'We're burnt out after nightmare run of nine away games' says Kirkcaldy & Dysart boss Craig Ness

Ness, whose team in their latest East of Scotland League first division fixture at Oakley United on Tuesday night, told the Fife Free Press: “I’ve never known a run of games like this in my life.

"It’s been a hectic schedule, it’s just been crazy.

"I don’t know why it’s happened, it’s been very, very extraordinary.

"We’ve only had two games called off at home this year. Unfortunately it’s been the away games that have been cancelled elsewhere.

"We’ve been drawn away from home in cups so that’s added to it.

"We don’t have a massive squad. We’re asking the same guys to dig deep and travel straight from their work.

"The other week we had Preston away and we had John Smith who was working up in Callendar and he had to drive for two hours to Prestonpans for a 7.45pm kick-off and then he was up early for his work the next day.

"All of us are now running on empty.”

Although they battled manfully at league leaders Dunipace last Saturday, the YM ultimately went down to a 5-2 defeat after conceding three goals in the final 12 minutes.

Ness’s side went 1-0 up after 12 minutes at Westfield when top scorer John Smith rifled the ball high into the net after a fine through ball.

But Dunipace equalised when Tristan McArthur knocked the ball home on 40 minutes after an initial cross from the left following a short corner hadn’t been dealt with by the visitors’ defence.

Only another two minutes had elapsed when Dunipace showed their quality by going two up when Aiden McAvoy half volleyed home a cross from the left flanl after a slick passing move.

But Kirkcaldy & Dysart were in the ascendancy at the start of the second half when they won a penalty when Smith ran onto a long punt forward and was brought down inside the 18-yard box by the onrushing home goalkeeper.

Ryan McEwan stepped forward to confidently slot the ball into the left corner and level matters at 2-2 after 55 minutes.

Smith was a whisker away from putting the away team 3-2 ahead from close range, before a late collapse then saw K & D concede three late goals to Kieran Anderson’s free-kick, Ryan Fleming and Anderson’s second.

Ness said: “I think it’s fair that for 78 minutes we more than competed, more than matched Dunipace.

"We had great chances in the first half to add to the one John scored, but we switched off a couple of times to go in 2-1 down at half-time.

"We equalised with a penalty and were then excellent in the second half but got to 78 minutes and – I don’t know if it’s a run of games which has taken it out of us mentally and physically – but we just looked drained.

"We should defend the free-kick better. I don’t think the wall’s set up great, I don’t think the keeper should get beaten at his side.

"And from that we never really looked like getting back in the game.

"Our legs were away and two really uncharacteristic mistakes from Ryan McEwan and Jay Watson just cost us.

"People who weren’t at the game might think that 5-2 was a thumping, but it couldn’t have been anything less.”

K & D’s next two league games are at home, to Whitburn this Saturday with a 2.30pm kick-off and against Vale of Leithen next Wednesday with a 7.30pm kick-off.