Peterhead manager Jim McInally fears he is sounding like a broken record.
Once again he was left to rue a lack of cutting edge in attack and individual mistakes in defence as the Blue Toon gave the Methil men two gifts of goals and the early Christmas present of three points.
McInally said: “It’s a repeat really of what has happened a few times this season. We dominated possession, but we didn’t work the goalkeeper enough and once again individual errors have cost us two goals.
“Until such time as we start to be ruthless in both boxes then we’ll lose games like that. I can’t fault the players for the effort and commitment. When the first goal went in there was a wee bit of heads going down and feeling sorry for themselves. But when you’re getting repeatedly kicked in the teeth that can happen.
“I admire the way they came back from that. I do enjoy watching them play, but that’s no consolation because we keep losing games.”
Peterhead started in enterprising fashion with Jack Leitch testing Fifers keeper Brett Long from 20 yards early on and Scott Brown firing wide.
But East Fife led after 20 minutes when Hooper was short with a header back to goalkeeper Greg Fleming and Danny Denholm pounced on the mistake to prod the ball into the net.
The Blue Toon went close to an equaliser when Rory McAllister crossed from the right and Leitch’s back-heel drifted just wide and Jamie Stevenson flashed a cross-cum-shot beyond the far post.
Peterhead’s best effort of the first period was in the final seconds with David Ferguson’s cross from the right bundled towards goal by McAllister, but Long made a stunning save low to his right.
After the interval Leitch scuffed wide after an intricate exchange with Ryan Conroy inside the area.
Peterhead dominated the second half, but there was a lack of penetration in the final third with the East Fife defence rarely threatened.
The Methil men sealed victory 12 minutes from time when they capitalised on an error from Jason Brown.
Ryan Wallace fed the ball to Anton Dowds on the right and with the Blue Toon short in defence he rolled the ball across for Scott Agnew to tap in at the back post. Darren Young’s men went close to adding a third when Wallace skipped away from Jason Brown, but Fleming gathered the shot.
However, Peterhead responded with six minutes left when Scott Brown played a one-two with Leitch, drove into the box and lashed a shot into the bottom left corner from 16 yards.
Despite a late flurry they couldn’t muster an equaliser.
