Dunfermline 1 Aberdeen 1
Saturday, 7th Mar 2009Homecoming Scottish Cup Quarter Final. Sone Aluko hit Aberdeen ahead in 61 but Nick Phinn scrambled an equaliser with eight minutes left.
For Aberdeen Lee Miller and Javan Vidal were out, Chris Maguire and Darren Mackie on the bench, Tommy Wright, Stuart Duff, Derek Young and Jamie Smith started.
As usual the teams entered to the Skids "Into the Valley" but with such a large crowd filling the stands on all four sides it was more into the cauldron. Aberdeen kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end.
Dunfermline had the first real opportunity in third minute when Stephen Glass` free kick in from deep right sailed through the Dons six yard box without any intervention. The Pars kept up pressure with Bayne challenging for a cross in from the left but Lee Mair did just enough to clear.
It took the visitors a little time to find their way any distance into the Pars half but Tommy Wright broke through in the eighth minute brushing off Scott Wilson but Greg Shields covered across to concede a corner. The Dons forced another off Calum Woods before Shields belted the ball away.
In 14th minute Aloku tried to riggle through between Wilson and Shields but was kept at bay and the Pars counterattack saw Mole force the first home corner of the match. The corner kick was obviously a training ground set piece. Four Pars men grouped on the edge of the box and as Stephen Glass kicked the ball all four of them raced forward taking defenders with them. That left open space for Nick Phinn to receive the ball over from the left but unluckily his shot was blasted over the crossbar into the Dons fans.
Midway through the first half Woods had to be sharp to nick the ball off Aluko, it resulted in a corner for Aberdeen but Charlie Mulgrew`s corner in from the right was fisted away by Paul Gallacher.
In 26th minute Austin McCann was allowed time to compose himself on the left. It looked that a cross would be swung over into the penalty box but he chose to slip the ball deep left for Mole to send over a great cross from the left corner flag. Eight yards out Graham Bayne was there to accept but his glancing header narrowly missed slipping inside the right goalpost as the home support all sprang to their feet.
Aberdeen kept the Pars defence on their toes but they were not getting too much in the way of shooting chances. At the other end Mole received a pass just 20 yards out but he too failed to release a shot that might have brought Langfield into the game.
On 35 minutes Derek Young touched the ball through for Aloku and it looked like he was in on Gallacher but Scott Wilson slid in to concede a corner on the left. When Jamie Smith sent that in the ball was defended to the edge of the box and Aloku accepted another chance to shoot but his attempt cleared the crossbar.
The Dons forced more corners and enjoyed territorial advantage as half time beckoned. A shoulder injury to Bayne sustained while helping out his defence delayed play but on the resumption Aloku again caused the central defence some problems and Glass` challenge on the Dons no. 22 earned him a yellow card.
The free kick that caused was 29 yards out and Mulgrew`s free kick was struck over the wall but Gallacher pulled off a great save to turn the ball over his bar as he dived to his left. At the other end Aluko bowled over Burke allowing Glass to fire a Pars fee kick into the box but that was cleared away as the half entered the two minutes added for stoppages.
Half Time: Dunfermline 0 Aberdeen 0
Aluko caused all the early problems at the beginning of the second half with Stuart Duff twice getting supply to the right of the Pars box to create problems. Shields put in the critical block to prevent the 20 year old striker`s shot but Aberdeen put the Pars under intense pressure. Three corners kept the action right in front of Gallacher.
The ball appeared to be cleared but Jamie Smith next sent a cross in from the left that Wright headed goalwards and the Pars keeper managed to grab the ball and stop himself stepping back across his line. Graham Bayne sustained injury in challenging Wright and the cut to his head meant that Andy Kirk came on in 57th minute.
Aberdeen had enjoyed far too much of the opening minutes and Jim McIntyre was trying to encourage his side to play up out of their half. Mole broke through and went down in the box as Duff tracked him, no penalty and it would have been soft.
The goal that Sone ALUKO had been threatening since the restart duly arrived in 61 minutes. From a central position 35 yards out Young released the ball to his left and the Englishman smashed the ball home from 15 yards to find the net low at the far post.
