Motherwell 2 Dunfermline 0

Saturday, 31st Mar 2007

Greg Shields, Sol Bamba and Scott Muirhead return but fortunes fail to turn

The Pars were without the services of suspended trio Tam McManus, Scott Wilson and Jim Hamilton. Greg Ross dropped to the bench, Hamilton and Jamie Harris have both undergone surgery on their knees in the two week lay off since the last round of SPL fixtures but on the positive side Mark Burchill was on the bench and Greg Shields returned for his first game since picking up a hamstring injury at Tannadice at the end of January. Souleymane Bamba replaced Scott Wilson and Scott Muirhead was drafted in to allow Jim O`Brien to team up with Jim McIntyre upfront.

Motherwell fielded Celtic-bound striker Scott McDonald. Danny Murphy was fit after a foot injury, Martyn Corrigan recovered from a cracked rib, but Paul Keegan was preferred to David Clarkson in Maurice Malpas` only change.

Striker Ross McCormack was out however with a knee ligament injury, and defender Paul Quinn served the second match of his two-game suspension. Phil O`Donnell (achilles), Brian McLean and Keith Lasley (both knee) remained on the sidelines.

With the large travelling support accommodated in the Main Stand Motherwell kick off towards the empty away stand and after just one minute both Scott Muirhead and Dorus de Vries lay on the deck injured in to separate incidents.  Fortunately both were able to continue.

Motherwell caused the visitors early problems with Bamba conceding a corner to prevent Keegan and then de Vries turning a good low drive from Kevin McBride round his right hand post.

Jim McIntyre launched the first Dunfermline shot at goal in 11th minute but from 25 yards out and wide left of the penalty box he fired wide right. Next minute Krisztian Vadocz chopped down O`Brien and awarded the Pars a chance from a 30 yard free kick. Adam Hammill stepped forward and hit his effort into the Davie Cooper Stand off the top of the net.

Play continued to be end to end with McBride sending a screamer of a shot narrowly over the top from a Mark Reynolds corner in from the right. At the other end Dunfermline switched the ball about in the `Well penalty box with Gary Mason, Scott Muirhead and Stephen Glass trying to set up a shooting opportunity. Eventually McIntyre took the responsibility but directed the ball straight at Graeme Smith.

No doubt fuelled by the very welcome news of a Falkirk goal (you don`t see that often on this website) against St Mirren, the Pars fans roared on their team every time they came forward. O`Brien threatened but just could not deliver a cross that would be converted. Mason and McIntyre tried to get on the end of his deliveries to no avail.

O`Brien himself met an Adam Hammill cross from the right on the half hour but could not get enough on his header and Muirhead`s return failed to come up with the goods either. Next Bamba raced in late to attack a long throw in from Muirhead but somehow Motherwell defence came out on top.

Mason stopped Murphy`s breakaway after Hammill had been dispossessed in the opposition half and it was soon back in front of the loud Pars support. Craigan received a stern lecture for his challenge on O`Brien but Hammill sent the free kick through the penalty box without being touched.

With 44 minutes on the clock Corrigan`s foul on Muirhead afforded Hammill another chance to swing over the ball from close to the left corner flag but Muirhead`s header at the back post went weakly into Smith`s arms.

Half Time: Motherwell 0 Dunfermline 0

McIntyre and O`Brien got the second half underway and the Pars soon had Motherwell under pressure with Kerr fouling O`Brien and handing Glass an opportunity from a 20 yard free kick. Smith came out on top gathering the ball to his left.

Things went badly wrong however when Motherwell were given a rather soft penalty in the fifth minute of the half. Scott McDonald went over Phil McGuire`s outstretched leg. The referee pointed to the spot and branded a yellow card at the luckless central defender. McDONALD then made no mistake from the spot placing the ball to the right side of the net.

Three more yellow cards followed in the next eight minutes and McDonald`s two whacks at McGuire went unpunished. McGuire had a good attempt at an O`Brien free kick, Keegan forced a fine save out of de Vries and then McIntyre tested Smith from a Glass free kick.

Stephen Kenny introduced Mark Burchill in place of Scott Muirhead but Motherwell went two ahead in 62 minutes as McDONALD evaded the offside trap to run on to a flicked on ball from Keegan. The Celtic bound striker netted from the edge of the box with McGuire and Morrison on the chase.

The travelling support were silenced and the mood grew more sombre as the likelihood of gaining any ground on St Mirren began to look extremely doubtful. McGuire was withdrawn and Stevie Crawford thrown on. Kerr`s weak pass back let Craw in on the keeper but having taken the ball left cut the ball back into Smith.

With ten minutes left and Hammill`s passed to O`Brien on the right, he launched a cross deep into the `Well box but McIntyre`s header back fell outside the target. Then Craigan headed away another O`Brien ball driven in from the right after he had rounded Murphy.

Vadocz`s chest down to Keegan should have been sent home from ten yards but the Irishman sent the ball over the bar. In the end it didn`t matter. The game was beyond the Fifers and despite all their efforts there was no way they could get the better of the Motherwell defence. Disappointingly Adam Hammill picked up an injury and needed to be subbed by Bobby Ryan as the game entered stoppage time.

Another match without a Dunfermline goal and without any points. St Mirren remain still six points ahead with a game in hand against Hibs.

