Pumphy Fife and Lothians Cup defeat

Dec 1 2011 by Kieran Westbrook, West Lothian Courier

PUMPHERSTON boss Derek Halcrow admitted losing a killer second goal to Tranent right before half-time was a hammer blow to his players.

In difficult conditions, the visiting side matched South Division title chasers Tranent for large sections of the opening half, only trailing to a 10th-minute Robert Branley strike in the Fife and Lothians Cup clash.

Pumphy put some pressure on the home defence and created some half-chances to equalise but, just as half-time approached, Christopher Inglis connected with an inswinging corner-kick to leave Halcrow struggling to lift his players at the interval.

The Pumpherston boss said: “The second goal was the real killer. If we had held on for the half-time break just a goal behind, I think we'd have had a chance.

“Losing that goal right on the break really hit the players and it was hard to get them motivated for the second half.

“We were always up against it from then on and we never really looked like getting back into it after that.”

Tranent’s two-goal advantage soon became three when Craig Scott found the back of the net and a penalty by Steven Tait completed the rout, highlighting why the home side are second top of the South Division and Pumphy are fourth bottom.

Pumphy face one of the few teams below them in the league this weekend as the head to Stoneyburn.

On paper, there isn't likely to be much between the two sides, with only a point separating them in the division.