Raith Rovers 1 Dunfermline 2
Saturday, 20th Mar 2010IRN BRU First Division: Burke for Bell the only change for Dunfermline. Simmons red card (33). Mason (50) 1-0, Tade (66) 1-1, Graham (83) 2-1
The second Fife Derby in five days saw Jim McIntyre make just one change from the side that won 2-1 on Tuesday night. Steven Bell`s first half red card in that match put him out for the trip to Kirkcaldy making way for the return of Alex Burke. The Rovers made three changes as their injury woes continued. David Armstrong, Darren Smith and Dene Shields came into John McGlynn`s starting eleven.
A free kick for Andy Dowie`s challenge on Gregory Tade gave the home side a second minute opportunity from 35 yards but Allan Walker blasted that high into the Pars support. Four minutes later Iain Wlliamson went down under a challenge from Austin McCann but Darren Smith curled the 25 yard attempt wide of the right goalpost.
Tade caused problems for the left side of the Pars defence to set up Dene Shields. His shot was blocked by Chris Higgins but the Rovers did force the first corner of the game. In tenth minute Walker`s delivery from the right was overhit but still Dunfermline found it hard to get their game going on the thinly covered pitch.
A series of successful passes did put Graeme Holmes in to the left byeline five minutes later and when David Graham crossed Willie Gibson won a corner off Ferry. Gibson`s ball from the coner kick on the right posed no problems as did his free kick in 23 minutes that was hit diagonally through the Rovers box.
Woods turned a Tade effort behind for a corner on the right but the defence got that away and McDougall sent the ball long to Gibson. Unfortunately Gibson was dispossessed by Smith and any chance of hitting on the break was gone.
Stephen Simmons was yellow carded for his 31st minute tackle on Burke that subsequently caused him to be subbed by Joe Cardle but that was not before Raith were controversially reduced to ten men. Just two minutes after referee Scott MacDonald had taken his name Simmons went down on the right side of the box as Higgins tackled. The tackle was fair but the Raith player went up in the air and got shown a second yellow for simulation.
Cardle attempted to make an immediate impact launching one of his trademark runs inside to shoot over the crossbar from 25 yards. Dunfermline certainly looked more confident with the one man advantage but they had still to test Raith keeper David McGurn when the half time whistle went.
Half Time: Raith Rovers 0 Dunfermline 0
The second half was only five minutes old when Dunfermline scored the opener. David Graham tantalised Laurie Ellis on the right side but beat his man to cut inside the box and release a fine low shot on target. The ball broke off a defender and Gary MASON was on hand to crash the ball home from 16 yards.
Play continued to flow towards McGurn`s goal and it was Graham again who got to the byeline but no one could strike. Graham got fantastic leverage on a Woods cross only for McGurn to make a phenomenal save from the Pars players strike from 15 yards.
Cardle then fired a low shot in at an angle that McGurn turned behind and although Dowie headed the 58th minute corner firmly he was wide right. Next Gibson broke into the penalty box but messed up his shot when in a good position.
The game was not won yet. Mason conceded a corner with a no messing tactic at the corner flag and when Allan Walker sent over the 66th minute corner Frenchman Greg TADE rose to head in at the far post.
Four minutes later Greg Fleming was well out his box in the left back position when he chopped down Tade. With the Rovers support screaming for a red card, Scott MacDonald brought out a yellow. The decision was correct but that didn`t prevent those watching through dark blue spectacles branding the decision a "disgrace".
Gibson drove a 77 minute free kick low into the arms of the keeper and then Woods played a neat 1-2 off Gibson to get into position to fire low towards the bottom right but again McGurn was able to turn the ball around his post for a corner.
A Gibson free kick went for another corner on the left. Gibson`s yellow boot sent that over which Raith defended but the Pars kept up the pressure, Phinn winning a free kick but again Gibson`s delivery failed to get any takers. Ross Campbell had only just replaced Steven McDougall when he slipped the ball on for David GRAHAM to break and this time he took the chance drilling the ball into the bottom right. 2-1.
There were some nervy moments as the clock ran away from Raith but in the end the third successive 2-1 league win over Raith Rovers took the Pars to within three points of leaders Dundee who lost 3-0 at Airdrie.
SUBS NOT USED: Javier Amaya, Gary O`Connor (GK).
SCORERS: Tade (66)
YELLOW CARD: Simmons (31), Walker (54)
RED CARD: Simmons (33)
DUNFERMLINE: Greg Fleming; Calum Woods, Chris Higgins, Andy Dowie, Austin McCann (c); Alex Burke (Joe Cardle 34): Willie Gibson, Graeme Holmes (Nick Phinn 20), Gary Mason, David Graham; Steven McDougall (Ross Campbell 81)
SUBS NOT USED: Neil McGregor, Greg Paterson (GK).
SCORERS: Mason (50), Graham (83)
YELLOW CARD: Fleming (70), McCann (77)
REFEREE: Scott MacDonald
WEATHER: Dry Sunny 11°C
ATTENDANCE 4098
NEXT MATCH: (home) First Division v Partick Thistle
Tuesday 23rd March 2010, kick off 7.45pm
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Preview Raith Rovers
Wednesday, 17th Mar 2010Jim McIntyre will be hoping to do the double this week following up Tuesday night`s win with victory in Kirkcaldy.
