Dunfermline 2 Morton 1

Tuesday, 5th May 2009

Stephen Glass in for Calum Woods. 1-0 to the Pars after 56 - Rory Loy. Morton equalised in 62. Kirk winner in 87.

Stephen Glass returned after serving a two match suspension. Steven Bell picked up a calf strain in the warm up on Saturday and he and Calum Woods missed this game. Eric Paartulu dropped to the bench for Morton to make way for Steven Masterton, Morton`s only change from the team that lost at Perth on Saturday.

There was a fifteen minute delay in the kick off because of a calf injury to one of the match officials and as the crowd waited in anticipation, stadium announcer Alex Mill kept them fully informed of the news and two early goals at the Emirates Stadium`s Champions League Semi Final.

Dunfermline had a chance inside two minutes when Graham Bayne accepted a long ball and got away a good shot on target requiring Kevin Cuthbert to touch the ball around his right hand post. From the corner Alex Burke exchanged passes with Stephen Glass before delivering a ball to the near post that Bayne directed wide.

Morton created a good opening in six minutes when Kevin Finlayson got the ball in from the right for Ryan McGuffie but his header at the near post was destined to clear the crossbar. McGuffie was unlucky again when a loose ball from a Morton throw was allowed to bounce through the Pars box.

Finlayson found himself with the opportunity to shoot from 25 yards but fortunately his 15th minute shot was well off target. Next David Graham took the heat off his defence, going on a long run from deep inside his own half but his final pass to Bayne was just too far in front of the striker.

Iain Russell won a corner in 18th minute and when Masterton sent that in from the right Stewart Greachen got good purchase on a header from 14 yards but that cleared the crossbar.  Masterton had a fair attempt from a 30 yard free kick but was too high and sent the ball into the McCathie Stand.

The Pars response was firstly a 30 yard drive from Andy Kirk that brought Cuthbert into action but Jim McIntyre was forced into making a 25th minute substitution bringing on Rory Loy for captain Scott Wilson.  Stephen Glass dropped back to left back and Scott Muirhead found himself in central defence. 

Loy exercised Cuthbert with a great attempt in 34 minutes from the left angle of the box but the Morton keeper tipped that away for a corner.  It was a corner from the left that created another chance for the hosts just three minutes later. Graham played the ball deep for Burke to square to Nick Phinn.  The top scoring midfielder came close sending his shot dipping left of goal.

Next minute another great chance for Dunfermline was missed. Kirk was wide right to swing over an inviting ball that Phinn again directed wide.  As half time approached the Pars piled on the pressure with Loy just failing to get enough on a Ross cross and Bayne being denied by McManus.

Phinn had two bites at the cherry as Morton just couldn`t clear their box. The Greenock side lived dangerously at another corner but Paul Gallacher had to punch away a visitors corner from under his bar before the interval arrived. It had been quite an entertaining first 45, no goals but at least at the break the home fans could applaud their side off.

Half Time: Dunfermline 0 Morton 0

Bayne and Kirk got the second period underway but it was five mnutes before there was a shot at goal and that from Jim McAllister was wildly high. The Pars then won a corner and although the first onslaught was defended Burke swung over the second and Bayne got in a powerful header that a defender blocked.

A 55th minute free kick was launched into the Pars box by Masterton and Greachen made a spectacular diving effort but just failed to keep his header low enough.  Next minute it was so different.  A sprint up the right from Graham won him a shot at goal on the angle and Cuthbert could not hold the fiercely executed effort.  The ball broke to LOY who netted from close in finding the net at the far post despite Greachen`s attempt to stop it.

Davie Irons team came right at Dunfermline after going behind. A Masterton free kick was cleared by a diving header from Muirhead, Carlo Monti had a shot deflected for a corner and then in 62 minutes MONTI netted from 20 yards after the ball broke to him after a first attempt was blocked.

Bayne glanced a Glass cross just wide of the right goalpost before Morton had bad luck as another Monti belter rebounded off the heels of McAllister 14 yards out.  Burke fired over and Graham wide. A Graham cut back into the box was left by Kirk but a timely interception denied Phinn of another goal.

With third place in the league the likely prize for the winners Morton battled on and came close with a McAllister corner that was flicked on by McManus, palmed away by Gallacher and the hit over the bar by Greachen.

Five minutes from time McGuffie`s ball from the left was headed ever so narrowly wide of the right post and at the other end Bayne`s on target header was tipped away by Cuthbert. Then in 87th minute of the game, something we`d all waited too long for - a winning Pars league goal at east End Park.  A simple cross from the right was met by the right foot of Andy KIRK and the ball rattled down into the net off the crossbar.

It may not have had the glamour of the Champions League but it was end to end stuff for the whole 90 minutes. The first league win at home since December and three points clear now in third place.

