U20s v Falkirk
Tuesday, 21st Apr 2015SPFL Development League: James Thomas (17) 0-1; David Hopkirk (79) 0-2.
FALKIRK 0 DUNFERMLINE 2
It was hardly a surprise that Ross Millen was included in the U20s team at Falkirk on Tuesday night. After just twelve minutes of action against Brechin and the subsequent suspension the 20 year joined up with Declan O'Kane in the centre of the Pars defence. Lewis Spence was fit to start and David Hopkirk played wide left. Young Johnny Galloway played upfront beside 18 year old James Thomas.
Falkirk kicked off this U20 Development League match and had the first shot at goal in the first minute which tamely went to keeper Jamie Wilson. Thomas was caught offside in the fourth minute after being put through by Hopkirk and he was unlucky six minutes later when Paul George fed the ball through for him. He ran into the box, rounded the goalkeeper but slipped inside the box just as he was about to shoot and the ball went for a goal kick – maybe the hosts had watered the pitch a bit too much prior to kick off!!
Next it was McAusland’s turn to run at the Falkirk defence after winning the ball in the opppsition half, but he was dispossessed inside the box. The Bairns then had an opportunity when Liam Dick received a long pass down the left hand side, but his cross was cut out by the Pars defence.
In the 17th minute THOMAS put the Pars deservedly ahead when after play between Williamson and George, Spence chipped the ball over the Falkirk defence and he nipped in to take the ball away from Scott Morrison to put it into the net from inside the area.
Dick then had a shot blocked by Millen for a corner to Falkirk and when that was cleared Hopkirk went on a run down the left hand side but his cross into the box was cleared out. Galloway then put George through but he was deemed to be offside.
In 25 minutes Grant had a shot blocked, and there was a bit a consternation when O’Kane let the ball from Millen get away from him but recovered to give away a corner which Galloway cleared out. Spence was next to have a shot at goal but his effort went wide left. In 33 minutes Falkirk had a let off when the Williamson won a corner on the right. George took the corner and O’Kane’s header was defended out, and Millen fired in a shot that hit the crossbar and went over.
Just after Falkirk lost the ball when they broke away into the Pars half, Mercer won the ball on the left side and when he got away from a couple of defenders on the byeline his cutback resulted in George firing a shot which Morrison blocked and then Thomas’s shot was blocked and cleared out.
George then had a good run down the right, cut in along the box, passed to Galloway but when Thomas received the ball he was offside. Thomas was caught offside twice in quick succession just on half time.
Half time: Falkirk 0 Dunfermline 1
Grant was caught offside just after the restart and then a free kick taken by Millen resulted in Hopkirk trying a shot at goal. In 50 minutes a Williamson cross to McAusland and subsequent pass to Hopkirk, ended up with George trying a spectacular effort in the box but to no avail.
Falkirk won a corner on the right and when Grant put the ball into the area, Dick had a header that Wilson saved comfortably. Next it was Hopkirk to be dispossessed inside the box and when Williamson won a corner on the right, George took a short one to Spence. When Williamson received it his shot went right of the Falkirk goal. Blair had a shot blocked by O’Kane for a corner and then Johnson’s header was cleared out by the Pars defence.
Jamie Wilson had a good save when Cooper cut in from the right and his shot from the edge of the box resulted in the goalkeeper tipping the ball over the bar. Falkirk had a couple of chances just shortly after that when the first one was blocked by the defence, then the other opportunity was saved by Wilson.
Wilson was quick to come off his line in 76 minutes to thwart another Falkirk attack. Three minutes later the Pars settled the match when a ball through for Thomas was collected by Maybury. He passed it to his goalkeeper, but Thomas made Morrison hurry his clearance out and HOPKIRK was quicker than the defender. He ran into the box and went round the goalkeeper and from an acute angle on the left tucked the ball into the right hand side of the Falkirk goal.
The Pars continued to press and in 85 minutes O’Kane’s header from a George corner was deflected for another corner on the left. When that one came in O’Kane had another opportunity and when the ball fell to Thomas, his shot was scooped away by the goalkeeper for another corner.
When Falkirk won a corner from O’Hara’s deflected shot, Johnson sent the ball over the bar with three minutes to go. The Pars had a further chance before the final whistle, but it didn’t matter.
This was a good all round performance from the team with no passengers and it was good to finally see what Paul George can do. Thomas was unlucky only to score one goal as he could have had a couple more to his tally during this game.
SUBS NOT USED: Michael Fairbanks, Robbie Mcnab, Michael Martin, Gant Hamilton,
YELLOW CARD: Blair (41), Shepherd (66)
DUNFERMLINE: Jamie Wilson, Ryan Williamson, Declan O'Kane, Ross Millen, Scott Mercer (Jordan Orru 87); Paul George, Kyle McAusland, Lewis Spence (Gavin McMillan 74), Johnny Galloway (Cammy McClair 67); James Thomas, David Hopkirk.
SUBS NOT USED: Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: Thomas (17), Hopkirk (79)
REFEREE: David Munro
WEATHER: Sunny 17C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: SPFL Development League: (home) Monday 27th April 2015 v Hamilton. 6.00pm kick off East End Park.
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