U19s v Hearts
Saturday, 31st Mar 2007Pars lose out to the odd goal in five. Every one was scored with the cold and gusty easterly wind on the back including one direct fr
DUNFERMLINE 2 HEARTS 3
Yet again the Fleet Ground wind was a major factor in this U19 SPL match. Every one of the five goals was scored with the cold and gusty easterly wind on the back with one of those coming direct from a corner kick.
Early Hearts pressure
Hearts threw everything at the young Pars side and their early pressure paid off with a goal in fifth minute. Darren Stewart parried a shot from David Templeton but Matthew PARK reacted quickly to net.
Park rose high over the defence when a 16th minute corner was swung over from the right. Stewart saved the ball low on his line but failed to hold it and Mark COWAN turned the ball in for 2-0.
Cowan prods in number two
Calum Smith, playing wide on the left side of midfield, set up Nick Phinn for a possible reply but the shot from the edge of the box went over the crossbar. Hearts were denied a goal when Templeton`s effort from a Dumitru Copil corner from the right was cleared off the line by Charlie Bradshaw.
In 26th minute Phinn`s corner was met by the head of John McCulloch but he failed to get enough on it and the ball went left of target. Bradshaw was Dunfermline`s most dangerous player as the half went on, driving up the right and getting over crosses. As can happen however the counterattack almost caused further grief for the home side.
Cowan broke through as the ball was punted forward in 39 minutes but a very timely tackle from McCulloch thwarted Hearts chances of increasing their lead. They did make it three however two minutes from the interval when Lorcan KEENEY`s corner kick in from the right deceived Stewart who got a touch as the ball ended up in the net.
After the break and with the advantage of the wind Dunfermline looked a different side. In 55 minutes a Phinn corner was headed narrowly wide by Neil Fenwick at the far post and then two minutes later Alan McDonough snatched a goal back. Kris Maxwell made the break through the middle and when the ball broke off his heel McDonough collected and prodded through for Maxwell to force the keeper to save. The ball broke off the keeper and McDONOUGH slotted home from 15 yards.
Calum Smith puts in the cross that led to Dunfermline`s second goal
Phinn had a driving run in 62nd minute but he chose to shoot and Bjornsson had a reasonably easy task to save. The Hearts keeper didn`t do as well two minutes later when impressive control from Smith won the ball on the left to then swing in a cross that Bjornsson and Keeney missed allowing Kris MAXWELL to head home at the far post.
There was a let off for Dunfermline in 74 minutes when substitute Ryan Wallace blasted over the bar but despite having the better possession the Pars just could not find an equaliser. The best opportunity came three minutes from time when fine play between Phinn and Smith set up Phinn for a shot from the left side of the penalty box that screamed past the far post.
Tennent`s Scottish Cup Semi Final Tickets
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Gordon, Chris Kay (GK)
SCORERS: McDonough (57), Maxwell (64)
HEARTS: Haralder Bjornsson; Craig Thomson (Mark Forker 63), Lorcan Keeney, Alan Lithgow, Jonathan Brown, Ryan McGowan, Dumitru Copil (Ryan Wallace 74), Jonathan Stewart, Mark Cowan (Branimir Konstadinev 69), David Templeton, Matthew Park
SUBS NOT USED: Daniel Thomson, Liam Amos (GK)
SCORERS: Park (5), Cowan (16), Keeney (43)
REFEREE: Ian Craig
WEATHER: Sunny, Cold wind 11˚C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: Youth League (away) v Falkirk, Thursday 5th April 2007
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