U20s v Kelty Hearts
Tuesday, 1st Mar 2016Friendly: Paul Currie 1-0; Stephen Husband 2-0; Triallst 2-1; Stuart Cargill 3-1; Stuart Cargill 4-1
KELTY HEARTS 4 DUNFERMLINE 1
The Pars’ development squad made the short trip up the M90 to take on local junior team Kelty Hearts on their artificial surface at New Central Park. About 100 fans saw the young Pars given a lesson from the more experienced East League side who sit third place in their league, but still harbour hopes of winning the title.
Whilst the home team played most of their regulars, the visitors excluded all their first teamers, including PJ Crossan after his debut on Saturday, his role being to assist the keepers in the pre-match warm-up. The home team kicked off and were soon on the attack.
An early STUART Morrison slip wasn’t fully punished as Cammy Gill managed to deflect Paul Currie’s shot, but the opening goal was only delayed until the 11th minute. Good work down the left side saw Scott Gates hit the by-line on the overlap, and a further slip presented CURRIE with a chance to score, which he did at the second attempt. 1-0
Kelty Hearts continued to dominate the early proceedings, with the Pars scarcely troubling their former keeper Kyle Allison in the home goal. The fact that there was only 1 linesman (and he didn’t move from the half-way line, only signalling shies) meant that off-side calls might be troublesome.
Former Morton striker Archie Campbell was through a couple of times, the second time chipping the advancing Gill only to see the ball drift past the far post. His strike partner Calum Smith, another former Athletic man, was putting his aerial ability to good use, his 28th minute header beating Gill but landing on the roof of the net.
Just after the half hour another ball over the top set Campbell clear, but he took one touch too many and fired into the side-netting from a narrow angle. The Kelty team continued to knock the ball about well, but we had seen little of Stephen Husband, other than a long range shot that had sailed over the bar. That was to change on 41 minutes – the Pars conceded a free-kick 20 yards out, and HUSBAND bent the ball round the wall and into the top right hand corner of the goal.
Half time: Kelty Hearts 2 Dunfermline Athletic 0
There were numerous changes at half-time, including a replacement referee, the original having injured himself in the first half. At first, these favoured the Pars, and they pulled a goal back in 48 minutes - the TRIALIST finding space in the box to move the ball onto his right foot and curl a shot in at the far post. 2-1.
However, the Jambos’ two-goal advantage was soon restored – substitute CARGILL getting ahead of Jordan Orru to poke the ball beneath Gill as the keeper strove to narrow the angle. Almost immediately the Pars had a great chance to pull another one back, Scott Sutherland breaching the back-line to run through on goal, but a lack of composure saw him blast the ball over the bar; James Thomas was quick to console. Worse was to follow: neat play on the Kelty left saw the ball switched to the right and CARGILL this time steered the ball to Gill’s left to make it 4-1.
More substitutions followed for both sides and Thomas dropped back into midfield to try to shore things up, although his pace nearly pressurised Murray Carstairs into a mistake, but the centre half recovered. Morrison was booked for a rash challenge; fortunately this time the free-kick was off-target. The Pars had one final chance – a neat back-heel from Brandon Luke set up Ryan Stevenson, but the second Pars player of the night to play in a Number 9 jersey fired over.
There was still time for Gill to pull off a couple of good saves – a stretch to tip over a net-bound header and then a block at the back post from David Banjo’s fierce effort from the subsequent corner which kept the score respectable.
Ultimately this was a disappointing result against what looks like a more than decent Kelty Hearts side, but it all adds to the experience.
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Currie, Husband, Cargill 2
DUNFERMLINE: Cammy Gill, Reece Duncan (Josh Robertson 82), Cammy McClair (Jack McClair 82), Jordan Orru, Stuart Morrison, John James Henderson (Johnny Galloway HT), Robbie Crawford (Brandon Luke HT), Evan Horne (, 68), Callum Smith (Scott Sutherland HT), Jamie Thomas, Trialist (Ryan Stevenson 68)
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Trialist
REFEREE:
WEATHER: Cold 4C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: SPFL Development League (away) v Hibs TBC
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