U19s v Airdrie United
Sunday, 18th Jan 2009Pars win with the advantage in five goal match
AIRDRIE UNITED 2 DUNFERMLINE 3
After a win and a draw in last week`s friendlies away to Hamilton and Rangers, Hamish French`s U19 team was back on the road to East Dunbartonshire on Sunday morning to face Airdrie United in the SFL U19 League. The Pars kept up their good form with a deserved victory on the artificial playing surface in Kirkintilloch.Jordan WHITE put the visitors ahead in the third minute when Lewis Turner`s cross from the left was headed down by Ryan Thomson on the far side of the box for the tall striker, in far too much space, to hit the net from eight yards.
Two minutes 14 seconds: Jordan White nets
On the quarter hour right back Blair McWhirter swung over a cross that Airdrie`s trialist keeper spilled. Turner pounced to direct the loose ball on target but that was stopped, possibly unintentionally, by Fitzpatrick`s hand and no penalty was awarded. Four minutes later Lee Graham arrived to be on the end of a Rees Smith free kick but the big defender`s volley was off target.
Airdrie tried a long range effort from Kieran Donaghy and Stefan McLuskey warmed Danny Gunn`s fingers with a shot at goal. The visitors should probably have taken more from their chances in the first half. Conner Schivone stole the ball off an opponent to break and crash a shot narrowly wide left.
Turner saw his effort turned away for a corner and from that Graham`s header was deflected for another. Lawrie Cannon drove a White flick on from a corner on the right that failed to bother the keeper.
Half Time: Airdrie United 0 Dunfermline 1
Airdrie scored just nine minutes into the second half when Donaghy won possession on the left and crossed for Ryan DONNELLY to strike at goal. Smith could do nothing to prevent the goal as the striker`s shot brushed off him as it travelled into the net.
The home side`s tails went up and they looked a transformed side with the equaliser but that was to be stifled by two Dunfermline goals in five minutes. On the hour Turner lobbed the ball up the left and arrived to fire in a shot from Chris Lennon`s lay off. A corner was won and when Turner sent that over GRAHAM powered in to head the ball into the net.
Next Lennon`s shot from outside the box was deflected for another corner from the left. This time Turner tried to find White but he was squeezed out only for CANNON to send a glancing header in off the right goalpost.
White might have extended the lead in 74 minutes after substitute Stuart Dearden set him up for a pop at goal but his shot whizzed low past the left post.
An Airdrie goal from a misplaced clearance from the Fifers defence to McCabe put DONNELLY in for his second of the morning. The closing minutes got a bit nervy but the Pars defence withstood the late push and the points were heading back up the M80.
Referees are often ignored and much maligned these days but John McInally is worthy of a mention for his very fair and realistic handing of this game without showing even one yellow card.
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Donnelly (54, 80)
DUNFERMLINE: Danny Gunn; Blair McWhirter, Steven Lynch (Harry McGregor 61), Lee Graham (c), Rees Smith; Chris Lennon, Ryan Thomson, Lawrie Cannon (Stuart Dearden 68), Lewis Turner; Jordan White, Conner Schivone (John MacDonald HT)
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: White (3), Graham (60), Cannon (65)
REFEREE: John McInally
WEATHER: Cold, breezy 4°C
ATTENDANCE
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