U20s v Partick Thistle
Tuesday, 10th Nov 2015SPFL Development League: Falkingham (1) 0-1; Lamont (59) 1-1; McCarthy 61) 2-1; McMullin (89) 3-1.
PARTICK THISTLE 3 DUNFERMLINE 1
Josh Falkingham played another 67 lively minutes on his way to recovering his match sharpness following a back injury. First team squad players David Hutton, Shaun Rooney and Lewis Spence augmented John Potter's young side.
A goal from a free kick in just 54 seconds got the Pars off to the best possible start at Firhill on Tuesday tea time. It was FALKINGHAM who despatched the ball past Marc Watters into the bottom right from 28 yards. 0-1
The pressure was maintained when John James Henderson won a third minute corner on the left but that was headed clear. Rooney won the ball in middle of park and ran through the Thistle team but when his pass found Paul Joseph Crossan he was offside.
A long ball from Falkingham to Rooney was cut out by a defender and then when Rooney set a low ball into box it suffered the same fate. Partick slowly got their game together with Stuart Morrison called upon to block a low cross into box and Hutton gathered.
Lewis Spence was next to threaten, he was through on goal and the keeper had to be lively to stop a corner. Back at the other end Thistle created their first real chance but McDaid pulled his shot wide of Hutton's goal.
Watters was made to find a good save to keep out Robbie Crawford in 20th minute after he was on the end of a low Crossan cross. Four minutes later Crossan tried a shot that was blocked and Galloway was unlucky with rebound.
Both sides tried attempts from distance. Firstly Thistle's David Wilson thought Hutton was far enough off his line to try a lob but that went over the bar. Then Johnny Galloway attempted a long shot that also was too high.
A 37th minute cross from Dominic Docherty was turned behind by Rooney out beyond the right post but the corner was easily defended with the delivery being too strong in the swirling wind.
A Dunfermline free kick on the edge of the centre circle was aimed at Rooney on the left side of the Thistle box but the green booted defender just couldn't get any direction on his headed attempt and the ball escaped behind.
Four minutes from the break McInally prodded the ball up the right wing for Declan McDaid but the Pars defence swept that away. Orru headed away a dangerous cross into the Pars box from the right and then in 44th minute Thistle were denied what might have been a good penalty shout when Rooney eased his man over just on the edge of the six yard box. The home side had time to blast a good opportunity over the crossbar before the referee brought the half to an end.
Half Time: Partick Thistle 0 Dunfermline 1
The home side started the second period strongly with Ethan Docherty blasting an effort over the bar and forcing a couple of free kicks but in 50th minute they nearly got caught out when Crawford dispossessed a Jags player deep inside the Pars half and after breaking up the right and releasing an early ball for PJ Crossan to run on to. The Pars striker was through on the keeper but his shot spun up and out for a corner on the right.
From Falkingham's cross Stuart Morrison was very unlucky to have his header kept out by cannoning off two defenders. The Pars were undone in 59th minute however when Nisbet sent McDaid wide. The winger cut in along the byeline and picked out Mark LAMONT on the edge of the six yard box. 1-1
Dunfermline went straight up the park and immediately pressed. Orru bulleted a header narrowly wide from a Falkingham cross. The goal however was to come at the other end. The defence failed to clear convincingly and sub Andy McCARTHY rammed the ball into the far right from 20 yards 2-1
Lewis Spence fired a shot over the bar and then after a powerful run up the left PJ was spilled on the left side of the box but the referee again decided against a penalty.
Pars keeper made a great 71st minute save from a cracking effort from McDaid. Morrison was yellow carded for body checking his man on the left edge of the box and from the free kick McDaid touched the ball to Wilson but his blast was charged down by the Pars.
Galloway fouled McDaid just 22 yards out to hand Thistle a 76th minute opportunity from a free kick but Nisbet's shot was blocked. Hutton then pulled off a great save out beyond the penalty spot. McDaid had burst free down the left and as he angled the pass for his right winger the Pars keeper was at full stretch to deny Thistle.
The Pars were reduced to ten men in 78 minutes when Shaun Rooney collected a second yellow card. Reece Duncan was immediately brought on at right back and John James Henderson was withdrawn.
Docherty drove a shot across goal and out beyond the left post before in 86 Dunfermline produced a fine move after McClair had won the ball on the left. He found Luke in midfield and he in turn sent Spence away down the right channel. His release to the overlapping Duncan was squared powerfully but the Thistle defence turned the ball behind for a Pars corner.
The corner changed nothing but in 89th minute Spence was allowed to fire in a shot from 22 yards that required the left upright to keep it out. Thistle went up the other end and snatched a third goal. Hutton was desperately unlucky because he initially kept McMULLEN out from close range but the save pushed the ball back at the Thistle man and despite Hutton's efforts the ball ended up in the net.
That sealed the points for the Jags and the Pars were to leave Firhill with no points.
- - Listen to John Potter`s thoughts on match
SUBS NOT USED: Neil McLaughlin, Connor Higgins, Alex Lynch, Conor Cullen (GK)
SCORERS: Lamont (59), McCarthy 61), McMullin (89)
YELLOW CARD: McMullin (70), Whiteside (73), Nisbet (87)
DUNFERMLINE: David Hutton: Shaun Rooney, McClair, Jordan Orru, Stuart Morrison, Josh Falkingham (Brandon Luke 67), Robbie Crawford (Scott Sutherland 81), Lewis Spence, Paul Joseph Crossan, Johnny Galloway, John James Henderson (Reece Duncan 79)
SUBS NOT USED: Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: Falkingham (1)
YELLOW CARD: Rooney (66), Morrison (71)
RED CARD: Rooney (78)
REFEREE: Ronnie Strain
WEATHER: Dry 13C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: SPFL Development League: (home) v Hamilton Accies. Tuesday 17th November Kick off 6.00pm
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