Dunfermline Athletic Football Club

Alloa Athletic 1 Dunfermline 1

Wednesday, 29th Jun 2016

Pre Season Friendly: two Trialists start for Dunfermline. Jamie Longworth (38) 1-0. Trialist 2 (44) 1-1

Two trialists were included in the starting line up against Alloa Athletic in this pre season friendly at the Indodrill Stadium. The tall one (2)played upfront, the other (1) on the right of midfield. Familiar figures Greig Spence and Jamie Longworth got the match underway with the home side attacking the goal at the Ochils end.

Alloa tried hard to get forward and in seventh minute Longworth, Cawley and Spence took a few touches on the top of the Pars box but failed to get away a shot. When that was unleashed it was Callum Waters who blasted well wide left.

Joe Cardle had a shot blocked before an Alloa free kick on the right was lofted into the far side of the box where Andrew Graham rose to head towards the far post but Nat Wedderburn`s header forced the threat away.

In 12th minute Wedderburn despatched a fine ball deep up the right for Ryan Williamson to control and then cut inside but his attempt to pick out Cardle was intercepted.

Moffat made an impressive break down the right, crossed for Cardle who returned the ball from the left for the Trialist 2 but his 18th minute header went wide right. Within a minute the same player was able to get a shot in from the edge of the box that went narrowly wide on the other side. This chance came after the other Trialist 1 intercepted a pass out of defence and slipped the ball for Williamson to deliver.

Kevin Cawley`s 24th minute shot was deflected behind off Wedderburn and Andy Geggan headed away the corner when it came over from the right. Right on the half hour Iain Flannigan produced a fine cross from the right and Cawley`s header came closest this far to finding the net, the former Celtic youth heading just outside the left goalpost.

Lee Ashcroft made a diving header to get away Waters cross from the left and then in 36 minutes Williamson blocked a powerful effort from Flannigan. Geggan headed away from the resultant corner and when sub Ryan Hoggan connected from 30 yards out the ball flew inches wide of the right post.

It might be said `it was coming` but the Wasps took the lead in 38 minutes. Right back Scott Taggart latched on to a Murdoch clearance and his ball to the far post was turned in by LONGWORTH. 1-0

Dunfermline`s equaliser came six minutes later. Williamson looked as though he prodded the ball too far forward on the right but made the cut back courtesy of his long legs and TRIALIST (2) produced a header to crash the ball home 1-1.

There was one further Alloa chance before the break, Williamson blocking a Flannigan attempt from 20 yards.

Half time: Alloa Athletic 1 Dunfermline Athletic 1

Jim Goodwin did not come out for the second half sub Ross McKinnon taking his place. Two minutes into the half Moffat was on the end of a cross from the right but hit the left upright from just six yards.

Flannigan, Spence to Spence in a promising Alloa move but Ashcroft swept away the danger on the right side of the box. Back at the other end keeper Craig McDowell was swiftly out to deny Moffat a clear shot at him.

In 53 minutes the Alloa keeper beat away a shot from Trialist (1) after Geggan had lifted a neat delivery into the opposition box from 35 yards out. An Ashcroft lob into the far side of the box was controlled by Cardle when a first time effort might have had a better outcome but he slid the ball inside to Talbot and Alloa cleared.

Cardle tried a shot from 30 yards out but the ball cleared the crossbar and at the other end Murdoch held a low cross from Taggart. Next Cardle produced play to match his jersey driving forward and received the ball back off both strikers before bursting into the box but his shot from 15 yards was kept out by the keeper`s legs.

In 65 minutes Dunfermline made six substitutions. Off went Talbot, Williamson Wedderburn, Geggan, Moffat and Cardle, on came Conner Duthie, James Thomas, Rhys McCabe, Trialist 3, Lewis Martin and Lewis Spence.

The changes did not stop the Pars pushing hard and Martin was unlucky after picking up a fine pass from Duthie, to see his shot blocked. In 75th minute Martin got to the byeline and his cross somewhat surprised Thomas who could only direct his header over the crossbar from eight yards out.

McCabe`s neat pass for Thomas was expertly cut out by Graham as the late evening sun illuminated the travelling support in the away stand. The dyed blonde McCabe pressed the Pars forward. Duncan forced a corner and when the defended ball was driven back into the box by McCabe Martin was the one who got in the shot but Alloa`s sub keeper Andrew Wilson held his effort.

Murdoch was out smartish to thwart Layne and at the other end Wilson denied Callum Smith what would have been a last minute winner.

ALLOA ATHLETIC: Craig McDowall (Andrew Wilson 71). Scott Taggart, Andrew Graham, Jim Goodwin (Ross McKinnon (NR) HT), Calum Waters (Lewis Wilson 71). Kevin Cawley, Jordan Kirkpatrick (Ryan Hoggan 13), Steven Hetherington, Iain Flannigan (Lewis Baker (NS) 67). Greig Spence (Isaac Layne, 61), Jamie Longworth.
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Longworth (38)

DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch. Ryan Williamson (Lewis Martin 65), Lee Ashcroft (Reece Duncan 82), Ben Richards-Everton (Stuart Morrison 82), Jason Talbot (Trialist 3 65).. Trialist 1 (Evan Horne 77), Nat Wedderburn (Lewis Spence 65), Andy Geggan (Rhys McCabe, 65), Joe Cardle (Conner Duthie 65). Trialist 2 (Callum Smith 77), Michael Moffat (James Thomas 65)
SUBS NOT USED: David Hutton (GK)
SCORERS: Trialist 2 (44)

REFEREE: Gavin Duncan
WEATHER: Damp 13C
ATTENDANCE

NEXT MATCH: Pre Season Friendly (away) v Livingston
Saturday 2nd July kick off 3.00pm at Toni Macaroni Arena

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