Dunfermline 0 Partick Thistle 1

Saturday, 18th Aug 2012

Jags take the points as Pars made one change - Joe Cardle in for Alex Whittle: Steven Lawless (24) 0-1;

Dunfermline`s first home league match of the 2012-13 season saw Jackie McNamara`s Partick Thistle side travel to East End Park.  Jim Jefferies introduced Joe Cardle into the starting eleven from Cowdenbeath the previous week. For the visitors Jackie McNamara had shuffled his pack for the cup tie v Queens Park in midweek but he brought six players back for this game: Scott Fox was between the sticks, Alan Archibald, Kris Doolan, Steve Lawless, Chris Erskine and Hugh Murray returned.

There were queues outside East End Park reaching back to the Aldi car park entrance just ten minutes before kick off and when Partick got the game underway it was the Pars who threatened from the start. Ryan Thomson in four minutes forced the first corner of the game; Cardle sent that in from the left and the ball flashed tantalisingly through the six yard box with no takers.

Three minutes later Doolan forced the first of three quick corners but Paul Gallacher came for the third and held commandingly.  This gave the visitors a lift and they confidently strung together a number of passes that frustrated the Fifers for a spell. Cardle was given the chance to send in a free kick but that was defended and then in 14 minutes Paul Willis found Thomson on the edge of the box but his effort went wide right.

Partick lived dangerously with Archibald losing possession in his box but his defence recovered only for Murray to be caught by Falkingham. Decision was a free kick against the Pars. At the other end Chris Erskine got a shot on target but it took a deflection and Gall dived to his right to hold easily.

Thistle took their chance however in 24 minutes. Erskine threaded a ball into the centre of the Pars box that Steve LAWLESS took round John Potter and stuck away to Gallacher`s right. 0-1.

In reply Willis got a shot on target from 20 yards but his attempt didn`t have enough on it to give Scott Fox any problems. The visitors continued to take the game to Dunfermline, play got stuck in the Pars half with Erskine and Lawless absolutely buzzing. Cardle was doing a lot of spoiling but as an attacking unit the Pars lacked a threat.

Eight minutes from the break Jordan McMillan had to go off after treatment from physio Kenny Murray that failed to mend an ankle problem. Stephen Husband replaced him after he limped off and then had the chance for immediate glory when played through but the 25 year old Thistle keeper won the race.

When Thistle miscued the ball it came back into the centre of their box where Willis headed it down for Thomson and he went down under the challenge from Archibald but the decision from Iain Brines was no penalty.

The Pars had a good chance from an angled Andy Geggan pass into the Partick box.  Cardle gathered but got dispossessed before he could get in a shot. So Thistle went in ahead at the break and the Pars players certainly knew that they had been in a game.  Hopefully the half time talk can inject some fresh ideas for the home team.

Half Time: Dunfermline 0 Partick Thistle 1

Bright summer sunshine welcomed the teams back on to the pitch and the Pars set off attacking the goal in front of the McCathie Stand. It was Partick within three minutes who created a good chance with Sean Welsh hammering a shot narrowly wide of the left post from 30 yards out.

Cardle gave Fox a save to make rising to hold the Pars stars` looping ball.  A Barrowman ball for Thomson just in front of goal was timely defended and then a Cardle pass was directed wide right from a Willis header.

In front of their own fans Thistle stroked the ball around successfully with pace and Paul Paton had a crack at goal from 25 yards and a deflection took that close but outside that left post again.  Dunfermline then got their opportunity with Cardle centering but both Willis and Thomson failing to accept it. An immediate reaction was to introduce Andy Kirk, coming off the bench to replace Josh Falkingham in 58 minutes.

Dowie then Thomson and Barrowman headers failed to make the breakthrough and a firmly hit Willis cross was cleared by the opposition defence. At the other end Gallacher held a Paton shot after Erskine had slipped the ball right for this team mate.

On 65 minutes Barrowman raced clear down the left but his cut back for Kirk was behind his co-striker and the chance had gone. Then in the next attack Kirk teed up Cardle but a Partick man dived in to stop the shot. It was end to end by now and Paton`s cross was well defended by Geggan. Welsh was next allowed to line up Paton for a shot and this time fortunately high over the bar.

In 71 minutes an Andy Dowie ball into the Partick box was headed on from a defenders head to Cardle on the left but he couldn`t convert the chance. After Willis was tackled by Bannigan, Thistle broke on the counter and with the ball coming off the heel of Erskine, Lawless had a chance but the Pars were let off. Alex Whittle then replaced Willis in 77 minutes as Jim Jefferies made his final change of the afternoon.

Cardle sent an inviting ball across the Thistle box and then Husband sent over a free kick that created an opening for Dowie but his shot from ten yards didn`t have enough behind it to crack the defence.  Barrowman shot from 20 yards but was wide right before in 85 minutes Welsh crossed from the left for Erskine on the edge of the box. The striker composed himself and shot just outside the right post.

The Pars made a final push. Potter came close to a Cardle corner from the left but the scoreline was not to be changed.  The travelling supporters were the ones singing at the end and satisfylingly they knew that their side had been the better.  Still only one home win since May 2011.

