Spartans 2 Dunfermline 2

Young Pars side won the Ronnie Swan Challenge Tournament 3-2 on penalties. Henretty (45) 0-1; Drummond (49) 1-1; McMillan (88) 1-2; Stevenson (91) 2-2.

MATCH PICTURES

The Pars played Spartans in the final of the Ronnie Swan Challenge Tournament on Sunday afternoon. It was a young side that returned to Ainslie Park after the previous day's mix of strength and experience had seen the Pars through with a 1-0 win over Livingston. First team squad was only really represented by Ryan Williamson and Lewis Spence. 20 year old trialist, Andrew Walker lined up alongside Declan O'Kane in the centre of the defence. Spartans fielded former Pars youth Sean Muhsin and up front was Errol Douglas who played last season at Stenhousemuir.

The home side had the first opportunity to try a shot at goal from a third minute free kick but that was deflected behind off the five man wall. The early play continued to be primarily in the Dunfermline half and several shots were blocked by the Fifers defence.

In 18 minutes Spartans keeper Kevin Swain made a fine one handed save to send over a snap shot from Ryan Williamson on the edge of box. The chance was made by the lanky right back making a driving run inside and exchanging a ball with his captain Finn Graham before releasing a testing shot to the top left.

Seven minutes later the keepers came out on top at both ends as first Swain held a Williamson cross and then Wilson held a Henretty ball in from the left. Then Douglas had a glorious chance with another cross from the left but dispatched the ball beyond the far post. When play switched back to the Spartans half Mercer accepted a Williamson cut back to fire in a shot that the 28 year old former Albion Rovers keeper held.

Jamie Wilson in his dayglo pink strip made two sprints to clear long through balls as Spartans relied on trying to find Douglas with long balls. In 37 minutes O'Kane closed down a Muhsin shot and Wilson touched it wide for a corner. Two minutes from the break Jack Beesley burst through but again Wilson made a good save.

Unfortunately Dunfermline were to lose a goal in the final minute of the half. Spartans prolific goalscorer Donal Henretty was allowed a free header when the ball came across from a corner on the right and neither Wilson nor the Pars defender on the line could do anything to keep it out. 0-1

Half time: Spartans 1 Dunfermline 0

Having made three half time substitutions Dunfermline started the second half purposely but on 48 minutes were fortunate to see Beesley effort trundle past the right goalpost. Then just a minute later Ross DRUMMOND stuck in a chance from an acute angle on the left to bring the teams back on level terms. 1-1

The Pars took confidence from that and Mercer was unlucky with a free kick from the left and O'Kane glanced a header wide from a corner. On 65 minutes Drummond squared a fine ball that took Thomas by surprise but next minute McClair won a corner that Mercer sent over from the left. The keeper and then a Kevin Motion hook cleared the danger.

As the match entered its final quarter a Mercer free kick was turned behind for a corner and from that Potter returned the ball from the other side for Mercer to shoot but his effort went narrowly outside the far post. Motion then had a go from a free kick 35 yards out but the former Stenhousemuir and Forfar player sent his attempt over the crossbar.

If there was a fault in the Fifers side it was their inability to work the opposing keeper. McMillan was put through in 82 minutes but he failed to take the opportunity to shoot and lost possession as he tried to pick out Thomas. The game was to have a dramatic finale however.

Firstly fantastic close control skills by Williamson got him in on the right side of the Spartans box and McMILLAN was presented with a great chance that sent home to make it 2-1 with two minutes remaining. Dunfermline were seeing out the game when keeper Cammy Gill was penalised for holding on to the ball for too long. From the resultant setpiece twelve yards out Craig STEVENSON hit the net with a 91st minute equaliser.

It was a fairly controversial decision to penalise the keeper and the Pars bench made it clear that they disagreed with the referee's decision!

Full time: Spartans 2 Dunfermline 2

Penalty shoot out:
DA 1: Finn Graham, shot middle saved 0-0
SP1: Jack Beesley scored right 0-1
DA2: Cammy McClair scored right 1-1
SP2: Craig Stevenson shot left, saved by Cammy Gill 1-1
DA3: Lewis Spence good shot left 2-1
SP3: Kevin Motion right scored 2-2
DA4: James Thomas scored right 3-2
SP4: Michael Bruce missed left 3-2
DA5: Declan O'Kane left saved 3-2
SP5: Kevin Sivewright middle saved by Cammy Gill 3-2

All set up for Declan O'Kane to win it but in the end it was 16 year old keeper, Cammy Gill who was the hero!

John Potter`s Post Spartans comments

SPARTANS: Kevin Swain (Murray Jackson HT); Sebastian Pyda, Gary Cennerazzo, Kevin Sivewright, Michael Bruce, Craig Stevenson, Sean Muhsin (Matthew Cunningham 62), Kevin Motion, Errol Douglas (Ian Ballantyne 58), Jack Beesley, Donal Henretty (George Hunter 68)
SUBS: all used
SCORERS: Henretty (45), Stevenson (91)
YELLOW CARD: Sivewright (81)

DUNFERMLINE: Jamie Wilson (Cammy Gill HT); Ryan Williamson, Trialist (John Potter HT), Declan O'Kane, Ross Drummond; Scott Mercer (Jordan Orru 74), Lewis Spence, Finn Graham (c), Gavin McMillan; James Thomas, Paul Joseph Crossan (Cammy McClair HT)
SUBS: all used
SCORERS: Drummond (49), McMillan (88)

MATCH PICTURES

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