Clydebank 1 Dunfermline 3
Saturday, 5th Feb 2000SFL First Division:
Andy Tod (og 17) 1-0:
Lee Bullen (67) 1-1:
Stevie Crawford (70) 1-2:
Stevie Crawford (90) 1-3:
This was a pretty poor performance only saved by a purple patch midway through the second half Out of the starting line up went Brian Reid, Jamie Dolan, Chris McGroarty, David Graham and Steven Hampshire, the last three making up the bench and in came David Moss, Eddie May, John Potter along with new signings Lee Bullen and Stevie Crawford.
Dunfermline made a positive start playing from east to west, looking up for the game In the 1st minute Ferguson found May on the right and almost provided the opener when his cross was met by Moss Next minute a free kick from Ferguson was played into the penalty box to Crawford who tapped it back to May whose shot from 18 yards just went wide
After ten minutes a Clydebank shot at Mampaey was quickly booted up to the other end of the park by the Belgian keeper and both Bullen and Crawford were beaten to the ball by the Bankies keeper Colin Scott Then David Moss cut into the penalty box from the left and lined up a shot for Stevie Crawford but yet again Scott saved
Jason Dair was having a torrid time against Greg Miller and he was turned outside in on 17 minutes The Bankies man got down the right and fired over a cross that Andy TOD headed straight into his own net. He seemed totally on his own and his action a bit unnecessary with no apparent danger. 1-0
Calderwood immediately reacted replacing Dair with McGroarty and that certainly looked an improvement but elsewhere Dunfermline’s efforts looked slow. In the whole of the rest of the first half there were only three shots at goal On the half hour Ian Ferguson tested Colin Scott, then Andy Tod had an effort that trundled past the post and ten minutes before half time John Potter’s 25 yard drive was held by the keeper.
One of the critics in from the stand hoped that the first half was not going to be our good half It looked as it might have been until the 52nd minute when Crawford and Petrie combined to eventually provide a shot straight at the keeper. Derek McWilliams was then lucky to escape with a telling off when the 33 year old former Par blatantly kicked John Potter. The ref bottled a decision and then proceeded to yellow card first offenders Ferguson and Thomson.
The injustice of the second card seemed to rile the players and immediately hit back with determination that brought a goal. Stevie Crawford found Moss who with uncharacteristic speed switched the ball to Lee BULLEN. The new man drove into the penalty box to blast the ball high for a goal scoring debut for the Pars
Ian Ferguson had another shot at goal then only three minutes after opening the scoring Dunfermline went into the lead Fergie found David Graham wide on the right and the substitute crossed for Stevie CRAWFORD to turn into the goal
Pars fans were back on song forgetting the first 60 minutes News of St Mirren’s demise raised the spirits and suddenly Cappielow looked rosy.
To finish it off Lee Bullen was sent down the left and cut the ball back from the byeline to see CRAWFORD make it 3-1.
A satisfactory result, three points won but a mediocre performance It would appear that it will take several good matches from Bullen and Crawford to keep Dunfermline’s SPL hopes alive
Team selection seems to be extremely fluid. Certainly it was right to bring in the new signings; Brian Reid was dropped for being at fault at Easter Road as too probably the case with Jamie Dolan. David Graham came on and gave the team pace and penetration down the right hand side.
So many changes suggest that Calderwood and Nicholl do not know what their best team is Chris Templeman was injured in training and as Jimmy Calderwood gets an opportunity to view the reserves again in midweek others like Stephen Boyle will be pitching to come into contention.
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Tod (og 17)
YELLOW CARD: Gardner
DUNFERMLINE: Kris Mampaey: Scott Thomson, John Potter, Andy Tod, Jason Dair (Chris McGroarty 20): Eddie May (David Graham 65), Ian Ferguson, David Moss, Stewart Petrie (Steven Hampshire 80): Stevie Crawford, Lee Bullen
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Bullen (67) Crawford (70, 90)
YELLOW CARD: Ferguson (60), Thomson (66), Crawford (80)
REFEREE: D Somers
WEATHER: mild, rain in the second half
ATTENDANCE 611
NEXT MATCH: (Home) v Morton Saturday 12th February 2000
League position 2nd level on points with St Mirren who have a two goal advantage and a match in hand over the Pars
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