Dunfermline 5 Annan Athletic 1
Saturday, 2nd Aug 2014Scottish League Cup First Round
Alex Whittle (24) 1-0; Gregor Buchanan (36) 2-0; Michael Moffat (47) 3-0; Derek Carcary (57) 3-1; Ryan Wallace (71) 4-1; Lewis Martin (89) 5-1
After the disappointment of the postponement of the previous Saturday's Petrofac Training Cup tie against Raith Rovers, Dunfermline finally got their competitive season underway in the League Cup First Round. League Two runners up from last season Annan Athletic were the opposition.
The Galabank club benfited from their match against Hearts at Tynecastle and showed two changes. Steven Logan and Steven Sloan came in for Matthew Flynn and the suspended Peter Watson.
Jim Jefferies selected a different eleven from the previous Saturday meaning Ryan Williamson, Alex Whittle, Ross Forbes and Faissal El Baktaoui started and Ross Millen, Ross Drummond, Shaun Byrne and Allan Smith were 'dropped' without kicking a ball!
El Bakhtaoui and Moffat got the game underway with the Pars in their new red away strip attacking the goal at the Cowdenbeath end. Annan in all black with lime green trim were first to get up the park but were caught offside within 45 seconds.
For Dunfermline El Bakhtaoui got round Steven Swinglehurst in the third minute and delivered a cross into the six yard box that Steven Black cleared. Then just three minutes later Josh Falkingham picked up a loose ball 25 yards out and fed Whittle an opportunity on the left side of the box that he released on target but Annan stopper Alex Mitchell beat the shot away.
A long ball from Gregor Buchanan then led to Moffat forcing the first corner of the afternoon. El Bakhtaoui took that short to Falkingham and he teed it up for Williamson to shoot on the angle but that was blocked.
On ten minutes El Bakhtaoui created more danger, this time on the left and another corner ensued but to no effect. Annan had made a couple of counterattacks as Dunfermline pushed up but the defence coped well.
There were appeals for a Pars penalty after Falkingham fell in the process of losing the ball to Iain Chisholm on the left side of the box. Play on was referee John McKendrick's decision.
In 18 minutes Annan were handed a free kick on the left after a rash challenge from Lewis Spence and when the ball was sent into the Pars box, Martin McNiff chested the ball down and as his chances to shoot were closed down, Josh Todd crashed in a shot that Ryan Scully deflected on to the crossbar. A bit of a let off!
Moffat then threatened on the break and in front of goal was just denied by Swinglehurst who timely toe poked the ball away for a corner. The Pars first goal of the seaon however was to be scored by a full back. WHITTLE made a soaring run up the left and his shot at goal was deflected off a defender and into the top right. 1-0
Annan won a corner three minutes later and underpressure Scully did well to fist away David Hopkirk's ball in from the left. Back at the other end Moffat was prevented from waltzing through the Annan defence by Swinglehurst and then Williamson was denied from the right.
Falkingham required treatment from physio Kenny Murray after a physical challenge and while that was going on Jim Jefferies had strong words with the referee. Josh was ok to continue and Dunfermline were to extend their lead in 36th minute. Forbes sent in a cross from a setpiece on the left and close season signing Gregor BUCHANAN rose to head the ball into the right corner of the Annan net. 2-0
Two minutes from the break El Bakhtaoui cracked a powerful attempt on target that Mitchell tipped over the crossbar.
Dunfermline 2 Annan Athletic 0
The second half couldn't have started any better for the Pars with Michael MOFFAT scoring his first competitive goal for the club within two minutes of the restart. Accepting a Whittle pass that was flicked into his path by El Bakhtaoui, the striker totally deceived Black as he tried to tackle him on the edge of the box and then smashed the ball home to the keeper's right. 3-0
Annan responded with Carcary causing Scully to save after Sloan had knocked the ball down to him. The warning wasn't heeded however and in 57 minutes HOPKIRK was not challenged as he lobbed Scully from 30 yards.
El Bakhtaoui came close to converting a chance just eight yards out before Ryan WALLACE who had replaced Ross Forbes scored Dunfermline's fourth. Catching a long ball from Buchanan at the right byeline, The sub cracked it in off the crossbar at an angle after he exchanged passes with co-striker Moffat. 4-1
Further Pars substitutions followed with Ryan Thomson replacing Falkingham and Allan Smith coming on upfront for El Bakhtaoui. Annan were unfortunate to have their sub Scott Davidson stretchered off with ten minutes to go.
Wallace brought a fine save out of Mitchell in 86 minutes and Moffat was in an offside position as he played predator. The match was to be rounded off with a fifth goal however. A corner from the right saw the Pars perform a pre-prepared routine. Four players played ring a ring of roses and then peeled off to attack the ball as it was played in from the right. Buchanan met with a header and MARTIN latched on to the blocked ball to thrash in the fifth.
Convincingly through to the second round.
DUNFERMLINE: Ryan Scully; Ryan Williamson, Gregor Buchanan, Lewis Martin, Alex Whittle; Andy Geggan (c), Josh Falkingham (Ryan Thomson 74), Lewis Spence, Ross Forbes (Ryan Wallace 65); Faissal El Bakhtaoui (Allan Smith 74), Michael Moffat.
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Goodfellow (GK), Jonathan Page, Ross Millen, Shaun Byrne.
SCORERS: Whittle (24), Buchanan (36), Moffat (47), Wallace (71), Martin (89)
ANNAN ATHLETIC: Alex Mitchell, Ian Chisholm, Martin McNiff, Steven Black, Steven Swinglehurst; Steven Sloan (Scott Davidson 64 (Kieran Brannan 82)), Ryan McStay, Steven Logan (Matthew Flynn 68), David Hopkirk; Derek Carcary, Josh Todd.
SUBS NOT USED: Craig Murray, Peter Bradley, Dan Wood, Zak Caldwell.
SCORER: Hopkirk (57)
REFEREE: John McKendrick
WEATHER: overcast 14C
ATTENDANCE: 1544
50/50 DRAW: Ticket 63519 won £252
NEXT MATCH: Petrofac Training League Cup (home) v Raith Rovers
Tuesday 5th August kick off 7.45pm
SUBS NOT USED: SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Goodfellow (GK), Jonathan Page, Ross Millen, Shaun Byrne.
SCORERS: Whittle (24), Buchanan (36), Moffat (47), Wallace (76), Martin (89)
YELLOW CARD: none
ANNAN ATHLETIC: Alex Mitchell, Ian Chisholm, Martin McNiff, Steven Black, Steven Swinglehurst; Steven Sloan (Scott Davidson 64 (Kieran Brannan 82)), Ryan McStay, Steven Logan (Matthew Flynn 68), David Hopkirk; Derek Carcary, Josh Todd.
SUBS NOT USED: SUBS NOT USED: Craig Murray, Peter Bradley, Dan Wood, Zak Caldwell.
SCORERS: Carcary (57)
YELLOW CARD: none
REFEREE: John McKendrick
WEATHER: Overcast 14C
ATTENDANCE 1544
NEXT MATCH:
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