Scott Muirhead came on for Alex Burke and it was the subs` ball in to the near post that forced another corner for the Fifers. The 65th minute corner delivered by Glass was met by the inrushing Phinn but his header from inside the six yard box was somehow kept out and the ball went around the right post.
Dunfermline launched a stirring challenge with the Aberdeen defenders knowing all about it in fact Diamond had to be at his best to prevent Phinn and then Langfield had to parry away an Andy Kirk shot from distance. Mole crossed a ball over from the right but Muirhead`s well struck shot from 19 yards went straight to Langfield.
Rory Loy replaced Ausin McCann and immediately pushed the Pars up the left. Muirhead whacked over a great ball from the left that looked destined for Steven Bell`s head but he failed to connect at the far post. Loy stayed up and this pushed Aberdeen back.
In 83 minutes East End Park erupted to greet a Dunfermline equaliser. Jamie Mole worked his way across the top of the box and hit a low shot that Langfield failed to hold. Andy Kirk rushed in, he had to score you thought but the ball was travelling outside the right post until Nick PHINN slid in and turned the ball into the net.
In 88 minutes the SPL side came close to notching a winner. A cross from the left found Considine on the far side of the penalty box and Mair drove a shot on target that took a Wilson deflection over the top. Fortunately Smith`s cross was not well used but Aluko forced Aberdeen`s 14th corner of the match that again the home defence survived.
In 93 minutes an Aluko lay off to Aberdeen sub Rickie Foster on the right side of the box was blasted into the crowd and it was all over. A replay at Pittodrie on Tuesday 17th March.
DUNFERMLINE: Paul Gallacher, Calum Woods, Greg Shields, Scott Wilson (c), Austin McCann (Rory Loy 77); Steven Bell, Stephen Glass, Nick Phinn, Alex Burke (Scott Muirhead 64); Jamie Mole, Graham Bayne (Andy Kirk 57).SUBS NOT USED: Scott Thomson, Callum Reidford (GK)
SCORERS: Phinn (83)
YELLOW CARD: Glass (42)
ABERDEEN: Jamie Langfield; Zander Diamond, Lee Mair, Charlie Mulgrew (Andrew Considine 84), Sone Aluko, Scott Severin, Derek Young (Richard Foster 76), Mark Kerr, Jamie Smith, Tommy Wright (Darren Mackie 76)
SUBS NOT USED: Bertrand Bossu, Chris Maguire.
SCORERS: Aluko (61)
REFEREE: Craig Thomson
WEATHER: Dry 9°C
ATTENDANCE 9696
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Preview Aberdeen
Wednesday, 4th Mar 2009The return of the two Jimmies - Calderwood and Nicholl - to East End Park with their Aberdeen team adds extra spice to Saturday`s Homecoming Scottish Cup Quarter Final tie.
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The return of the two Jimmies - Calderwood and Nicholl - to East End Park with their Aberdeen team adds extra spice to Saturday`s Homecoming Scottish Cup Quarter Final tie. They left East End Park in 2004 after taking the Pars to the Scottish Cup Final, qualifying for Europe and finishing fourth in the Premierleague behind Celtic, Rangers and Hearts. Dunfermline amassed 53 points that season, 19 better than Aberdeen who finished in eleventh place, safely eight ahead of Partick Thistle who were relegated. In season 2004-05 the places were the other way around. Unfortunately the manner of the two Jimmies departure left an unsavoury taste for Pars supporters that is unlikely to make Saturday their `homecoming`.
Aberdeen will be keen to reach their first Scottish Cup Final since season 1999-2000. They were prevented a Cup Final appearance last season when First Division Queen of the South came out top in a seven goal thriller. In the seasons prior to that the Dons were knocked out by Hibs, Hearts, Dundee United, Livingston, Dundee and Celtic. Omitting last season`s Semi Final disappointment, it is eight seasons since they were knocked out by a lower league team - Livingston.