MOTHERWELL: Graeme Smith; Martyn Corrigan, Stephen Craigan, Mark Reynolds, Danny Murphy, Kevin McBride (Darren Smith 69), Brian Kerr, Krisztian Vadocz, Jim Paterson, Paul Keegan, Scott McDonald.
SUBS NOT USED: David Clarkson, Steven McGarry, William Kinninburgh, Marc Fitzpatrick, Trevor Molloy, Colin Meldrum (GK)
SCORERS: McDonald (51 pen., 62)
YELLOW CARD: Craigan (56), McDonald (70), Murphy (71)

DUNFERMLINE: Dorus de Vries; Greg Shields (c), Phil McGuire (Stevie Crawford 75), Souleymane Bamba, Scott Morrison; Adam Hammill (Bobby Ryan 91), Gary Mason, Stephen Glass, Scott Muirhead (Mark Burchill 62); Jim McIntyre, Jim O`Brien.
SUBS NOT USED: Jamie McCunnie, Iain Williamson, Greg Ross, Roddy McKenzie (GK)
YELLOW CARD: McGuire (50), Morrison (55), Shields (59), Mason (90)

REFEREE: Stephen Finnie
WEATHER: Sunny 11°C
ATTENDANCE 4511

NEXT MATCH: SPL (home) v Hibernian, Saturday 7th April kick off 3.00pm

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Preview Motherwell

Wednesday, 28th Mar 2007

The last twelve league matches between these teams have seen three wins for Dunfermline, six for Motherwell and three draws.

In 24 Premier League meetings at Fir Park, Dunfermline have managed six wins and six draws.  Dunfermline need to repeat their win of April last year when they took points from consecutive away games in Motherwell and Dundee.

SPL Passport number applicable to the above match is 11.  Dunfermline fans will be housed in the Main Stand at Motherwell, Admission Prices:- Adults 20, Concessions £13

Premier League v Motherwell (Away)
Pld	W	D	L	F	A
24	6	6	12	29	37

On the last visit to Motherwell Scott McDonald put Maurice Malpas` side ahead but there was hope when Stevie Crawford struck back in 69 minutes. But the Pars luck evaded them with substitute David Clarkson netting the winner six minutes from the end.

Milestones Motherwell (Away)
Last League Victory	23/04/06	3-2	SPL
Last League Defeat	14/10/06	1-2	SPL
Best League Victory	14/01/61	4-2	Div One*
Worst League Defeat	01/12/34	1-9	Div One*
*Pre league reconstruction

The last twelve league matches have seen three wins for Dunfermline, six for Motherwell and three draws. 

Last Twelve League Matches v Motherwell
Date	H/A	F-A	Scorers
26/12/06	H	0-2	[0-1] Fitzpatrick, [0-2] McDonald
14/10/06	A	1-2	[0-1] McDonald, [1-1] Crawford, [1-2] Clarkson
23/04/06	A	3-2	[0-1] Paterson, [1-1] Campbell, [2-1] Burchill, [3-1] Mason, [3-2] Craigan
28/01/06	H	1-1	[1-0] Darren Young, [1-1] Hamilton
29/10/05	H	0-3	[0-1] Kerr, [0-2] Corrigan,  [0-3] Hamilton
06/08/05	A	0-1	[0-1] Hamilton
02//03/05	H	0-0
27/11/04	A	1-2	[0-1] Kerr [0-2] Corrigan [0-3] Hamilton
11/09/04	H	1-1	[1-0] Brewster, [1-1] McDonald
24/04/04	H	3-0	[1-0] Nicholson, [2-0] Dempsey, [3-0] Derek Young
15/04/04	A	0-1	[0-1] Adams
24/01/04	H	1-0	[1-0] Darren Young

Last time Dunfermline travelled to Fir Park, `Well were bottom and the Pars were tenth.  This time it is the other way around. Motherwell have 33 points, Dunfermline 20.

Motherwell	Dunfermline
Current League Position
10	12
Home/Away Record
P15, W4, D2, L9	P16, W1, D4, L11
Leading Scorers
S McDonald (12)	Stephen Simmons (5 Stevie Crawford (5))

After the win in Inverness in the last SPL fixture there is renewed hope in the Pars ranks.  There is real belief that the six point gap from St Mirren can be closed and of course it would help if that could start on Saturday in Lanarkshire.  The Paisley side will be at the Falkirk Stadium and it will be rare occasion where Pars fans will be routing for their auld enemy.

Recent Form
Motherwell Home	L Aberdeen 0-2	L Hearts 0-2	L St Johnstone 1-2	W Inverness CT 1-0	W Morton 2-0
Dunfermline Away	W Inverness CT 3-1	L Celtic 1-2	L Aberdeen 0-3	L Falkirk 0-1	L Hibs 0-2

The Pars will be without the services of suspended Scott Wilson and Jim Hamilton.  Hamilton and Jamie Harris have both undergone surgery on their knees in the two week lay off since the last round of SPL fixtures.  On the positive side Mark Burchill, Andy Tod and Scott Thomson came through a Reserve team outing against Falkirk on Tuesday.

Dunfermline last time out (v Inverness CT): Dorus de Vries; Greg Ross, Phil McGuire, Scott Wilson (c) (Jamie Harris 80), Scott Morrison; Jim O`Brien, Gary Mason, Stephen Glass, Adam Hammill (Scott Muirhead 87); Jim McIntyre, Tam McManus
Subs not used: Roddy McKenzie (GK), Jamie McCunnie, Owen Morrison, Jim Hamilton, Stevie Crawford,

Motherwell last time out (v Aberdeen):- Graeme Smith; Marc Fitzpatrick, Stephen Craigan, Mark Reynolds, Danny Murphy, Kevin McBride (Trevor Molloy 76), Brian Kerr, Krisztian Vadocz, Jim Paterson, David Clarkson (Paul Keegan 66), Scott McDonald.
Subs not used: Colin Meldrum, Ross McCormack, Steven McGarry, William Kinninburgh, Kenny Connolly

The Referee will be Stephen Finnie, his second time in charge of a Dunfermline match this season - he was at Love Street in December for the 0-0 game.

Come on ye Pars!                   Ticket Office Open Saturday

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