U19s v Alloa Athletic

Sunday, 24th Aug 2008

U19s at Recreation Park. Paul Willis goal shoots Pars into 34th mnute lead. White sizzler makes it two and Willis three.

ALLOA ATHLETIC 0 DUNFERMLINE 3

Dunfermline travelled the short distance to play Alloa at Recreation Park on Sunday morning. After kicking off in bright sunshine rain was soon pouring down and neither side made much of the opening play in the unpleasant conditions.

On fifteen minutes Alloa`s Hugh Kerr showed great perseverance to shrug off the attentions of Willis, Lynch and then Thomson before sending in a dangerous cross from the left that Harry McGregor dived in to head clear. Five minutes later from outside the box, Jamie Hay struck a powerful shot on target that Stuart Dearden blocked but worryingly Alloa were claiming a greater degree of territorial advantage.

The former Pars youth players Scott Weddell and John Paul McLennan combined to create the next threat but John Paul headed Scott`s delivery over the crossbar. Alistair Foster then almost took advantage of indecision in the heart of the visiting defence but Craig Bauld came out to spread himself and pull off a telling save.

The rain stopped and when the sun reappeared the Fifers fortunes brightened up too. It was a 34th minute pass from Lawrie Cannon out left, in towards Jordan White that led to the opening goal. The deft little flick from Jordan`s yellow Nike Vapors set up Paul WILLIS for a great finish from 25 yards out.

Paul Willis` opening goal sails over the keeper

White had a header wide before Alloa were creating more threat with Mark Ferguson dipping a free kick in from 35 yards that just crept over Bauld`s crossbar. The Pars were ahead at the break but the home side could rightly feel that they might have taken more from the first half.

Half Time: Alloa Athletic 0 Dunfermline 1

Alloa keeper O`Boyle was almost caught out in 47th minute when McGregor`s free kick picked out Willis and his swift return had to be turned over his bar by the grey shirted keeper. At the other end Bauld was called upon to make another crucial save as Kerr worked a route through to set up Foster.

In 49 minutes White broke free to send low shot from the edge of the box narrowly wide left. Seven minutes later A surging run by Willis took the ball to Cannon on the right and from his cross it looked likely that White would turn in number two but O`Boyle pulled off a fine save.

The hosts had fallen out of the game a bit but reminded the Pars of their presence as Martin O`Neill came close with his header from a free kick in from the left.  Then midway through the half, Foster headed a Ferguson corner narrowly wide left.

Just as Alloa were looking stronger and fine individual effort from `Golden Boots" WHITE gave the Pars a two goal advantage. Central defender Mark McCafferty allowed the ball to bounce over his head and the striker pounced to net with a wicked finish from the edge of the box.

WILLIS belted a good chance over the crossbar before he ran on to a flick on by sub Rees Smith to draw the keeper and net with simplicity.  The final eight minutes were a formality, the game was won but Conner Schivone came close to adding a fourth.

ALLOA ATHLETIC: Connor O`Boyle; Scott Weddell, Mark Ferguson, Mark McCafferty, Craig Duncan, John Paul McLennan, Martin O`Neill (Alan McKenzie, 75). Steven Barker, Alistair Foster (James Stevenson 75), Jamie Hay, Hugh Kerr
SUBS NOT USED: James Bain, Paul Milloy, Neil Cochrane
YELLOW CARD: Duncan (77)

DUNFERMLINE: Craig Bauld; Steven Lynch, Stuart Dearden (c), Lee Graham, Harry McGregor; Paul Willis, Ryan Thomson, Jed Hiroz (Rees Smith 75), Scott McBride; Lawrie Cannon (Chris Lennon 59), Jordan White (Connor Schivone 82).
SUBS NOT USED: Blair McWhirter, Lewis Turner
SCORERS: Willis (34, 82), White (71)
YELLOW CARD: Lennon (83)

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