Civil Service Strollers 0 Dunfermline 1
Friday, 8th Jul 2016U20s Pre Season Friendly:Callum Fordyce and David Hopkirk start. Ciaran Lafferty (44) 0-1.
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The Pars Develoment squad travelled to Muirhouse in Edinburgh for their first pre season friendly against Lowland League Civil Service Strollers on Friday night. Callum Fordyce started his first match since last September as he commenced his return from injury. David Hopkirk started his first match of pre season in what was a team made up of Development squad players.
The visitors kicked off in bright sunshine with the wind on their backs. They forced two corners in the opening minutes the first of them a delivery from Robbie Crawford
There were next two let offs for the Edinburgh side. Firstly a Hopkirk cross was chested just outside his left post by full back Alex Brown and then a long ball into the Strollers half made into a chance by Ciaran Lafferty (Trialist no.9) with the ball hitting the post.
Hoppy had a shot that was well of target and at the other end Cammy Gill clutched a looping header from Matty Cunningham after Jordan Finnie had launched a 28 yard free kick into the left side of the Pars box.
In 25 minutes Johnny Galloway immediately made an impact of the change of tactic that saw him switch full back roles with Conner Duthie and it was Galloway`s cross that was teed up by Hopkirk for Trialist no.8 to get a clear crack at goal but his direction was just out and the shot escaped wide right.
Duthie got in on the act too sending over a dangerous cross from the right touchline but not finding any takers. On the half hour Steven Anderson won Strollers a corner after hitting the ball off Galloway but that was successfully defended with Trialist no.8 making the break and sending Hopkirk speeding in on the keeper who made a fine job of parrying away the well struck shot and Brandon Luke was unlucky not to latch on to the second ball.
Gill held a low effort from David Stewart in 37th minute. The opening goal of the night took until two minutes from the break. Horne and Luke created the chance putting through a ball that had both Crawford and LAFFERTY lining up to shoot and the trialist finished. 0-1
Half time: Civil Service Strollers 0 Dunfermline 1
The same players emerged for the second half and within 35 seconds Strollers keeper Stuart Burnside turned a Crawford shot around his right hand post. The chance came from a perfect Hopkirk pass to the right side of the box, Crawford checked and turned the ball on to his left foot but the keeper did well to prevent a second for the Fifers. Morrison met Crawford`s corner in from the left but sent his header narrowly wide right.
Luke was tumbled by Downie on 53 minutes but Crawford`s free kick was header away. Six minutes later Horne worked the ball up the right to feed Crawford with the slightest of chances and he was unlucky to smack the ball just wide right.
Hopkirk and Fordyce were replaced in 65 minutes with John James Henderson and John Potter taking their places. Trialist no.8 showed some good close control to beat two defenders and then get dumped on the edge of the box as he looked like taking route one.
With fifteen minutes remaining Luke embarked on a great run only to be taken out by Strollers no.5 Barry Milven. No decision from the ref for this edge of box incident. Duthie by this time was relieved of full back duties and as striker shot narrowly shot wide right, came close to setting up Lafferty, blasted a shot high over the bar as Potter roared for him to shoot and then in 82 minutes drilled the ball across the face of goal.
In 84th minute keeper Burnside was robbed of possession by Duthie who turned away from keeper and goal to lob a shot on target but the lime green kitted stopper held the effort. The ex Hibs man continued to be devoid of luck with a cracker of a shot from 25 yards that the keeper matched with a fine diving save.
Luke then touched on a chance for Lafferty but the keeper kept his shot out and then held when Henderson`s corner was turned towards goal by Lafferty. The Pars had tried hard to increase the margin of their victory but the Christie Gillies ground was to see no more goals.
CIVIL SERVICE STROLLERS: Stuart Burnside: Blair McWhirter (Christopher Milligan 54), Alex Brown (Darren Bowie 54), Robbie Laird (Scott Hutchison 79), Barry Milven, Matthew Cunningham, David Stewart, Jack Downie (Nicholas Stewart 73), Ian Ballantine (Mark Law 62), Jordan Finnie (Jordan Ball 62), Steven Anderson (Kyle Hogg 72)SUBS NOT USED:
DUNFERMLINE: Cammy Gill: Johnny Galloway, Callum Fordyce (John Potter 65), Stuart Morrison, Conner Duthie: Evan Horne: Trialist no.8 (Jack McClair 76), Robbie Crawford (Josh Robertson 72), Brandon Luke, David Hopkirk (John James Henderson 65), Trialist no 9.
SUBS NOT USED: Josh Dunn (GK)
SCORERS: Lafferty (44)
REFEREE:
WEATHER: Sunny 18C
ATTENDANCE 156
NEXT MATCH: Kelty Hearts Tournament v Dundonald Bluebell, Saturday 16th July, 12 noon kick off at Central Park, Kelty KY4 0AG
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