Dunfermline 2 Queen of the South 0

Saturday, 22nd Dec 2007

Ninth v eighth brings Pars biggest league win of the season. The first win in nine matches and the first since 6th October.

Kevin Harper was out with recurrence to his calf injury, Scott Wilson was suspended and illness kept out both Tam McManus and Stevie Crawford. Fortunately Calum Woods, Bobby Ryan and Jamie Harris were fit to take their places. Gordon Chisholm`s Queen of the South arrived on the back of an away win at Stirling and fielded one change - Jamie McQuilken taking the place of Robert Harris.

Fog poured into East End Park ahead of the kick off and it was clearly the Pars who were on the offensive first as they attacked the goal in front of the empty East Stand. Keeper Jamie McDonald fisted away captain Stephen Glass`s delivery in the second minute and then Andy Aitken hooked the next two minutes later. In between, a good exchange between Brian Gilmour and Stephen Dobbie had given Gilmour a shot on target but Paul Gallacher took it easily at his near post.

On seven minutes Jamie McDonald clattered his own central defender as he attempted to thwart Mark Burchill`s progress and a third Pars corner was sent in from the right. Unfortunately Michael McGlinchey belted the chance over the bar from 14 yards out.

Five minutes later Burchill ran on to a through ball but the close attentions of Jim Thomson and the advancing McDonald meant that his promising shot was forced inches wide of the right post. Stephen Simmons tried a similar ploy in 19th minute but the keeper was out quick to snaffle the ball up before Burchy could connect.

The home side continued to look the more likely to hit the net with Burchill switching play nicely out to McGlinchey who returned the ball from the left aimed for the head of Jim Hamilton but the defence crowded him out. Then a Calum Woods ball through the six yard box escaped McGlinchey`s efforts to head home.

Again in 27th minute Woods turned Brian Gilmour and delivered another inviting ball across the QOS box but Eric Paton headed that away. Pressure was forcing the visitors into mistakes and the defending was becoming ever so rustic yet there was no route to the net.

Dunfermline`s seventh corner of the game brought the long awaited goal. Stephen Glass`s cross was met by Simmons powerful header and McDonald appeared to play the ball on to his bar but BURCHILL was on hand to head home a predator`s goal from close in.

The half time lead was barely endangered but there was not much activity in front of the purple shirted QOS keeper either. One Woods cross that the defence cleared ahead of Burchill and a fine tackle on Sean O`Conner by Murphy kept the opposition away from Gallacher. Right on 45 minutes Paul Burns ran on to a Dobbie pass and cut the ball across the six yard line but there was no one there to convert. A timely reminder that the Pars needed to take all their chances.

Half Time: Dunfermline 1 Queen of the South 0

Illness meant Nick Phinn took the place of Simmons for the second 45 as the Pars kicked off attacking the McCathie Stand end. Within 15 seconds Burchill got to the right byeline and cut the ball back for Hamilton but the defence intercepted and those late back to their seats missed nothing.

Five minutes later Glass got caught in possession on the left corner of his own box and Dobbie slipped in to shoot at the far post. Thankfully Gallacher`s outstretched save diverted the ball away and O`Connor couldn`t get close enough to take the chance.

It was 57th minute before a little magic from Phinn out at the right corner flag produced another Pars chance. The sub worked himself into a position to send over a cross that McGlinchey headed wide.

The Dumfries team made a double substitution just before the hour with former Pars hitman David Bingham and John O`Neill being introduced. The visitors` game was only temporarily raised and the Pars soon resumed their dominance. Unfortunately this was not translating into goals.

Hamilton hooked a shot that the on-loan Scotland Under 21 keeper held and then at the other end Gallacher showed his international class denying John O`Neill albeit with the help of the bar as he got a header on a McQuilken cross six yards out. McDonald failed to deal with a pass back in 68 minutes presenting Hamilton and Burchill with an opportunity but as they avoided the challenges from the Queens defence it was McGlinchey that struck but his aim was high and the chance had gone.

While Dunfermline were ahead on possession there was still discomfort amongst the support with the fragility of the lead. However in 78 minutes a great run by Burchill turned all that around. His pass from the left side back to Glass on the edge of the box was intelligently laid off to his right where PHINN made no mistake and the Pars were 2-0 ahead. The 19 year old`s first ever goal in his 13th appearance at senior level.

Mark Burchill was withdrawn in the next minute and went off to a standing ovation as Iain Williamson took his place. Jim McIntyre decided to give himself a run out for the final seven minutes but by this time the contest was over. At last a win for Dunfermline to celebrate and a Merry Christmas for all!

