Dunfermline 4 Stirling Albion 1
Saturday, 19th Mar 2011IRN BRU First Division: Hardie 31 pen.) 1-0.Corrigan red card (30), McHale red card (32) Mason red card (38). Hardie (45+1) 2-0, Buchanan (54) 3-0; Kane (74) 3-1, Hardie (92) 4-1.
Match changing moment - red card and penalty
MATCH PICTURES
Stirling Albion were the opponents for the second game running. From the starting elevens that started on Tuesday night Jim McIntyre made four changes - two enforced; Andy Kirk, (back spasm), Calum Woods (foot injury) while Graham Bayne, and Chris Higgins dropped out meaning Andy Dowie, Kevin Rutkiewicz, Martin Hardie and Liam Buchanan started. Albion`s Jocky Scott made three changes Scott Buist, Ross Forsyth and Stephen Stirling starting in place of Michael Mullen, Chris Aitken (injured) and the suspended Doyle.
Stirling kicked off attacking the McCathie Stand end but Dunfermline through Joe Cardle put in an early cross for Scott Christie to hold. On six minutes Stirling won possession off Gary Mason and Tom Brighton peeled away from Alex Keddie but the final effort was poor and Chris Smith held.
First on target effort of the afternoon was in 11 minutes from Stephen Stirling but Smith held the long range shot. At the other end the home fans were encouraged as Buchanan accepted a Dowie pass to flash the ball through the six yard box but it evaded everyone including Cardle who it was intended for.
A Rutkiewicz pass in 16 minutes picked out Buchanan and he forced the first corner of the game but Cardle`s delivery was low to the near post and was easily cleared. Five minutes later Hardie came extremely close to breaking the deadlock when he headed Austin McCann`s cross from the byeline on to the right goalpost. Minutes later Hardie blasted a 30 yarder over the crossbar.
Stirling`s first corner in 26 minutes was followed by another from the opposite side but Paul McHale`s delivery from the left caused no problems. McHale then curled a free kick straight into Smith. The keeper`s clearance was poorly dealt with by Martyn Corrigan and he ended up pulling down Stephen McDougall on the left side of the box. Referee Steven Nicholls awarded a penalty and in the circumstances Corrigan earned himself a red card with Paul McHale being shown yellow for protesting.
Martin HARDIE grabbed the ball as self appointed penalty kick taker in the absence of Andy Kirk, and after Stirling`s objections sent the ball low to the keeper`s left. Arguments continued and before Stirling restarted, Paul McHale crossed with the referee to be shown another yellow card and then a red. The bottom of the table side were to face just under an hour with only nine men.
The one sidedness was balanced up ever so slightly six minutes later when Mason`s challenge on Brighton earned him a straight red. A through ball on 45 minutes saw Cardle race into the right side of the box and when Sean Welsh pushed him on the back yet another penalty was given and Welsh saw yellow. HARDIE sent the ball down the middle to beat Christie and put the Pars in two up at the break.
Half Time: Dunfermline 2 Stirling Albion 0
Pat Clarke replaced Steven McDougall for the second act and the sub could have scored twice in the opening minute. Firstly he missed a McCann cross to the far post and then his header was held by Christie. A Scott Robertson shot was turned behind by Smith and Stirling had a 53rd minute corner. That was defended and play was quickly up the other end for BUCHANAN to score from 25 yards with the aid of a deflection off Stephen Stirling that wrong footed Scott Christie. 3-0 Dunfermline.
The referee continued to air his cards and the already booked Scott Robertson and Joe Cardle were subbed as a precautionary move. Sub Ryan Thomson came close to opening his Dunfermline account in 70 minutes but the ball travelled across goal and beyond the far post. Three minutes later he rose to meet a David Graham cross but his header fell wide right.
Stirling Albion got a goal back in 74 minutes when Welsh`s free kick from the right touchline sent the ball into the Pars six yard box. Alex Burke had a poor touch on the clearance, teeing the shot up for Michael Mullen and although Smith stopped that John KANE turned the ball in for 3-1.
The goal never looked like starting a Stirling revival but at the same time Dunfermline failed to create much to improve their goal difference. It did look like they had to score four minutes from time; Buchanan got to the byeline to cut back from the left. Hardie, despite being on a hat-trick slipped the ball right to the better placed Thomson but he blasted over the bar from eight yards. McCann`s 90th minute cross was touched on by Buchanan to Clarke but he sent his effort narrowly wide of the left goalpost. Martin HARDIE did complete his threesome however in the second minute of added time, heading home a Graham corner from the left.
Picking up on Tuesday night`s game, Stirling were disdainful and even supercilious in showing contempt of Dunfermline at the start but after losing their discipline never looked like taking anything from this game. A welcome three points for the Pars combined with Raith Rovers taking just one at Cappielow and it is back in Dunfermline`s hands - win the last eight and you are up.
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Higgins, Greg Paterson (GK).
SCORERS: Hardie (31 pen., 45+1 pen., 92), Buchanan (54)
YELLOW CARD: Cardle (59), Hardie (59)
RED CARD: Mason (38)
STIRLING ALBION: Scott Christie; Sean Welsh, Martyn Corrigan, Scott Buist, Ross Forsyth; Stephen Stirling (John Kane 67), Brian Allison, Paul McHale, Ryan Borris:, Scott Robertson (Andy Gibson 60), Tom Brighton (Michael Mullen 58),
SUBS NOT USED: Josh Flood, Murray Jackson (GK)
SCORERS: Kane (74)
YELLOW CARD: McHale (30), Welsh (45), Robertson (56), Buist (60).
