Dunfermline 1 Livingston 0

Dunfermline fielded a different eleven in both halves in the opening match of the Ronnie Swan Challenge Tournament against John McGlyn's Livingston.

The tournament in memory of the late retired dentist and Honorary Spartans President also involved Falkirk and the Spartans.

First opportunity following the 1.00pm kick off came the Pars way in the eleventh minute when Josh Falkingham was cut down just 20 yards out. Ross Forbes stepped up to test keeper Darren Jamieson from the free kick and the keeper did well to dive at full stretch to his right to turn the ball around his post for a corner

James Thomas had a good attempt blocked five minutes later but as he latched on to the loose ball, Alex Whittle was fouled. The free kick on the edge of the box handed FORBES another great chance of a pop at goal. This time he curled the ball around the four man wall and through the gap that Michael Moffat had created as he peeled away. The ball nestled in the bottom right of the Lions goal and Dunfermline took a 17th minute lead. 1-0

Three minutes later Miles Hippolyte's shot was deflected off Lewis Martin and well saved by Ryan Scully at his left hand post. From the resultant corner Livi again came close with Jason Talbot hitting the near post and Cammy McClair clearing off the line.

Livi kept up the pressure forcing timely tackles from both Whittle and Buchanan and might have scored an equaliser had Rob Ogleby's sights been set lower at a couple of good chances. At the other end Forbes was on the end of a 38th minute chance but was blocked by Bradley Donaldson.

Forbes and Whittle linked well on the left before the latter put in a good cross that Thomas, eight yards out, just couldn't quite get enough on for his header to count.

Half Time: Dunfermline 1 Livingston 0

It was all change for the second half as all ten outfield players were changed. In 51st minute Scully did well to turn a Ogleby effort over the bar and minutes later Gary Glen drilled a low attempt narrowly wide left.

It looked an impossible task in 62 minutes when Ryan Thomson fed Faissal El Bakhtaoui the ball but up against four defenders the French Moroccan tried a shot that rattled off the join between crossbar and right goalpost.

Twenty minutes into the second half Livi made seven changes with only the keeper, Gallagher, Fordyce and Talbot remaining on the park. That meant that Pars were up against two of their former strikers Mark Burchill and Jordan White. In 71st minute White took advantage of some slack play in the Pars midfield and despite O'Kane closing him down the the tall striker got in a shot that Scully blocked and remarkably White then hit the rebound over the crossbar.

Dunfermline should have sealed their place in Sunday's final when just twelve minutes from full time a cross from the left was nodded down by Scott Mercer at the back post for Byrne but he failed to hit the target from 12 yards. Next Livi's Michael McKenna sent in an inswinging cross from the right that ended up being kept out by the crossbar.

Burchill looked offside as he turned the ball back for Nejc Praprotnik in 82 minutes but Scully easily dealt with the 30 yard drive. There was another fantastic chance for the Fifers to finish it three minutes from time when El Bakhtaoui surprised his marker with with his speed in catching a ball played deep before crossing for Stirling at the near post but Gallagher saved the day with an interception to send the ball behind.

Dunfermline comfortably saw the remainder of the time out to qualify for Sunday's final against the winners of the Falkirk v Spartans match that followed on the astroturf.

DUNFERMLINE (first half): Ryan Scully; Ross Millen, Lewis Martin, Gregor Buchanan, Alex Whittle; Cammy McClair, Lewis Spence, Josh Falkingham (c), Ross Forbes, Michael Moffat, James Thomas
SUBS NOT USED: Gavin McMillan, Paul Joseph Crossan, Jordan Orru, Jamie Wilson (GK)
SCORER: Forbes (17)

DUNFERMLINE (second half): Ryan Scully; Ryan Williamson, Declan O'Kane, Jonathan Page, Ross Drummond; Scott Mercer, Finn Graham, Shaun Byrne (c), Andy Stirling; Faissal El Bakhtaoui, Ryan Thomson
SUBS NOT USED: Gavin McMillan, Paul Joseph Crossan, Jordan Orru, Jamie Wilson (GK)

LIVINGSTON: Darren Jamieson; Bradley Donaldson, Declan Gallagher, Callum Fordyce, Jason Talbot (c); Kyle Jacobs, Miles Hippolyte, Burton O'Brien, Rob Ogleby, Gary Glen, Danny Mullen.
SUBS: Callum Antell (GK), Mark Burchill, Jordan White, David Robertson, Michael McKenna, Nejc Praprotnik, Craig Sives, Sean Rutherford, Jack Beaumont, Darren Moffat.

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