DUNFERMLINE: Paul Gallacher; Greg Ross, Scott Wilson (c) (Rory Loy 25), Austin McCann, Scott Muirhead; David Graham, Nick Phinn, Stephen Glass, Alex Burke, Scott Muirhead; Graham Bayne, Andy Kirk
SUBS NOT USED: Lee Graham, Scott McBride, Paul Willis, Greg Paterson (GK)
SCORERS: Loy (56), Kirk (87)

MORTON: Kevin Cuthbert; Alex Walker, Allan McManus, Stewart Greacen, Ryan McGuffie (Eric Paartulu 90+2); Kevin Finlayson, Carlo Monti, Steven Masterton, James McAllister, Peter Weatherson (Brian Wake 80), Iain Russell.
SUBS NOT USED: James Grady, Chris Smith, Ryan McWilliams
SCORERS: Monti (62)

REFEREE: Brian Winter
WEATHER: Wet, windy 11°C
ATTENDANCE 1348

NEXT MATCH: (home) First Division v Clyde
Saturday 9th May 2009, kick off 3.00pm

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Preview Morton

Sunday, 3rd May 2009

The home league record against Morton is impressive with more games won that lost and drawn put together. If the first half performance from Saturday be replicated then there should be no problem.

After Saturday`s success at Dumfries Tuesday night`s match against Morton cannot come quickly enough. A victory in the fixture originally planned for the weekend of the Homecoming Scottish Cup Semi Final could as near as damn it clinch third place for Dunfermline behind St Johnstone and Partick Thistle. 

The home league record against Morton is impressive with more games won that lost and drawn put together.

Pars v Morton: The Full League Record
	P	W	D	L	F	A
At East End	36	20	8	8	70	36
At Cappielow	36	13	12	11	43	41
Division One (up to 1975)	20	10	5	5	38	22
Division Two (up to 1975)	16	7	5	4	27	22
Premier League (since 1975)	4	3	1	0	10	3
First Division (since 1975)	31	13	9	9	38	29
TOTALS	72	33	20	19	113	76

The Pars certainly fair better historically but lost 1-0 the last time the Greenock side came to East End Park.  The best performance came in February 1965 when two goals each from Jackie Sinclair and Alex Ferguson, and one each from John McLauchlin and Bert Paton set the record league win over Morton at East End Park.

Milestones v Morton (Home)
Last League Victory	26/01/08	2-0	SFL
Last League Defeat	22/11/08	0-1	SFL
Best League Victory	29/01/66	6-0	Div 1*
Worst League Defeat	1953/54	1-3	Div 2*
*Pre league reconstruction

In the last twelve meetings honours the Pars have only won three, Morton six and there have been three draws.  

Last Twelve Matches v Morton
28/02/09	A	L	1-2	Scottish Division One
22/11/08	H	L	0-1	Scottish Division One
27/09/08	A	D	1-1	Scottish Division One
19/04/08	A	L	0-3	Scottish Division One
26/01/08	H	W	2-0	Scottish Division One
26/12/07	A	W	1-0	Scottish Division One
11-08-07	H	L	0-1	Scottish Division One
06-05-00	A	L	0-2	Scottish Division One
12-02-00	H	D	1-1	Scottish Division One
11-12-99	A	L	3-0	Scottish Division One
21-08-99	H	W	2-1	Scottish Division One
10-08-99	H	D	2-2	Scottish League Challenge Cup

The Pars earned a draw at Cappielow in September when a late Ross Campbell goal levelled the scoring after Brian Wake had put the home side ahead. The second trip to the Tail of the Bank ended in defeat and the most recent visit to East End Park also turned out the wrong way. The first home match in November saw Davie Irons side leave with the points and the Pars really need revenge for one point from the nine so far available.

Ross Campbell and Graham Bayne celebrate goal at Cappielow

Dunfermline	Morton
Current League Position
3	4
Form last six league matches
DDDLWW	LDWWLL
League Points
47	47
Goal Difference
+7	+3
Home/Away Record
P16, W4, D4, L8	P17, W4, D4, L9

Morton were ahead at McDiarmid Park on Saturday through a Ryan McGuffie penalty but they were not to spoil the Perth party as Saints came back to win 3-1. A home win, or even two in the final two games of the 2008-09 season would be warmly welcomed by the East End Park faithful who have not witnessed a home league win since defeating Livingston on 30th December last year. If the first half performance from Saturday be replicated on Tuesday then there should be no problem.

Form last six home / away
Dunfermline Home				Morton Away
St Johnstone	L	1-3		St Johnstone	L	1-3
Dundee	D	1-1		Livingston	W	2-0
Partick Thistle	L	0-1		Ross County	D	1-1
Ross County	L	1-2		Queen of the South	D	1-1
Queen of the South	L	0-2		Clyde	W	4-2
Airdrie United	D	1-1		Partick Thistle	L	0-1

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v QOS): Paul Gallacher; Greg Ross, Calum Woods, Scott Wilson (c), Austin McCann; David Graham, Steven Bell, Alex Burke, Scott Muirhead;  Graham Bayne (Jamie Mole, 82),  Andy Kirk (Rory Loy 76) .
SUBS: Greg Paterson (GK), Lee Graham, Paul Willis.

MORTON: (v St Johnstone) Kevin Cuthbert; Alex Walker, Allan McManus, Stewart Greacen, Ryan McGuffie; Kevin Finlayson, Monti, Eric Paartulu (Barry Smith 80), Peter Weatherson, James Grady (Iain Russell 66), Brian Wake.
SUBS NOT USED:  Allan Jenkins, Liam Kerrigan, Ryan McWilliams.

Stephen Glass is available again after serving a two match suspension.  Steven Bell picked up a calf strain in the warm up on Saturday and he will be doubtful for this game. 

Referee for the match will be Brian Winter.

C`mon Ye Pars!

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