Newburgh made their first visit to Eilburn Park to face League newboys Livingston Community on a night that would turn out to be miserable, not just due to persistent heavy rain.

As expected with most new clubs, there was still a healthy number of visitors to Eilburn with a good number of ‘Groundhoppers’ eager to tick off a new ground and those that braved the elements would have been treated to an entertaining end-to-end game with many talking points.

People didn’t have long to wait for the first matter for discussion, and a very bizarre one that we’re still none-the-wiser about. In the 8th minute Rhys Sneddon’s INSWINGING corner appeared to find its way into the net at the near post. As Sneddon and his team mates celebrated and Livingston defenders literally stood with their head in their hands, the referee blew and pointed for a goal kick?!?!?

Allegedly the official had said the ball had gone out which defies physics for an in-swinging corner that finds its way unassisted into the net. Some also suggested it had go through a whole in the net? But if that was the case, why was no instruction given to fix this apparent hole? Also, how does it explain the Livingston defenders standing holding their heads at “conceding” a goal? A very strange situation and Veo certainly doesn’t pick up anything untoward but the goal wasn’t allowed to stand.

It didn’t take long for Burgh to have the ball in the net “legally” as Lyall Brown started and finished a neat move in the 13th minute when his ball wide to McLaren was crossed in towards Daly whose shot was blocked by the keeper’s legs and fell back to Brown who finished the job to open the scoring.

The hosts were also looking dangerous and tested Scott Bryson in the 18th minute with a low drive tipped round the near post from Buchanan, whilst the young keeper did well to get down to push away a McKeown free kick on 27 minutes.

Livingston made Burgh pay for poor defending and a failure to clear their lines as Buchanan rifled home a loose ball just inside the penalty area into the far corner a few moments later.

The home side’s tails were up and they forced Bryson into two important saves inside three minutes. The first the keeper did very well to get a strong hand to tip over a powerful drive from McKeown, before coming out to narrow the angle and block after a poor back header on 31 minutes.

But the keeper was beaten seconds later as Burgh again couldn’t clear their lines as a long throw into the Burgh box was only half cleared for McNaughton to loop a header into the far corner for 2-1.

Brown was looking sharp for the visitors, however, and went close with a header just over the bar before netting his second of the game with an excellent chest down and volley into the bottom corner past Gracie in the 37th minute.

Burgh were gifting too much possession to Livingston and were made to pay again a third time as Buchanan was given time to shoot from outside the area and his effort taking a wicked deflection off Sneddon to wrong foot Bryson and the hosts regained the lead before the break.

A quadruple set of changes were made at the break and it seemed like it might do the trick as Burgh were able to crank up a bit more possession with Daly testing Gracie with a low drive in the 51st minute, whilst Ashley was able to rattle Burgh’s crossbar a few moments later.

This seemed to spur Burgh into life again and Callum Roughead rose highest to head an effort that was pushed away by the diving keeper in the 55th minute. Beattie then had a low shot saved on 68 minutes as Burgh chased the equaliser.

Brown had a great chance to grab his hat-trick and the equaliser on as a high ball fell to him but his volley couldn’t find the target on 71 minutes. It didn’t take long, however, for the Burgh number 9 to stake his claim for the matchball after a Livingston shot rebounded off a defender and set Daly away. The Burgh wide man cut inside and fired a powerful shot that Gracie could only parry and Brown was on hand to smash home the rebound for his third.

All the hard work was, however, undone again in the 77th minute as Bryson had to stretch to get his fingers to a header. But as he then dived towards the loose ball, it was poked along the six-yard box for Wierzchowski to knock home from close range.

Burgh did push again for the eighth goal of the evening with Daly, Beattie, Newsome, Tracey and Campbell all having chances but unable to find the back of the net and as light continue to fade, the referee blew the final whistle to end an entertaining, but from Burgh’s point of view, disappointing match.

For the neutrals, I am certain they were glad to brave the elements for an entertaining game with 7 goals and plenty of goalmouth action.

Man of the Match: Lyall Brown - a fine, well-taken hat-trick.