RED CARD: Corrigan (30), McHale (32)
REFEREE: Steven Nicholls
WEATHER: Overcast 10°C
ATTENDANCE 2553
NEXT MATCH: (away) SFL First Division v Dundee
Tuesday 22nd March 2011, kick off 7.45pm
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Dunfermline vs Stirling Abion
Sat, 19th Mar 2011
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Preview Stirling Albion
Wednesday, 16th Mar 2011Saturday 19th March 2011. Stirling Albion for the second time this week
Just four days after the Pars 1-1 draw at the Doubletree Hilton Stadium, Stirling Albion are the opposition again on Saturday. As both managers reminded us after Tuesday night`s game, this will be a different game and things could be very different. Pars fans certainly hope so, after watching their team struggle to score against the bottom of the table side who had been reduced to ten men before half time.
The record shows that Dunfermline have had the upper hand in league matches against Stirling Albion having won 25 to the Binos 20.
| PARS v STIRLING ALBION: THE FULL LEAGUE RECORD | ||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | |
| At East End Park | 28 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 59 | 33 |
| At Annfield Park / Forthbank Stadium | 31 | 10 | 6 | 15 | 46 | 51 |
| Division One (up to 1975) | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 34 | 17 |
| Division Two (up to 1975) | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 22 | 26 |
| First Division (since 1975) | 21 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 34 | 24 |
| Second Division (since 1975) | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 17 |
| TOTALS | 59 | 25 | 14 | 20 | 102 | 84 |
| Note: This does not include results against Stirling`s earlier and now defunct club, Kings Park, against whom Dunfermline played in the Scottish League Division 2 between 1921 and 1939 | ||||||
The Binos last won at East End Park in April 1993. Since then they have returned five times in the league and once in the Challenge Cup. On all six occasions they have left defeated.
|
Milestones v Stirling Albion (Home) | |||
|
Last League Victory |
30/10/10 |
Div 1 | |
|
Last League Defeat |
03/04/93 |
0-2 |
Div 1 |
|
Best League Victory |
02/12/67 |
6-0 |
Div 1* |
|
Worst League Defeat |
18/10/47 |
3-5 |
Div 2* |
|
*Pre league reconstruction | |||
On the last visit to East End Park Stirling were defeated 3-0 thanks to goals from Wullie Gibson, Andy Kirk and Calum Woods.
| Last Seven League Games | ||||
| 2010/11 | ||||
| 15/03/11 | Stirling Albion | 1-1 | Dunfermline | First Division |
| 30/10/10 | Dunfermline | 3-0 | Stirling Albion | First Division |
| 28/08/10 | Stirling Albion | 1-5 | Dunfermline | First Division |
| 2007/08 | ||||
| 25/03/08 | Stirling Albion | 2-3 | Dunfermline | First Division |
| 29/12/07 | Dunfermline | 2-1 | Stirling Albion | First Division |
| 27/10/07 | Stirling Albion | 3-0 | Dunfermline | First Division |
| 25/08/07 | Dunfermline | 2-1 | Stirling Albion | First Division |
Stirling still sit at the foot of the table on 16 points while Dunfermline are now four behind leaders Raith Rovers. The visitors have not won in their last sixteen games whereas Dunfermline have lost only one of their last six games. Stirling have conceded 20 goals in their last seven games on the road.
| Dunfermline | Stirling Albion |
| Current League Position | |
| 2 | 10 |
| Form last six league matches | |
| DLWDWD | LDLDLD |
| League Points | |
| 47 | 16 |
| Goal Difference | |
| +19 | -33 |
| Home/Away Record | |
| P13, W7, D5, L1 | P13, W2, D3, L8 |
Stirling have won twice away from home in this SFL season, at Raith Rovers and at Partick Thistle but have lost in 13 of their away league games. Dunfermline were unbeaten at home until Morton`s visit at the beginning of the month.
| Form last six home / away | ||||||
| Dunfermline (home) | Stirling Albion (away) | |||||
| Ross County | D | 1-1 | Raith Rovers | L | 1-2 | |
| Morton | L | 1-3 | Queen of the South | D | 2-2 | |
| Falkirk | D | 1-1 | Ross County | D | 0-0 | |
| Montrose | W | Partick Thistle | L | 1-6 | ||
| Dundee | D | Dundee | L | 0-2 | ||
| Cowdenbeath | W | Cowdenbeath | L | 1-5 | ||
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE: Chris Smith; Calum Woods, Chris Higgins, Alex Keddie, Austin McCann (c); David Graham, Gary Mason, Steven McDougall (Liam Buchanan 73); Trialist (Pat Clarke 57), Andy Kirk, Joe Cardle,
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Thomson, Alex Burke, Greg Paterson (GK).
STIRLING ALBION: Scott Christie; Michael Doyle, Brian Allison, Martyn Corrigan, Ryan Borris, Chris Aitken (Stephen Stirling 21), Paul McHale, Scott Robertson, Sean Welsh, Michael Mullen (John Kane 85), Tom Brighton (Gordon Smith 76).
SUBS NOT USED: Andy Gibson, Murray Jackson (GK)
Stirling will have Scott Buist returning from suspension but Gordon Smith will be suspended. Ross Forsyth will also be available. Referee will be Steven Nicholls with the refeee observer being George Clyde.
C`mon Ye Pars!
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