Dunfermline 3 Brechin City 1
Saturday, 5th Dec 2015Ladbrokes League One: Byrne starts in place of Geggan. Faissal El Bakhtaoui (34) 1-0; Michael Paton (42) 2-0; Isaac Layne (66) 2-1; David Hopkirk (70) 3-1
After three consecutive away games the Pars were glad to get back to playing at East End Park. Andy Geggan sat it out as he served his one game suspension for six yellow cards meaning Shaun Byrne returned to the starting eleven.
Brechin City manager Darren Dods made three changes from the team defeated the previous week at Airdrie. Ross Perry, Craig Molloy and Willie Dyer dropped out to make way for Gary Fusco, David Weatherston and Robert Thomson.
The visitors kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie stand end but were immediately pegged back in their own half. Paul McLean's tackle on Joe Cardle gave the Pars player the opportunity to send in a fourth minute free kick from 23 yards out level with the edge of the penalty box but the chance fell to Ben Richards-Everton and his overhead attempt went over the crossbar.
Michael Paton drove a tenth minute free kick from the right touchline, through the Brechin box and out for a goal kick. Trying to contend with the swirling wind was difficult and a through ball for Faissal El Bakhtaoui raced away from him.
Byrne got the opportunity to fire a shot on target from Jason Talbot's cut back three minutes later but that was blocked then Moffat's 14th minute effort was turned out for corner by Jonathan Tiffoney.
Joe Cardle was industrious after playing a one two off Byrne and when he eventually got in a delivery El Bakhtaoui's touch took the ball on to the crossbar and over. It was no surprise that the combination of Cardle and EL BAKHTAOUI created the breakthrough in 34 minutes. A good ball out of his own half from Tlabot was moved on down the right channel by Cardle to allow the French Moroccan to run on to the ball and having made ground into the Brechin box slipped the ball under Smith to net at the far post. 1-0
Right away there was another good chance for the home side when Moffat cut in from the left and his lay off to Byrne was then directed on target but blocked out by a defender.
Cardle embarked on yet another penetrating run and when he cut in and shot on the angle from the left Graeme Smith parried the ball away. Unlucky for him Lewis Martin just drilled the ball back towards the far post and Michael PATON was well placed just to stab the ball home and celebrate his first league goal for Dunfermline. 2-0
The second Pars goal came just three minutes from the interval but right on the half time whistle Paton's inswinging corner from the left was caught in the swirling wind and Smith was fortunate to turn the ball on to his crossbar and behind.
The stats indicated only 52% Dunfermline possession but it had felt like much more than that. The Pars had nine shots at goal in the first half, Brechin City none and five corners to the visitors one.
Half Time: Dunfermline 2 Brechin City 0
Brechin did force an early corner in the second half but it was soon back to more Dunfermline pressure. El Bakhtaoui got himself needlessly booked in 51 minutes for chipping the ball over Smith and past the post after the whistle had gone for offside.
Cardle popped a good attempt on target from 30 yards and Smith had to touch the ball over from under his crossbar. At the other end Layne tried one from a similar range but was wide right. Jonathan Tiffoney made Murdoch save at his top right. Brechin did however find the net midway through the half. A free kick from 15 yards inside the Pars half was not properly cleared and the loose ball was headed on target by Dods and although Murdoch did well to stop that he could do nothing to stop LAYNE turning the ball in. 2-1
Manager Allan Johnston made a double substitution four minutes later in 69 minutes. Michael Moffat and Joe Cardle were withdrawn and David Hopkirk and Ryan Wallace were introduced. The Johnston magic worked straight away with HOPKIRK finding the net within a minute. A fine pas from Byrne picked out the sub on the left side of the Brechin box and the pace of the shot defied a sea of legs and the keeper. 3-1
Mickael Antoine-Curier came on for Faissal El Bakhtaoui in 78 minutes but it was Wallace who threatened doing damage not to the net but to the defender who got in the way of his blast.
Hopkirk cleared a Dods shot off the line in added time but there never really looked like being any further scoring at either end.
A good win for the Pars that takes them equal on points with Ayr United but top because of their vastly superior goal difference. Ayr United away next Saturday!
Watch the match highlights on Pars TV
DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch; Lewis Martin, Marc McAusland, Ben Richards-Everton, Jason Talbot; Michael Paton, Shaun Byrne, Josh Falkingham (c), Joe Cardle (David Hopkirk 69); Michael Moffat (Ryan Wallace 69), Faissal El Bakhtaoui (Mickael Antoine-Curier 78).
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Spence, Shaun Rooney, Rhys McCabe, David Hutton (GK)
SCORERS: El Bakhtaoui (34), Paton (42), Hopkirk (70)
YELLOW CARD: El Bakhtaoui (51)
BRECHIN CITY: Graeme Smith; Paul McLean (c), Darren McCormack, Darren Dods, Jonathan Tiffoney; James Dale, Gary Fusco (Euan Smith 59), Isaac Layne, David Weatherston, Robert Thomson (Dene Shields 74), Andy Jackson (Jamie Montgomery 82).
SUBS NOT USED: Craig Johnston, Patrick O'Neil (GK).