DUNFERMLINE: Paul Gallacher; Calum Woods, Jamie Harris, Scott Thomson, Danny Murphy; Bobby Ryan, Stephen Simmons (Nick Phinn HT), Stephen Glass (c), Michael McGlinchey (Jim McIntyre 83); Mark Burchill (Iain Williamson 79), Jim Hamilton.
SUBS NOT USED: Scott Morrison, Sean Murdoch (GK).
SCORERS: Burchill (32), Phinn (78)

QUEEN OF THE SOUTH: Jamie MacDonald; Eric Paton, Neil Scally (Neil McFarlane 13), Andy Aitken, Jim Thomson, Jamie McQuilken, Brian Gilmour (John O`Neill 59), Steven Tosh, Sean O`Connor (David Bingham 59), Stephen Dobbie, Paul Burns.
SUBS NOT USED: Stephen Grindlay; Jamie Mole.

REFEREE: Brian Winter
WEATHER: Damp cold 4°C
ATTENDANCE 3324

NEXT MATCH: SFL (away) v Morton, Wednesday 26th December 2007 kick off 3.00pm

Views : 4,942

ParsTV Highlights To Follow for First team matches.

Check out the Gallery for more photo's -- the images below will scroll through automatically.

Preview Queen of the South

Sunday, 16th Dec 2007

Last Saturday`s win at Stirling put QOS two points ahead of the Pars but a home win would take Dunfermline off ninth place and out of a play off position.

It is over seventeen years since Queen of the South last visited East End Park. Then on 28th August 1990 the Dumfries side knocked the Pars out of the Scottish League Cup by two goals to one.  The Pars goal that night scored by current Gretna Manager Davie Irons.

There have been 61 meetings between the clubs with the Fifers having won 29, QOS 21 and 11 have been drawn. In the league Queens have only won three times and two of these were over 75 years ago in the old Division Two.  The last league defeat at the hands of the Dumfries team was in season 1955-56.  Since then Dunfermline have won eight and drawn five.

Milestones v Queen of the South (home)
Last League Victory	10/09/88	4-2	Div One
Last League Defeat	24/09/55	0-1	Div One (old)
Best League Victory	30/12/72	6-1	Div One (old)
Worst League Defeat	08/03/30	0-2	Div Two (old)

The Pars have won five of the last six league meetings..

Last Ten League Matches v Queen of the South
Date	H/A	F-A	W D L	League
02/10/07	H	1-0	W	Scottish Division One
21/03/89	A	2-0	W	Scottish Division One
12/11/88	A	0-0	D	Scottish Division One
10/09/88	H	4-2	W	Scottish Division One
25/04/87	H	1-0	W	Scottish Division One
24/0187	A	2-1	W	Scottish Division One
15/11/86	H	2-2	D	Scottish Division One
20/09/86	A	1-1	D	Scottish Division One
05/04/86	A	1-3	L	Scottish Division Two
09/11/85	H	2-1	W	Scottish Division Two

Last Saturday`s win at Stirling put QOS two points ahead of the Pars but a home win would take Dunfermline off ninth place and out of a play off position.  Now that would make Christmas feel a bit better for everyone! There is renewed optimism around East End Park but home league wins number only two this league season; a 2-1 win over Stirling and a 1-0 win over Partick Thistle.

Dunfermline	Queen of the South
Current League Position
9	8
 League form: Last Six Games
LLDLDD	DWLDLW
League Points
15	17
Goal Difference
-13	-5
Home/Away Record
P8, W2, D2, L4	P8, W2, D2, L4

Current Form

A draw in the last home match against Clyde was a welcome break after three successive defeats.  The southern opponents are undefeated in their last three away games and so will not be lacking in confidence.

Recent Form
Dunfermline Home	D Clyde 1-1	L Dundee 0-1	L Livingston 0-4	L Hamilton 0-5	W Ayr United 1-0
Queen of the South Away	W Stirling A 3-1	D Clyde 0-0	D Livingston 2-2	L St Johnstone 0-2	L Partick Th 0-2

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Partick Thistle): Paul Gallacher; Kevin Harper, Scott Wilson (c) (Scott Morrison 82), Scott Thomson, Danny Murphy; Michael McGlinchey, Stephen Simmons, Stephen Glass, Stevie Crawford (Tam McManus HT); Mark Burchill (Iain Williamson 72), Jim Hamilton.
SUBS NOT USED: Sean Murdoch (GK), Nick Phinn.

QUEEN OF THE SOUTH (v Stirling Albion): Jamie MacDonald; Eric Paton, Robert Harris, Neil Scally, Andy Aitken, Jim Thomson, Brian Gilmour, Steven Tosh, Shaun O`Connor, Stephen Dobbie (David Bingham 88), Paul Burns (Jon O`Neill 80).
SUBS NOT USED: Steve Grindlay, Jamie McQuilken, Scott Robertson

David Bingham is currently on loan to QOS from Gretna.  He is now 37 years of age and his former clubs are St Johnstone, Forfar Athletic, Dunfermline Athletic, Livingston and Inverness Caley Thistle.  Twelve years ago the Pars paid Forfar £100,000 for his services. He played 64 matches as a Par and scored 13 goals.

Referee will be Craig Mackay, his first Pars match of the season. Last season he officiated two Dunfermline victories (v St Mirren and v Hibs).

C`mon Ye Pars!

Views : 4,844