Penalty controversy as Kirkcaldy & Dysart are defeated 1-0 at Whitburn

Yet the visitors started well and midfielder Tyler McKenzie twice came close to opening the scoring as he had a fifth-minute snap shot well held by home keeper Danny Farrell, before a driven ninth-minute shot was again well saved.

But the game’s decisive moment arrived on 20 minutes when a controversial penalty was awarded to Whitburn. The ball was blasted against the hand of YM ace Mikey Ness at point blank range in the box, but – despite the fact that the player could do nothing to prevent being struck – the referee gave the spot kick.

Ross Crawford subsequently dispatched the ball into visiting keeper Dion Gear’s bottom right hand corner from 12 yards, although Gear did made a valiant attempt to keep it out.

Gear made more fine saves to keep it 1-0 at half-time, with a second half fightback seeing K & D miss chances for Darren Ormiston, McKenzie, Jack Wilson and Lewis Anderson before the visitors were angry at not being awarded a penalty on 75 minutes when the ball struck a Whitburn defender’s arm in the box.

The league fixtures continue thick and fast for the YM – ninth on 30 points from 22 games – with an away game against Lochore Welfare tonight (Thursday), kick-off 7.15pm, a trip to Dunipace this Saturday, kick-off 2.30pm and a match at Oakley United next Tuesday, May 7, kick-off 7.30pm.