SCORERS: Layne (66)
YELLOW CARD: Dods (83)
REFEREE: Colin Steven
WEATHER: Wet, windy 10C
ATTENDANCE 2361
NEXT MATCH: Labrokes League One (away) v Ayr United. Saturday 12th December 2015, kick off 3.00pm at Somerset Park.
Ticket number 19051 won £609.
Views : 12,210
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Preview Brechin City
Saturday, 5th Dec 2015There is an opportunity for the Pars to reclaim pole position for the first time since October.
Dunfermline welcome Brechin City back to East End Park this Saturday. The league season opened with a resounding 6-1 win at Glebe Park and although the Angus side sit bottom of Ladbrokes League One they have recorded wins at Peterhead and Forfar this season and held league leaders Ayr United to a draw last month.
With Ayr United sidelined this weekend while their schedule opponents Cowdenbeath are involved in a Scottish Cup replay at Arbroath, there is an opportunity for the Pars to reclaim pole position for the first time since October.
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Last nine v Brechin City |
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| 09/08/15 |
Brechin City |
1-6 | Dunfermline |
| 18/04/15 |
Brechin City |
3-0 | Dunfermline |
| 03/03/15 |
Brechin City |
1-1 | Dunfermline |
| 24/02/15 |
Dunfermline |
0-1 | Brechin City |
| 09/08/14 |
Dunfermline |
0-0 |
Brechin City |
14/09/13 |
Brechin City |
1-1 |
Dunfermline |
23/11/13 |
Dunfermline |
3-1 |
Brechin City |
|
25/01/14 |
Brechin City |
3-2 |
Dunfermline |
29/03/14 |
Dunfermline |
2-1 |
Brechin City |
There have been 46 league meetings between these teams; the Fifers have won 30, Brechin City 8 and 8 matches. There there have been some high scoring games and the Pars have only ever lost four home games against their Angus opponents but one of those defeats was the last time Brechin visited on 24th February this year. That Brechin win was their first at East End Park since April 1987.
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Milestones v Brechin City (home) |
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|
Last Victory |
29/03/14 |
2-1 |
League One |
|
Last Defeat |
24/02/15 |
0-1 |
League One |
|
Best Victory |
14/12/29 |
10-1 |
Div Two |
|
Worst Defeat |
18/04/87 |
0-2 |
Div One |
The best Pars result was an 10-1 win in 1929 but since that first ever fixture between the clubs, Dunfermline have home scorelines such as 8-0 twice, 6-2, 8-0 and 6-1. In Division One on 30th April 1994, the Fifers won 2-1 courtesy of goals from Stewart Petrie and Andy Tod. When Brechin returned to Dunfermline after a gap of almost twenty years in 2013-14, they lost 3-1 with Ryan Wallace scoring a double and then in March 2014 won 2-1 when a Ross Millen penalty in the last minute ensured the three points stayed in Fife.
Last season Brechin City took four points away from their matches at East End Park. A goalless draw on the opening day of the league campaign was followed by a 1-0 Brechin win on a Tuesday night in February.
| Recent Form home / away | ||||||
| Dunfermline (home) | Brechin City (away) | |||||
| Peterhead | D | 0-0 | Airdrieonians | L | 1-3 | |
| Forfar Athletic | W | 4-0 | Cowdenbeath | L | 0-3 | |
| Albion Rovers | W | 3-0 | Forfar Athletic | W | 1-0 | |
| Airdrieonians | D | 1-1 | Airdrieonians | L | 0-1 | |
| Ayr United | L | 0-2 | Stenhousemuir | D |
2-2 |
|
| Stranraer | W | 3-1 | Peterhead | W |
3-2 |
|
Brechin City started the season by losing their first eight competitive matches. They were knocked out of the Petrofac Training Cup at home to Peterhead and exited the League Cup the following Saturday at Ayr. In September back to back wins over Peterhead and Cowdenbeath looked as though they might have turned the corner in terms of form but in the eight games since then they have won only one, drawn one and lost six.
Dunfermline have now gone nine league games without defeat although they have only won one of their last four league matches. Their goals for and goal against are the best in League One having conceded only nine and scored 40 times.League Stats |
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| Dunfermline | Brechin City |
| League Position | |
| 2 | 10 |
| League form: Last Six Games | |
| WWDDWD | LLWDLL |
| League Points | |
| 31 | 11 |
| Goal Difference | |
| +31 | -14 |
| Home / Away League Record | |
| P7, W4, D2, L1 | P8, W2, D1, L5 |
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Ayr United): Sean Murdoch; Lewis Martin, Marc McAusland, Ben Richards-Everton, Jason Talbot; Michael Paton, Josh Falkingham, Andy Geggan (c), Joe Cardle, Michael Moffat, Faissal El Bakhtaoui.
SUBS NOT USED: David Hopkirk, Lewis Spence, Shaun Rooney, Shaun Byrne, Rhys McCabe, Paul Joseph Crossan, David Hutton (GK).
BRECHIN CITY (v Airdrieonians): Graeme Smith; Darren McCormack, Darren Dods, Ross Perry (Gary Fusco (38), Paul McLean; James Dale (Robert Thomson 69), Craig Molloy, Tiffoney (Smith 82), Willie Dyer, Isaac Layne, Andy Jackson.
SUBS NOT USED: Jamie Montgomery, David Weatherston, Craig Johnston, Patrick O'Neil
Referee will be Colin Steven.
Views : 7,750
