U20s v Celtic
Sunday, 28th Oct 2012Clydesdale Bank Under 20 League
Dunfermline U20s travelled to Firhill for the Monday night match against their Celtic counterparts. Both teams sat on 16 points but Celtic had a game in hand, Dunfermline 4th and Celtic 5th.Chris Kane returned to competitive action in a side that really only deployed Allan Smith up front.
Neither keeper had much to do in the opening twenty minutes although Michal Hrivnak was much closer to the action. On 24 minutes the Pars keeper had to hold a flick on from Ibrahim after Johnstone had chipped the ball in towards goal.
The Fifers then came into the game with Fayssal El Bakhtaoui earning a free kick that Shaun Byrne swept into the box and the Celtic defence, under pressure, conceded a corner. The home side successfully kept the Pars out but there was some encouragement for them as they continued to keep the ball further up the park.
Ten minutes from half time Rabui Ibrahim`s corner from the left was headed on by Johnstone but back out by El Bakhtaoui. Kidd gathered on the edge of the box and fortunately fired wide left. In 38 minutes Andy Ritchie fed Drummond on the left byeline and his powerful cross was headed on target by Kane but keeper Kamenar turned the chance around his right hand post.
Right on 45 minutes Alex Whittle and Byrne tried to carve out an opening on the right but when Alex got the shot in from 25 yards it soared over the bar. Dunfermline had finished the half much more competitively but at the break it was goalless.
Half Time: Celtc 0 Dunfermline 0
The second half started briskly with the visitors forcing an early corner but the at the other end Hrivnak turning a dipping cross cum shot from Chalmers over his crossbar. Kane collected yellow when he stopped Bahrudin Atajic and from the well worked free kick the ball was fired in low but wide left.
Whittle required the attentions of physio Kenny Murray after sustaining the full blast of another Celtic free kick taken by Chalmers in 54 minutes. The Dunfermline defence were put to the test but Lewis Martin in particular had telling tackles to frustrate his opponents.
On 70 minutes Dunfermline were undone by another cunning free kick. Expecting the high ball, a low one was threaded into the box for sub Jack Kirwan to sweep past Hrivnak. 1-0.
Celtic pressed for another and were encamped on the edge of the Pars box. A good chance was deflected wide right for a 78th minute corner. That was defended but again Celtic enjoyed all the possession and Hrivnak had to pull off a great save from Miller.
In 84th minute Whittle made a driving run and had the home fans wincing as his 25 yard effort narrowly cleared the crossbar. Having sent on Ivan D`Angelo for El Bakhtaoui, Potter was encouraging his side to push on and Smith had a shot turned behind for a corner.
Celtic almost cashed in on the break but Hrivnak pulled off yet another fine save but he did rely on the crossbar to keep out Findlay at a 91st minute corner. It had been a good effort from Dunfermline but they were to go down to that 70th minute goal.
SUBS NOT USED: Glenn Daniels, P McNally, F Kelleher
SCORERS: Kirwan (70)
DUNFERMLINE: Michal Hrivnak; Lewis Martin, Kerr Young, Grant Munro, Ross Drummond; Alex Whittle, Chris Kane (Declan O`Kane 71), Shaun Byrne, Andy Ritchie (Scott Gray 85), Fayssal El Bakhtaoui (Ivan D`Angelo 83); Allan Smith
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Goodfellow (GK), Jack Bruce, Finn Graham, Jordan Brown.
YELLOW CARD: Kane (50)
REFEREE: Steven Reid
WEATHER: Dry Cold 4°C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: Clydesdale Bank U20 League (home) v Dundee United
Tuesday 6th November 2012, kick off 7.00pm
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