U19s v Morton
Sunday, 14th Mar 2010Paul Willis returns to spur on his team mates and score in comfortable victory over Morton
DUNFERMLINE 3 MORTON 1
MATCH PICTURES
The Pars got off to a poor start gift wrapping the visitors the lead in just eight minutes. They had seen a first minute Paul Willis corner headed on target by Lee Graham but the ball was cleared off the line. Pars keeper Craig Bald had held a shot and turned another around his post before a high ball into the box from the right touchline line, midway inside the Pars half, looked destined for the usually sticky hands of the keeper. Unfortunately he failed to hold on to the cross under the challenge of the smallest man on the park, former Pars youth player, Chris GORDON. He was still on his knees when he scrambled the ball into the net.
First team squad member Willis will still be under 19 at the start of next season but with just four matches this year he was only too pleased to be included in this game. Paul soon got to grips with the competition and pumped over corner after corner. The tenth minute delivery from the left was headed down by Lee Graham and Conner Schivone was unlucky to have his effort kept out by the Morton defence.
Schivone sent over a cross from the left corner flag that picked out Steven Leslie, but given two bites at the chance he still managed to power the ball over the crossbar. The equaliser did however come after John MacDonald`s shot at a 25th minute free kick was turned behind for a corner. This time the Morton defence was preoccupied by Graham as Willis sent in the ball and Steven LESLIE was able to head home.
The goal was well deserved since Dunfermline had shown some good football building up play with passing moves from the back. This continued with MacDonald sending in a cross that Schivone headed over the bar. At the other end Bald was kept alert turning a Gordon shot around his post.
Leslie shot just left of target and after Aaron Scott was penalised for his challenge on Ryan Kane, Morton`s McLaughlin sent the free kick over Bald`s bar. The final chance of the first half came to Leslie from a Rees Smith cross but Ryan McWiliams held the striker`s effort.
Half Time: Dunfermline 1 Morton 1
Two minutes into the second half SCHIVONE was sent through and he held his nerve as McWilliams charged out to challenge. The Pars striker was left with the simple task of finding the open goal from 25 yards. Willis` 57th minute attempt was turned out for a corner and after a brief flurry from the opposition Lewis Turner drove the next good opportunity wide left. The chance was well constructed with Willis setting up McWhirter for the cross. Leslie and Turner fought for an opening with the latter eventually getting the shot in.
In 77 minutes Scott fed Willis a good ball that allowed him a shot that the keeper had to turn behind for a corner. Willis plodded from one corner flag to the other as the Pars kept up the pressure with Harry McGregor getting the final chance but he was taken by surprise as the ball came through a ruck of players to land at his feet just outside the right post.
Having been pushed upfront as a result of the substitution of Schivone, WILLIS put the result out of doubt with a 81st minute goal that he curled inside the left post from 16 yards. Scott was again the provider but the keeper stood no chance as the well placed shot was always netbound. Two minutes later Willis was extremely unlucky not to add a second, he lobbed the keeper but a defender got back to clear off the line.
DUNFERMLINE: Craig Bald; Blair McWhirter (Stuart Thomson 86), Lee Graham, Harry McGregor, Rees Smith; Paul Wilis, Aaron Scott, Lewis Turner, John MacDonald; Steven Leslie (Jordan Glennie 86), Conner Schivone (Craig McManus 73)
SUBS NOT USED: Dean Elder
SCORERS: Leslie (25), Schivone (47), Willis (81) SUB NOT USED:
MORTON: Ryan McWilliams; Jason Butterworth, Nathan Shepherd, David Donnelly, Mark Melville (Danny Friel 74), Jamie Docherty (Darren Cowan 54), Chris McLaughlin, Darren McLean, Chris Gordon, Ryan Kane, Darren Docherty (Ryan Beattie 62)
SUBS NOT USED: Alastair Deans (GK), Gary Pettigrew
SCORERS: Gordon (8)
YELLOW CARD: McLaughlin (42), Gordon (45+1), Melville (56)
REFEREE:
WEATHER:
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: (away) U19 League v Partick Thistle
Sunday 21st March 2010 tbc
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