy Rodgers and Derek Ure getting forward at every opportunity to  support lone striker Colin Cramb.

But it was the visitors who were first on the attack after just three minutes. Fraser McLaren picked up a stray Shire pass from midfield and raced in on goal but cracked his 20 yard effort just over the crossbar. Berwick were forced to make an early chance when Steven Bonnar was withdrawn from the action and replaced by Graham Guy.

That seemed to upset the visitors’ balance and Shire did their best to take advantage. The swirling wind was with Shire and a David Dunn corner from the right caused all sorts of problems for McGurk. His blushes were saved by his defence, but just two minutes later Shire did find the net.

This time it was Craig Donaldson’s inswinging corner from the other wing that caused the problems. McGurk tried to punch clear at his near post but he was nowhere near decisive enough and Michael Bolochoweckyj stabbed the ball into the net from seven yards.

Just short of the quarter hour Craig Tully tried his luck from 25 yards which was deflected wide for a corner. Dunn took the flag kick and Eddie Forrest headed into the net at the back post but his goal was disallowed for a push.

Berwick responded and Gary Greenhill came close with a shot from the inside-right position but his shot was both wide and high. Shire fans felt they should have had a penalty on 32 minutes when Donaldson’s cross hit Greenhill on the palms, but referee Neil Watters clearly felt the offence was not deliberate.

Mr Watters then became the centre of attention, booking four players, two from each side, in the space of six minutes, infuriating Berwick and Shire followers.

Seven minutes from the interval Dunn curled a 20 yard free-kick just over the bar, and in 44 minutes Derek Ure had a great chance to make it 2-0 after picking up a cross at the back edge of the six yard box but his shot was well blocked by McGurk’s legs.

The Berwick keeper was back in action four minutes after the break. A great run down the left ended with a cross which was only half cleared by the defence. It dropped nicely for Rodgers, who blasted a shot from eight yards which McGurk saved with an outstretched leg while diving the other way.

After 52 Gary Kelly broke clear and although he couldn’t get his shot away Cramb was alert enough to pick up the pieces but even he couldn’t believe it when his shot from eight yards came back off the post.

Cramb then created a bit of space for a shot but drove his effort straight at McGurk.

Shire continued to press for the elusive second goal and really ought to have got it in 58 minutes. Some great wing play from Ure took him clear of the Berwick defence and he cut inside before unleashing a tremendous half volley which McGurk somehow got a fingertip to it, diving low to his left, to push the ball onto the post and behind for a corner.

Berwick piled forward and, with the wind at their backs, created a few panicky moments in the home penalty box, mainly from corner kicks but Jamie Barclay only had one real save to make, a tip round the post from a Fraser McLaren shot.

But the Berwick Rangers keeper had one last chance to cap a virtuoso display and did so with a brilliant one-handed stop from Craig Donaldson’s curling drive.

In the second minute of injury time Derek Ure was shown a second yellow card in mysterious circumstances.

Shire : Barclay, Hay, Dunn, Forrest, Bolochoweckyj(Anderson 85), Tully, Donaldson, Kelly(McKenzie 79), Cramb(Graham 69), Ure, Rodgers.

Berwick Rangers : McGurk, Bonnar(Guy, 7), Lennox(D. Greenhill 46), Ewart, Horn, Fraser, G. Greenhill(Gribben 65), Calaghan, Lister, McLaren, Dillon.

Referee : N. Watters

Attendance : 387.