Last season Dunfermline were knocked out by Partick Thistle but in 2004 and 2007 they reached the Scottish Cup Final where they met Celtic on both occasions.
This is the eighth time that Dunfermline and Aberdeen have been drawn together in the Scottish Cup but the first since 1988. Aberdeen have progressed five times, Dunfermline just twice. Dunfermline haven`t come out on top since 1968, a 2-1 victory courtesy of goals from Hugh Robertson and Alex Edwards. Their other time they knocked out the Dons was 6-3 at Pittodrie in 1961 en route to the Scottish Cup success. Two ties have required replays and both times Aberdeen went on to win.
| Dunfermline - Aberdeen Scottish Cup Ties | |||
| 01/02/89 | A |
L |
1-3 |
| 28/01/89 | H | D | 0-0 |
| 29/01/77 | H | L | 0-1 |
| 26/02/69 | H | L | 0-2 |
| 25/02/69 | A | D | 2-2 |
| 17/02/68 | H | W | 2-1 |
| 20/03/63 | A | L | 0-4 |
| 25/02/61 | A | W | 6-3 |
| 27/01/06 | A | L | 0-3 |
Aberdeen have reached the Quarter Final after winning 2-1 at Alloa and demolishing East Fife 5-0 in the last 16. Dunfermline have progressed by disposing of Clyde at East End Park and Airdrie United away.
The Dons have drawn their last three matches. They have failed to win in their last three away matches at St Mirren, Hearts and Falkirk, their last away win was at Kilmarnock on 13th January.
Out of the last twelve matches against Aberdeen, Dunfermline have won two, drawn two and lost eight. The last time Aberdeen and Dunfermline met was on 10th February at Pittodrie in the SPL. Only Greg Ross, Stephen Glass and Scott Wilson survive from the side that lost 3-0 to goals from Lovell, Nicholson and Mackie.
|
Last Twelve League Matches v Aberdeen | |||
|
Date |
H/A |
F-A |
Scorers |
| 10/02/07 | A | 0-3 | [0-1] Mackie, [0-2] Nicholson (pen), [0-3] Lovell |
| 25/11/06 | H | 0-3 | [0-1] Miller, [0-2] Mackie, [0-3] Mackie |
| 26/08/06 | A | 0-1 | [0-1] Severin |
| 11/03/06 | H | 1-0 | [1-0] Burchill |
| 10/12/05 | A | 0-0 | |
| 17/09/05 | H | 0-2 | [0-1] Crawford, [0-2] Severin |
| 12/02/05 | H | 2-1 | [1-0] Mehmet, [1-1] Diamond, [2-1] Donnelly |
| 13/11/04 | A | 1-2 | [0-1]Tod og, [0-2] Mackie, [1-2] Donnelly |
| 21/08/04 | H | 0-1 | [0-1] Whelan |
| 21/02/04 | A | 0-2 | [0-1] McGuire, [0-2] Booth |
|
29/11/03 |
H |
[0-1] Deloumeaux, [0-2] Booth, [1-2] Dk Young, [2-2] Bullen | |
| 23/08/03 |
A |
[0-1] Zdrilic, [1-1] Brewster, [2-1] Nicholson | |
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Morton) : Paul Gallacher, Scott Thomson (Jamie Mole 58), Greg Shields, Scott Wilson (c), Austin McCann; Steven Bell, Graeme Holmes (Rory Loy 38), Stephen Glass (Calum Woods 68), Nick Phinn; Andy Kirk, Graham Bayne.
SUBS NOT USED: Alex Burke, Callum Reidford.
ABERDEEN (v St Mirren): Jamie Langfield; Javan Vidal (Stuart Duff 58), Zander Diamond, Lee Mair, Charlie Mulgrew, Sone Aluko, Scott Severin, Mark Kerr, Chris Maguire, Darren Mackie (Jamie Smith 73), Lee Miller (Tommy Wright 39)
SUBS NOT USED: Bertrand Bossu, Andrew Considine, Sam Stewart, Derek Young
Referee for this match will be Craig Thomson.
Let`s wipe that smile off JC`s face!
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