ADMISSION PRICES
Back in August Dunfermline and Raith Rovers met twice in the same week, the Pars won the first, Rovers the second. Jim McIntyre will be hoping to do the double this week following up Tuesday night`s win with victory in Kirkcaldy. This will be just the second match at Stark`s Park between the sides since 3rd January 2000 and history shows that there is little between them; Dunfermline ahead 35 - 31 on wins and in Kirkcaldy the advantage is still two at 16 - 13.
|
Pars v Raith Rovers: The Full League Record | ||||||
|
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
|
At |
44 |
19 |
7 |
18 |
79 |
67 |
|
At Stark`s Park |
43 |
16 |
14 |
13 |
63 |
67 |
|
Division One (up to 1975) |
22 |
10 |
8 | 4 |
51 |
|
|
Division Two (up to 1975) |
22 |
10 | 4 |
8 |
42 |
|
|
Premier League (since 1975) |
4 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
|
First Division (since 1975) |
30 |
8 |
7 |
15 |
25 |
|
| Second Division (since 1975) | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 17 |
|
TOTALS |
87 |
35 |
21 |
31 |
142 |
134 |
The Pars best win at Stark`s Park was over 15 years ago when Stewart Petrie and Kenny Ward hit doubles and Hamish French hit the net in a 5-2 win. The last visit was a disastrous 3-0 defeat in the New Year Derby.
|
Milestones v Raith Rovers (away) | |||
|
Last League Victory |
07/11/09 |
SPL | |
|
Last League Defeat |
03/01/00 |
0-3 |
First Div |
|
Best League Victory |
29/10/94 |
5-2 |
Div One (old) |
|
Worst League Defeat |
01/01/83 |
0-6 |
Div One (old) |
In the last eleven league fixtures the Pars have won six of them, Raith three and two have ended all square.
| Last eleven league meetings | ||||
| 2009/10 | ||||
| First Division | Dunfermline | 2-1 | Raith Rovers | 16/03/10 |
| First Division | Raith Rovers | 1-2 | Dunfermline | 07/11/09 |
| First Division | Dunfermline | 0-2 | Raith Rovers | 29/08/09 |
| 1999/2000 | ||||
| First Division | Dunfermline | 0-2 | Raith Rovers | 18/03/00 |
| First Division | Raith Rovers | 3-0 | Dunfermline | 03/01/00 |
| First Division | Dunfermline | 1-1 | Raith Rovers | 06/11/99 |
| First Division | Raith Rovers | 2-2 | Dunfermline | 18/09/99 |
| 1996/97 | ||||
| SPL | Raith Rovers | 0-1 | Dunfermline | 15/03/97 |
| SPL | Dunfermline | 2-0 | Raith Rovers | 01/01/97 |
| SPL | Raith Rovers | 1-2 | Dunfermline | 16/11/96 |
| SPL | Dunfermline | 3-1 | Raith Rovers | 28/09/96 |
Recent league results have lifted the Pars into third place and leaders Dundee are now only six points ahead with only one game in hand. Unfortunately there are a few other First Division teams with more games in hand also eyeing up the leaders spot.
| Raith Rovers | Dunfermline |
| Current League Position | |
| 7 | 3 |
| League Results | |
| WLLLWL | LWWDWW |
| League Points | |
| 29 | 43 |
| Goal Difference | |
| +9 | -6 |
| Home/Away Record | |
| P12, W4, D4, L4 | P13, W5, D4, L4 |
Dunfermline will be hoping to extend their unbeaten league record to six games.
| Recent Form Home / Away | ||||||
| Raith Rovers (home) | Dunfermline (away) | |||||
| Ross County | W | 1-0 | Airdrie United | D | 1-1 | |
| Inverness Caley Thistle | L | 0-4 | Morton | W | 2-0 | |
| Aberdeen | D | 1-1 | Ross County | D | 2-2 | |
| Airdrie United | D | 1-1 | Stenhousemuir | W | 2-1 | |
| Morton | L |
1-2 |
Partick Thistle | W | 4-1 | |
| Partick Thistle | W | 1-0 | Dundee | L | 2-3 | |
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Raith Rovers): Greg Fleming; Calum Woods, Chris Higgins, Andy Dowie, Austin McCann (c); Graeme Holmes (Nick Phinn 67), Steven Bell, Gary Mason, Willie Gibson (Alex Burke 67); Steven McDougall (Ross Campbell 84), David Graham.
SUBS: Greg Ross, Greg Paterson (GK).
RAITH ROVERS (v Dunfermline): David McGurn; Grant Murray, Laurence Ellis, Thierry Gathuessi (Robert Sloan 38), Mark Ferry, Allan Walker, Iain Williamson, Stephen Simmons, Johnny Russell (Darren Smith,84),Graham Weir (Dene Shields 19), Gregory Tade.
SUBS: Gary O`Connor (GK), Craig Wedderburn.
Referee will be Scott MacDonald.
Come on ye Pars!
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