Dunfermline 3 Willem II 2
Monday, 15th Jan 2001Winter break friendly, Inezgane, Morocco. Marinus Dijkhuizzen (30) 1-0: Barry Nicholson (42) 2-0: Tom Caluwe (45) 2-1: Mariano Bombarda (47) 2-2: David Moss (60) 3-2
The meeting of Willem II and Dunfermline Athletic in a mid winter friendly in Morocco was unusually heated encounter. The presence of four Dutchman in the Pars side meant there was a will to prove to their fellow countrymen that Scottish teams could play and beat the best.
Added to that was the re union of Jimmy Calderwood with his old club Willem II. Jimmy played there for two years before spending 18 months as Assistant Coach and another 18 months as coach.
Hans Westerhof the current Willem II coach was quoted before the match as saying the result was not important. Well they certainly fought unbelievably hard in the last half hour to rescue a match that didn’t matter!
This was an unusual match for many reasons. It was to be Dunfermline Athletic’s first match on the Continent of Africa. The setting was in Inezgane amongst a less than fortunate population where housing is being erected to replace the vast shanty town that surrounds it. The locals did not know that there was a match on until the advance party of Calderwood’s kilted army rumbled a few local hostelries for pre match refreshment. Having discovered a free football match to attend the 150 or so Moroccans found the weird and wonderful Pars supporters a subject of great intrigue.
The most unusual aspect however was the deployment of 22 Pars players in the course of the 90 minutes. Having agreed substitution rules relaxation the two sides used the match to field most of their squads. This meant the bizarre sight of a Moroccan linesman raise his flag to its horizontal position to allow Dunfermline to make 9 substitutions in the 58th minute!
Dunfermline were into the match right away from its 3.30pm kick off. After five minutes a Scott Thomson free kick was blocked and fell to Marinus Dijkhuizzen but the tall striker could only find keeper Van Fessem’s arms.
Ian Ferguson played a ball through the centre of the Willem defence but Dijkhuizzen again found the keeper. Michel Doesburg cross but Steve Hampshire’s shot off the keeper’s fist down was deflected for a corner.
Nothing came of that corner but a minute later Jason Dair took a short one out left to Barry Nicholson whose cross found Dijkhuizzen and the keeper yet again. Caluwe hit a shot wide of Marco’s left hand post just to remind us thet were around.
With eleven minutes gone a loudspeaker bellowed out a call to worship from a nearby mosque. None of the locals reacted and they almost immediately saw Stevie Crawford answer Dunfermline’s prayers when he tested the keeper straight from a long Ruitenbeek clearance. Van Fessem tipped the shot sufficiently to let it fall behind him and pick up.
There was another long kick from Ruitenbeek which Marinus nodded out left for Jason Dair. A good cross followed but there were no Pars men on the end of it.
After 30 minutes and numerous chances nearly all for Dunfermline, the Dutch combination of Doesburg and DIJKHUIZZEN struck Willem II. Michel Doesburg swept the ball over from the right and big Marinus headed it goalwards. The keeper stopped the header but only set it up for the Pars man to wallop home.
More opportunities fell to Dijkhuizzen but he could not latch on to a great Ian Ferguson overhead kick or a Barry Nicholson lay off. With three minutes of the 45 remaining Stevie Crawford lying deep played a lovely ball through to Steve Hampshire and the 21 year-old glided around the Dutch defence to slip the ball to an unmarked Barry NICHOLSON who would have to agree scored with a tap in.
There had been no stoppages in the first half yet the Moroccan FA supplied match officials managed to add two and a half minutes of added time. Inevitably Willem II scored in this period. They had not been in the first half at all and then they were going to the break with the deficit reduced to one.
At least the goal was a belter with Marco standing not a hope after Bombarda made space and knocked the ball down to Calluwe who sent a 20 yards drive into the bottom left of the Pars net.
Ian Ferguson and Chris McGroarty came off at half time making way for David Moss and Steven Boyle. Willem II made a number of half time substitutions and looked much livelier as they recommenced. Within two minutes of the start Willem got the equaliser when the blond haired Meeuwis crossed from the right and Bombarda fired in from just outside the box.
Jimmy Calderwood gathered his substitutes for the third team talk of the match and then there was the 9 man substitution. One would have expected this to be totally disruptive but it was Willem who were most put out. The fresh legs on a long grassed pitch on a hot and sunny afternoon brought about the winner almost immediately.
Good work on the right by Lee Bullen set up Rob Matthaei to cross for David MOSS to force home with a header from six yards. Willem then launched into attack but their few shots were high. Their tackles were getting tougher and Moss and Bullen were on the receiving end of some really rough stuff that the Moroccan referee just ignored.
Young Kevin McLeish was also getting a hard time of it but he produced two good forward movements which might have resulted in more goals. In particular his curling cross away from the keeper just eluded Moss and Bullen.
Another rough tackle with only five minutes left led the Moroccan referee to invite Willem’s Mariana and David Moss to sit the rest of the match out.
Stewart Petrie in his first competitive action since breaking his left leg against St Johnstone in August of last year came through a tough 32 minute test. He was back to his old self crossing from the left and snapping at goal whenever possible.
Special mention must be made too for Andy Tod who handled the second half pressure well a fact his manager also commended him for.
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Caluwe (45), Bombarda (47)
DUNFERMLINE: Marco Ruitenbeek; Michel Doesburg, Andrius Skerla, Scott Thomson, Chris McGroarty (Stephen Boyle HT); Steven Hampshire, Barry Nicholson, Ian Ferguson (David Moss HT), Jason Dair; Stevie Crawford, Marinus Duijkhuizzen. Subs after 58 minutes: Scott Y Thomson, John Potter, Andy Tod, Kevin McLeish, Rob Matthaei, Gary Mason, Lee Bullen, Stewart Petrie.
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Dijkhuizzen (30), Nicholson (42), Moss (60)
REFEREE:
WEATHER:
ATTENDANCE 180
NEXT MATCH: Testimonial Match v Raja Casablanca Wednesday 17th January 8.00pm kick off in Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca
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