It may only be half-time in this League One play-off final but the advantage is firmly with East Fife.
The Methil men will go into Sunday’s second leg roared on by a partisan packed house at Bayview as they look to save their league status.
Scott McBride and Nathan Austin were the East Fife heroes on Wednesday evening as the Methil men came back to cancel out Ross Forsyth’s first-half opener.
There were a few well known faces in the Forthbank set-up, with East Fife supporters familiar with manager Greig McDonald, midfielder and former captain Darren Smith and goalkeeping coach David Westwood.
The hosts headed into the tie in fine form and on the back of an unbeaten run stretching back nine games, including their play-off win in the last round over League Two’s second-placed side Annan Athletic.
Things didn’t get off to the best of starts for the Fifers, with centre-half Joe Mbu injured in the warm up and being replaced by sub Gary Thom.
The Methil men started on the front foot as Saturday’s goal hero Kevin Smith created the game’s first chance for himself.
After working some room inside the area, the former Raith striker fired towards David Crawford’s goal from an acute angle but couldn’t find a way past the keeper.
Greig McDonald’s side were largely having to resort to shooting from range, with Graham Weir and Jordan White both testing Dylan Rooney’s goal.
The hosts should have taken the lead with half an hour on the clock when the ball was presented to White just a couple of yards from goal.
The normally lethal hitman somehow managed to scoop his effort over the bar.
East Fife failed to heed that warning and just a minute later they fell behind when Forsyth nodded home off the underside of the crossbar from a Smith corner.
In last week’s first leg at Clyde the Fifers had looked out of sorts in the first half before reappearing and looking a different side.
The same was the case last night as Naysmith’s men went on the attack.
Thom would have had a clear sight at goal from a Marc McKenzie through ball had it not been for Forsyth’s last-ditch clearance.
The Methil men kept up the pressure on Crawford’s goal and Pat Clarke, chosen ahead of top scorer Liam Buchanan, forced a save out of the Stirling goalie.
Lewis Barr was inches away from heading home a McKenzie cross as Naysmith’s men turned the screw.
East Fife eventually got the goal their dominance deserved and it was sub McBride, who had nodded East Fife ahead in Saturday’s second leg with Clyde, who grabbed the goal.
The winger rose highest to meet Craig Johnstone’s corner and crashed his header past Crawford.
With just minutes left on the clock, East Fife edged themselves in front when Austin’s header couldn’t be kept out.
Bayview boss Naysmith said: “After 60 minutes, I thought we began to look a bit tired so I put the subs on and Nathan Austin in particular has given the side a real lift when he’s went on. From there, only one team was going to win.”
Attendance: 1,501.