Dunfermline 1 St Johnstone 3
Saturday, 11th Apr 2009Hardie put Saints one up, Kirk equalised from the spot, Irvine made it 1-2 after 41 minutes. Craig from the spot in 48 - 1-3 + Wilson red carded
Captain Scott Wilson led out the team to make his 250th appearance for Dunfermline Athletic and St Johnstone goalkeeper, Alan Main made his 346th appearance. Bayne and Kirk kicked off for the Pars and in the third minute had the first opportunity of the afternoon when David Graham rounded Graham Gartland on the right side of the box to centre but Graham Bayne`s header looped over the bar.
Dunfermline kept the play up in front of the St Johnstone fans with Andy Kirk flashing the ball through the Saints six yard box and forcing an early corner. Yet again Jim McIntyre was forced into an early substitution with Austin McCann replacing Scott Muirhead in the tenth minute after the former Dons man sustained a knock.
It was the 19th minute before a Calum Woods header over his own crossbar earned St Johnstone their first corner of the game but oh how they made it count. Liam Craig`s left footed delivery was flicked on to the left by Greg Shields but Graham Gartland drove the ball into the goalmouth where Martin HARDIE turned the ball into the net.
The, up until then, quiet folk from Perth broke out into celebratory chants reminding everyone of their league position. Hardie had another chance when a Chris Millar shot from a free kick in from the right was blocked but there was nothing in that effort to bother Gallacher.
The Pars had lost their early momentum until Andy Kirk battled to break through o the right side of the box. Despite there being three defenders around the Pars striker, Gartland pulled him down and the referee made the easy decision to point to the penalty spot. Graham Bayne looked interested in taking it but Andy KIRK won the honour sending his right footed shot deep into the bottom right of the net. Thirty minutes gone 1-1.
Gartland looked shaky when Bell pressurised him on the right byeline and Kirk was unlucky when presented with a chance they he hit just too high and wide left. Main held a Burke free kick as Dunfermline used the confidence from the equaliser to mount a greater offensive.
St Johnstone replied with Gary IRVINE scoring a fine individual goal from the edge of the box just four minutes from the break.. He was well out of position but Bayne had tracked him back. The Saints no.2 notched his first ever goal in senior football, fighting off both Bayne and Shields before executing with a shot into the top right corner that gave Gallacher absolutely no chance.
Half Time: Dunfermline 1 St Johnstone 2
Paul Sheerin came on for Gavin Swankie at half time and it was his 47th minute shot that immediately ignited the second half. Gallacher palmed the 20 yard shot on to his right hand post and Wilson`s challenge on Milne that may have stopped the St Johnstone striker just six yards out caused Steve O`Reilly to show the skipper a straight red. It was a match changing decision and one that both Dinger and Macca felt harsh. Liam CRAIG took the penalty sending to into the right side of the net.
Greg Ross was immediately brought on at right back with David Graham being withdrawn. Thje Pars sub was fortunate in 54 minutes when he clearly pushed Collin Samuel in the six yard box but the referee obviously didn`t see what would have been a second Saints penalty and another red!
It didn`t look too rosy for the Pars now but in 61 minutes Ross got to the corner flag to swing over a ball that Phinn pumped into the six yard box from the left. Bell miscued with his first attempt but connected well after getting a second chance forcing Main to pull off a fine save.
Sheerin won a corner on the left off Ross in 65 but Bell got that away and Hardie lofted a cross in from the right that Craig headed wide. McCann was forward five minutes later to square to Phinn on the top of the Saints area but when Burke accepted the lay off he drove well left of target.
In 74 minutes Hardie fouled Bayne 30 yards out and Burke tapped the free kick right for Woods to try a drive. It was off target to the left but Kirk almost got a toe on it that could have diverted the ball into the net.
There was a fantastic header off the line by Kevin Rutkiewicz in 81 minutes after Rory Loy`s cross from the left was met by the full power of a Ross header but in the end it was an impossible task for the ten men to come back. Another disappointing day for the East End faithful who can vaguely remember that last home league win on 30th December.
St Johnstone at last can feel confident at the top of the league. The three points, coupled with a QOS win at Partick Thistle, takes the Perth club to 56 points, seven clear of the Maryhill men with just four matches to go.
At the other end that win by the Doonhamers takes them to 40 points just one behind DA. Airdrie in the play off position are just five points behind the Fifers.
SUBS NOT USED: Paul Willis, Greg Paterson (GK)
SCORERS: Kirk (30 pen.)
YELLOW CARD: McCann (45+1), Kirk (55), Bayne (72), Bell (90+2)
RED CARD: Wilson (47)
ST JOHNSTONE: Alan Main; Gary Irvine, Kevin Rutkiewicz, Graham Gartland, Steven Anderson; Chris Millar, Martin Hardie (Steven Doris 77), Liam Craig, Gavin Swankie (Paul Sheerin HT), Collin Samuel (Derek Holmes 82), Steven Milne.
