U19s v Cowdenbeath

Sunday, 7th Sep 2008

Hamish French`s side grab deserved winner three minutes from time to see off local rivals

COWDENBEATH 1 DUNFERMLINE 2

The Pars won but it took a superb late strike from Jed Hiroz to win the points.

The visitors started brightly creating a good chance for Chris Lennon in the first minute and maintained the pressure to further mount opportunities for Lennon from a Ryan Thomson break and for John McDonald who shot narrowly wide.

In 17 minutes McDonald delivered a corner from the left that was only half cleared and Thomson rifled a fine shot from 25 yards narrowly wide of  target. Thomson next fed Lennon a chance as he beat the offside trap but sent his chipped shot outside the right post.

Having dominated the opening twenty minutes Dunfermline managed to get the reward with a goal from a Harry McGregor free kick swept over from deep left.  Lee Graham rose to direct the ball into the penalty box and McDONALD bravely headed home taking a punch in the face from Cowden keeper, Murray Jackson at the same time.

Several stoppages for injuries in quick succession took the steam out of the Pars momentum.  The home side had to sub their striker Rory Emslie who had suffered a head knock in collision with Graham but Derek Wallace was on the end of a Lee Tubby free kick to fire over the bar.

In 37th minute an impressive passing move involving Blair McWhirter and Thomson and then Schivone and McDonald brought another good chance for Lennon.  Unluckily his shot from near the penalty spot was wide right.

Two minutes later Schivone raced in as Tubby`s pass back to Jackson was left short but the keeper recovered to dive on the loose ball.

At the start of the second half Lennon tried an overhead shot from the edge of the box that went wide and Schivone shot at the keeper. A 64th minute free kick from Graham picked out Stuart Dearden and his header put Lennon in again but Jackson came out on top again.

`Dino` Brett had been pushed up into right midfield with the introduction of substitute Shaun Murchie at right back in 65th minute and it was his driving run that led to Chris King`s shot that was parried by Craig Bauld.  As King threatened to turn in the loose ball Thomson challenged and the referee pointed to the penalty spot as the opponent hit the deck.  KING got up and after the strong words of disgust over the decision that earned Thomson a yellow card,  the Cowdenbeath no. 11 sent the penalty right giving Bauld no chance even though he chose to dive to the correct side.

The Pars should have hit back almost immediately when McDonald and Thomson broke through but having beaten off the out rushing keeper`s challenge, Thomson was then offside as the ball was switched left for him.

With 18 minutes remaining the Pars strike partnership was replaced with Jordan White and Lawrie Cannon coming on. The latter held the ball up well in 75 minutes and laid the ball off for Smith to tee up Thomson with a drive that was well closed out.  Hiroz hit the Cowdenbeath wall from a free kick from 30 yards out and White flashed the ball through the six yard box as Dunfermline went after the winner.

The win was secured when Cannon held the ball up on the edge of the box before tapping it back for HIROZ to run on to and drive low to Jackson`s right.

COWDENBEATH: Murray Jackson; Dean Brett, Lee Tubby, Steven Bennet, Peter Bradley, Kyle Miller, Derek Wallace, Mark Forbes (Ross Grant 82), Rory Emslie (Cyris Moosavi 26), Trialist (Shaun Murchie 65), Christopher King
SUBS NOT USED: Conner Kane, Matthew Baxter
SCORERS: King (67 pen.)
YELLOW CARD: King (57)

DUNFERMLINE: Craig Bauld; Blair McWhirter, Lee Graham, Stuart Dearden, Harry McGregor; John McDonald, Jed Hiroz, Ryan Thomson, Rees Smith; Conner Schivone (Jordan White 72), Chris Lennon (Lawrie Cannon 72)
SUBS NOT USED: Steven Lynch, Stuart Thomson, Danny Gunn (GK)
SCORERS: McDonald (20), Hiroz (87)
YELLOW CARD: Thomson (66)

REFEREE:
WEATHER:
ATTENDANCE

NEXT MATCH: SFA Youth Cup v Falkirk, Sunday 14th September 2008, Kick off TBC
at the Falkirk Stadium

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