U20s v Kilmarnock
Tuesday, 4th Aug 2015SPFL Development League: Magennis (17) 1-0; Ashcroft (23) 2-0; Magennis (34) 3-0; Hopkirk (37) 3-1;
KILMARNOCK 3 DUNFERMLINE 1
The Pars travelled to Rugby Park for their first fixture of the 2015-16 Development League. John Potter was able to strengthen his young squad by bringing in first team squad players Jason Talbot, Josh Falkingham, David Hopkirk and Lewis Spence. David Hutton was between the sticks against a Killie side that included Josh Magennis and coach Lee McCulloch.
The home side kicked off playing towards the stand that hosts travelling support in first team matches and Killie enjoyed most of the early pressure and possession but Dunfermline worked hard and frustrated their opponents efforts to play the ball into dangerous areas.
The visitors created their first danger when Paul Joseph Crossan broke down the left in 12 minutes to cut the ball back for James Thomas waiting in front of goal but the final pass was just too much behind him to convert.
Two minutes later Hopkirk powered in a shot after Spence had released the ball left but keeper Devlin Mackay parried that behind for a corner. Unfortunately Falkingham's delivery failed to create any problems.
There was a let off at the other end when Aaron Splaine whacked a netbound shot straight at Jordan Orru but then in 17 minutes MAGENNIS broke through the centre of the Pars defence to stick the ball past a helpless Hutton from 16 yards. 1-0
A second Kilmarnock goal was to follow just six minutes later however, when centre back Lee ASHCROFT rose to head in a Sam Lidington cross from a corner on the right. 2-0
There was another let off on the half hour when a quickly taken free kick was sent into the left side of the Pars box and it was fortunate that Greg Kiltie drove his shot wide right. Almost immediately Chris Johnston was able to pop another effort at goal from the right and this time the shot cleared the left post.
Crossan tried a shot from 30 yards but Mackay held it easily. Dunfermline kept play in the home half but Crossan was closed out as he tried to take on two men on the edge of the box. Just as it looked a little better MAGENNIS struck again bursting through the defence from the left channel to stick the ball past the advancing Hutton. 3-0 and 34 minutes on the clock.
Dunfermline needed a reply fast and they indeed got that just three minutes later. Out on the left David HOPKIRK got away from his man, evaded two more before smacking the ball past Mackay from 10 yards. 3-1
McCulloch gave away a free kick just 20 yards out when he tumbled Spence and Falkingham's effort from the setpiece got through the wall only for Mackay to pull off a fine save low at his right hand post.
It had been a tough half for the Pars but at times produced play to match their purple strips so there had to be optimism in the camp as they went in at the interval.
Half Time: Kilmarnock 3 Dunfermline 1
Crossan and Hopkirk got the second half underway but within three seconds Jamie Hamill's tackle on the latter earned him the first yellow card of the night. The ref then showed Falkingham yellow when he stopped Killie's first attack in an unsporting manner.
Sub Adam Frizzell ran on to a big ball over the top and while fighting off the close attentions of Orru crashed a shot at the near post causing Hutton to turn the ball behind. The keeper then reached at the corner kick to turn the ball away one handed.
On 55 minutes Frizzell burst infield to pick out Kiltie on the left and his shot tested Hutton who held well at the left post. At the other end Spence picked out Crossan on the edge of the box but his first touch let him down and Kilmarnock regained possession.
Luck went the Pars way on the hour when Kilitie's run down the right drew the keeper but Galloway got in between Frizzell and Magennis to flick away the chance. Hutton stopped a stinger of a shot from Hamill. By this stage Talbot and Orru had swapped positions and upfront Hopkirk was central with Thomas and Crossan on either side slightly behind him.
Brandon Luke replaced Falkingham for the final twenty minutes before Crossan worked his way in on the left but his shot crashed against the post. Robbie Crawford came on for Hopkirk for the final ten minutes but it was the Premiership club that continued to press.
When Kiltie cut back for Splaine his shot got too close for comfort, grazing the right post on the way behind. In 85 minutes Spence displayed his skills to get away a shot on the left side of the hosts box but sub Lewis Clark blocked the shot.
Magennis had a good opportunity to score in 88 minutes but pulled his effort right across the goal. It had been a well disciplined Pars performance in the second 45, working hard to stop crosses and stop the shots.
- - Post match comments from John Potter
SUBS NOT USED: Iain Wilson, Scott McLean, Greg Taylor.
SCORERS: Magennis (17, 34), Ashcroft (23)
YELLOW CARD: Hamill (46), Magennis (86)
DUNFERMLINE: David Hutton, Cammy McClair, Stewart Morrison, Jordan Orru (c), Jason Talbot; Johnny Galloway, Josh Falkingham (Brandon Luke 71), Lewis Spence, David Hopkirk (Robbie Crawford 80); James Thomas, Paul Joseph Crossan
SUBS NOT USED: John Potter, Cammy Gill (GK) Note: Kilmarnock team sheet listed a non existent Pars sub. There was no one called Law.
SCORERS: Hopkirk (37)
YELLOW CARD: Falkingham (47)
REFEREE: Graham Grainger
WEATHER: Overcast 15C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: NEXT MATCH: Development League (home) v Hearts
Tuesday 1st September, East End Park, kick off TBC
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