Burgh finally returned to action at East Shore Park with the visit of Kirkcaldy & Dysart in the League Cup.

Owen McCallion had Burgh’s first chance of the game in the 6th minute as a determined run by Finn Bannerman from inside his own half laid off McCallion for a low drive from outside the area which was saved by Beveridge.

The first controversial moment came in the 7th minute when Callum Roughead’s clearance inside his box was handled by Dall but missed by the official and Wallace’s cross from the left wasn’t cleared and O’Donnell’s effort deflected into the net.

On 10 minutes Burgh thought they had an equaliser after Rhys Sneddon’s ball forward was brought down by Bannerman with one touch and his second unleashed a rasping shot from the edge of the area that cannoned down off the crossbar. Initially it appeared to have crossed the line before being hacked clear, but video footage later showed that not to be the case but it was a cracking strike all the same.

On 19 minutes was another confusing decision as Dall’s cross from the left was swung at by K&D’s Murray just outside the six-yard box but somehow a corner was awarded?!? From the resultant corner Kyles was out quickly to block O’Donnell from close range.

On 27 minutes temperatures continue to rise as O’Donnell raised a foot in a rough challenge on Owen McCallion’s shins that went unpunished, similar to a later challenge that was acted upon.

In the 33rd minute Cammy Newsome picked up a loose ball outside the K&D area and turned to send a rasping drive just over the bar. Moments later Kyles did very well with a double save after a well-worked Kirkcaldy move into the Burgh box.

Moments later it was 2-0 when O’Donnell played a ball to Murray on the edge of the area and he weaved between two tackles and slotted home into the far corner.

On 37 minutes Logan Duff was dismissed for a strong tackle which resulted in a brief altercation. Whilst the red was probably correct, the reaction could have easily seen the numbers levelled up promptly. But it was much like the tackle of wee Owen was ignored moments earlier.

Matters took a turn for the worse on 40 minutes as a corner from the left was headed across goal and Hunter stabbed home from close range to make it three.

Within four minutes of the second half, Burgh had regrouped and threatened to change the context of the game with two quick well-taken goals.

Roughead slipped a ball through to Andrew McCallion in the 47th minute and the Burgh top scorer kept his composure to float a shot into the far corner past Beveridge.

On 49 minutes McCallion and Bannerman combined to slide through to Ryan Daly on the edge of the K&D area and he cut inside to his right and power a drive into the roof of the net past Beveridge to make it 3-2.

There was more controversy in the 54th minute as Burgh pressed for an equaliser when McCallion appeared to be pushed over by Kelly as he chased for the ball but again nothing was given, much to the annoyance of the home crowd.

In the 61st minute Roughead went close when he powered a header just over the bar from a floated free kick into the K&D penalty area by Sneddon.

At the other end, Kyles did well to keep on his feet as Murray waltzed into the area to save his shot. Then in the 70th minute the Burgh keeper was out quickly to rescue the danger from a short backpass to block.

The drama continued in the 72nd minute when Burgh were denied an equaliser as McCallion and Watson tangled in going for the ball. It looked pretty much 50/50, if anything at all, as the defender sliced the ball past his own keeper and into the net. But incredibly – but perhaps not unpredictably – the official thought differently and left Burgh feeling even more hard done by.

Kirkcaldy thanked their lucky stars by making Burgh pay seconds later as Hunter made it 4-2 as he was put through and flicked past Kyles.

The home side were getting more and more frustrated with some curious decisions with Kieran Twaddell being clattered, the referee blowing and signally for the free kick by pointing towards the K&D goal yet somehow the game restarting with a drop ball for the visitors.

Moments later Twaddell was pushed in the back of his shoulders and clambered over by Kelly, yet the referee continued to allow play to continue despite being literally 5 yards away and in clear view before blowing for the head injury on Twaddell… and yes, restarting with another drop ball for the visitors!

Frustrations continued in the closing stages as Burgh finished with 9 men after Calum Leadbeatter was dismissed after trying to retrieve the ball to restart play but being denied by an opponent continuing to retain the ball and then kicking out in annoyance.

It was a very good, hard-working and “battling” (not in the football meaning of the word!), particularly in the second half in a match that felt like the proverbial “playing against 12 men”. It was a game where the costly decisions went against the home side who combatted against the odds.

Man of the Match: Scott Kyles, some excellent saves when called upon.