SUBS NOT USED: Steven Kinniburgh, Euan McLean
SCORERS: Hardie (19), Irvine (41)
YELLOW CARD: Hardie (71)
REFEREE: Steve O`Reilly
WEATHER: Fine 14°C
ATTENDANCE 3595
NEXT MATCH: (away) First Division v Ross County
Saturday 18th April 2009, kick off 3.00pm
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Preview St Johnstone
Wednesday, 8th Apr 2009The 0-0 draw on Tuesday night will give little indication as to how Saturday`s fixture will work out but St Johnstone won 2-1 earlier this season at EEP.
St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes claims that every other team in the First Division would love to be in their position - league leaders with a three point advantage over second placed Partick Thistle but knows that there is an onus on Saints to go and win games. This should ensure that Saturday afternoon should be more entertaining than Tuesday night`s goalless draw.
The Fifers have a good record over St Johnstone principally because of the performances at East End Park but with the last Pars win in this fixture being back in 2001 there`s a need to alter that record.
Details of the Match Programme for our game against
| Pars v St Johnstone: the Full League Record | ||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | |
| At East End Park | 66 | 34 | 12 | 20 | 124 | 91 |
| At Muirton Park / McDiarmid Park | 64 | 19 | 17 | 28 | 88 | 95 |
| Division One (up to 1975) | 36 | 14 | 6 | 16 | 72 | 60 |
| Division Two (up to 1975) | 38 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 68 | 64 |
| Premier Division (since 1975) | 23 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 25 | 22 |
| First Division (since 1975) | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 37 | 39 |
| Second Division (since 1975) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| TOTALS | 130 | 53 | 29 | 48 | 212 | 186 |
The 0-0 draw on Tuesday night will give little indication as to how Saturday`s fixture will work out but St Johnstone won 2-1 earlier this season
|
Milestones v St Johnstone (Home) | |||
|
Last League Victory |
27/10/01 |
2-1 |
SPL |
|
Last League Defeat |
01/11/08 |
Div 1 | |
|
Best League Victory |
21/08/57 |
7-1 |
Div 2* |
|
Worst League Defeat |
21/10/50 |
2-7 |
Div 2* |
|
*Pre league reconstruction | |||
A Dunfermline win could see them rise to fourth if other results went their way but regardless Jim McIntyre and his team want to finish as high up the league as possible. They now can only reach a maximum points total of 56. St Johnstone are three points clear of Thistle in second with their goal difference currently worth an additional point.
It would take a massive collapse by both St Johnstone and Partick Thistle for other teams to enter the promotion frame at this stage. McInnes will still stress to his players that they need to be positive and maintain their lead.
| Dunfermline | St Johnstone |
| Current League Position | |
| 7 | 1 |
| Form last six league matches | |
| LWLDDD | DWLWDD |
| League Points | |
| 41 | 53 |
| Goal Difference | |
| +4 | +12 |
| Home/Away Record | |
| P15, W4, D4, L7 | P5, W4, D9, L2 |
St Johnstone have lost only once - to Livingston - since 30th August but they have had nine draws on the road this season. Dunfermline, sadly, have yet to provide their home fans with a league victory in 2009.
| Form last six home / away | ||||||
| Dunfermline Home | St Johnstone Away | |||||
| Dundee | D | 1-1 | Livingston | L | 0-1 | |
| Partick Thistle | L | 0-1 | Clyde | W | 3-1 | |
| Ross County | L | 1-2 | Queen of the South | D | 3-3 | |
| Queen of the South | L | 0-2 | Ross County | D | 2-2 | |
| Airdrie United | D | 1-1 | Morton | D |
0-0 | |
| Livingston | W | 1-0 | Partick Thistle | D | 0-0 | |
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE: Paul Gallacher; Calum Woods, Greg Shields, Scott Wilson (c), Scott Thomson (Alex Burke 13); David Graham, Steven Bell, Nick Phinn (Greg Ross HT), Jamie Mole (Scott Muirhead 10), Graham Bayne, Andy Kirk.
SUBS NOT USED: Greg Paterson (GK), Rory Loy.
ST JOHNSTONE: Alan Main; Gary Irvine, Steven Anderson (Liam Craig 75), Kevin Moon, Kevin Rutkiewicz, Graham Gartland, Collin Samuel, Chris Millar (Gavin Swankie 82), Derek Holmes (Graham Barrett 62), Steven Milne, Paul Sheerin
SUBS NOT USED: Martin Hardie, Euan McLean
Dunfermline will be struggling to select a team. Nick Phinn, Scott Thomson and Jamie Mole were injured on Tuesday night, Stephen Glass is doubtful having missed that game because of an ankle injury picked up at Airdrie, Graeme Holmes, Kevin Harper and Simon Wiles are long term injuries. This possibly means that subs at Perth, Alex Burke, Scott Muirhead and Greg Ross could come into the starting eleven with Rory Loy and Austin McCann the only other real options remaining for Jim McIntyre. It could be the Pars bench on Saturday will have an average age below 20.
Referee will be Steve O`Reilly. This will be the whistler`s third visit to East End Park this season. He was in charge when Dundee won 1-0 in November and when Pars knocked Clyde out of the cup 2-0 in January. C`mon Ye Pars!
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