ALTHOUGH short-handed in terms of personnel, Dunbar United had returned from West Calder a fortnight ago with a good 3-1 win under their belts, and on Saturday they travelled to Fife to meet another of the sides from the lower half of the South Division table.

Lochgelly Albert, who they thumped 6-1 at New Countess Park in September, were the opponents and manager Davie Lees was restricted further in his selection.

Lees was hit by the unavailability of experienced defender Bob Baillie, and with central defensive pair John Morgan and Ryan Gibb still suspended and several others missing, he had only 11 fit players to call on, including his assistant Stuart Brown, who’s seen little action in recent years. Steven Glynn was named as the solitary substitute but he was still recovering from a hamstring injury.

There had been some doubt surrounding the game following significant rainfall in Fife but Gardiners Park was declared playable following an inspection – the playing surface, though, wasn’t the best.

Dunbar were first to settle and they forced a series of corners early on, but the first real shot on goal came from Lochgelly’s Barratt on seven minutes, Connor Wood saving well. Four minutes later the Seasiders found themselves in front when the prolific Sam Young saw his shot fumbled by Berts’ keeper Rushford and followed up to stroke the loose ball into the net.

Their lead only lasted eight minutes, Perrie firing past Wood from the left as the visitors’ defence appealed in vain for an offside whistle. Dunbar rallied, however, and they restored their lead on 27 minutes. Young appeared to have been brought down in the box but before the referee could point to the penalty spot Chris Grant blasted the ball past Rushford.

Steven Tait and Grant both saw shots saved by Rushford when they might well have scored, before Barratt struck the crossbar for Lochgelly and then, just before the half-time whistle, Young again had the ball in the net for Dunbar but the referee ruled it out for a foul.

Steven Tait had an effort saved early in the second half, as did Young as the visitors tried to extend their lead. Brown came close for Lochgelly before, on the hour, good interplay between Young and Grant almost brought about a third Dunbar goal, only for the final effort to clear the bar.

To forecast the likely outcome at this stage was no easy task, as Lochgelly forced three good saves from Wood around the midway point in the second half. Things looked ominous for Dunbar, and sure enough substitute Seath levelled the scores on 68 minutes when he got on the end of a cross from the right and fired home from 10 yards.

With 13 minutes left, Steven Girdwood found himself one-on-one with Rushford but a vital intervention from defender Watt prevented him from shooting.

Five minutes later the Berts went ahead when Seath notched his second, latching on to a through ball and hitting a shot beyond Wood. Things got worse deep inside injury time when Seath crossed for Lochgelly’s trialist centre forward to slide home a fourth.

Inevitably the mood wasn’t great as the players left the field and some dissatisfaction with the afternoon’s events was expressed from the sidelines.

The Seasiders have three games left to play, two at home and one away, starting on Saturday when Blackburn United visit New Countess Park.

The West Lothian outfit are in with a chance of promotion and can’t afford to drop points – it’ll take a much-improved showing from Dunbar if their opponents are to leave East Lothian without three points.