DUNFERMLINE: Paul Gallacher; Andy Geggan, Andy Dowie, John Potter, Stephen Jordan; Ryan Thomson, Jordan McMillan (c) (Stephen Husband 37), Josh Falkingham (Andy Kirk 58), Paul Willis (Alex Whittle 77), Andy Barrowman, Joe Cardle.
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Kane, Michal Hrivnak (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Potter (41), Barrowman (53)

PARTICK THISTLE: Scott Fox, Stephen O`Donnell, Aaron Muirhead, Alan Archibald, Stuart Bannigan:Paul Paton, Hugh Murray, Sean Welsh, Steve Lawless, Chris Erskine (James Craigen 89), Kris Doolan (Christie Elliot 77)
SUBS NOT USED: Conrad Balatoni, Aaron Sinclair, Ryan Scully (GK),
SCORERS: Lawless (24)

REFEREE: Iain Brines
WEATHER: Sunny 22°C
ATTENDANCE 3540

NEXT MATCH: SFL First Division (away) v Airdrie United
Saturday 25th August 2012, kick off 3.00pm

50/50 HALF TIME WINNERS: Winning number was No. 00270 . The prize amount is £486-00. The second prize of a home top was winning ticket No. 01204.


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Preview Partick Thistle

Thursday, 16th Aug 2012

Saturday 18t

The first home league game of the season against Partick Thistle will be a real test when Jim Jefferies new team come up against the much fancied Firhill club under the guidance of ex Pars favourite, Jackie McNamara.  Last Saturday they had a fine home win over Falkirk so this is not likely to be easy for the Fifers.

Dunfermline v Thistle: The Full League Record
	P	W	D	L	For	Agst
At East End Park	40	19	14	7	70	52
At Firhill	38	14	8	16	46	60
Division One (up to 1975)	45	18	14	13	77	72
Premier Division (since 1975)	6	3	1	2	8	10
First Division (since 1975)	27	12	7	8	31	30
TOTALS	78	33	22	23	116	112

Dunfermline have an edge on the history in league competition against Partick Thistle with 33 wins to 23 losses in previous league meetings.

Partick Home Milestones

The Pars defeat to Thistle at East End Park in March 2010 was just the second away win for over 27 years. The 10-1 win in 1959 is one of the club`s most famous victories, as it prevented almost certain relegation.

Milestones Partick (home)
Last League Victory	14/11/09	3-1	SPL
Last League Defeat	23/03/10	1-2	First Div
Best League Victory	18/04/59	10-1	Div One*
Worst League Defeat	07/01/28	1-7	Div One*
*Pre league reconstruction

Last Twelve League matches

The last twelve league games have seen Dunfermline win five, draw two and lose five. The Pars last victory was over Thistle was by 2-0 at Firhill in September 2011 when Pat Clarke and Andy Kirk did the business.

Last Twelve League Matches v Partick Thistle
Date	H/A	F-A	Scorers
26/03/11	H	0-0	[0-0]
29/01/11	A	0-2	[0-1] Erskine, [0-2] Doolan
14/12/10	H	0-0	.
25/09/10	A	2-0	[1-0] Clarke, [2-0] Kirk
23/03/10	H	1-2	[0-1] Buchanan, [1-1] McDougall, [1-2] Donnelly
23/01/10	A	4-1	[1-0] Cardle, [2-0] Cardle, [3-0], Cardle, [4-0] Woods, [4-1] Buchanan
14/11/09	H	3-1	[1-0] McDougall, [2-0] Gibson, [2-1] Cairney, [3-1] Gibson
19/09/09	A	0-2	[0-1] Cairney, [0-2] Donnelly
14/03/09	H	0-1	[0-1] Harkins
14/02/09	A	3-2	[0-1] Buchanan, [1-1] Bell, [2-1] Kirk, [2-2] Doolan, [3-2] Loy (pen)
18/10/08	H	1-0	[1-0] Kirk
02/08/08	A	0-1	[0-1] McKeown

Recent Form  

Despite creating enough chances to win the game, Dunfermline lost their opening competitive game at Forfar.  Then on Saturday the new look Pars put four past near neighbours, Cowdenbeath.  Thistle won their two away cup games; in the Ramsdens Cup at Clyde, and in the Scottish Communities League Cup at Forfar before recording an impressive 3-1 home win in the first league match.  Tuesday night`s game against Queens Park saw them score five goals, so Saturday`s fixture could be a very attack minded game.

Form last three games
Dunfermline				Partick Thistle
Cowdenbeath (A)	W	4-0		Queens Park (A)	W	5-4
Bristol City (H)	L	0-2		Falkirk (H)	W	3-1
Forfar Athletic (A)	L	2-3		Forfar Athletic (A)	W	2-0
Berwick Rangers (A)	W	2-1		Clyde (A)	W	1-0

Teams last time out

DUNFERMLINE (v Cowdenbeath):  Paul Gallacher; Andy Geggan, Andy Dowie, John Potter, Stephen Jordan; Jordan McMillan (c); Josh Falkingham (Craig Dargo 89), Ryan Thomson, Paul Willis, Andy Barrowman (Andy Kirk 78), Alex Whittle (Paul Burns 81)
SUBS NOT USED: Stephen Husband, Michal Hrivnak (GK)
SCORERS: Barrowman (44), Thomson (49, 79), Falkingham (83)

PARTICK THISTLE (v Queens Park):  Ryan Scully; Stephen O`Donnell, Aaron Sinclair, Paul Paton, Aaron Muirhead, Conrad Balatoni, James Craigen, Sean Welsh (Chris Erskine 17), Mark McGuigan (Steve Lawless 56), Christie Elliott, Stuart Brannigan
SUBS NOT USED: Scott Fox, Kris Doolan, Hugh Murray
SCORERS: Sinclair (34), Elliot (40), Chris Erskine (65. 90), Brannigan (90).

Thistle made six changes for the Ramsdens Cup tie against Queens Park so Saturday may see the return of some of the players who were successful in the win over Falkirk the previous Saturday.

Referee will be Iain Brines.

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