U20 v Aberdeen
Tuesday, 28th Mar 2017SPFL Development League: (away) at North Lodge Park: Bruce Anderson (71) 1-0: Seb Ross (85) 2-0: Frank Ross (89) 3-0: Joe Nuttall (90+2) 4-0
- - - - Listen to John Potter post match comments
ABERDEEN 4 DUNFERMLINE 0
Tenth placed Aberdeen faced seventh placed Dunfermline but only two points separated the teams and a home win would see the Dons leapfrog the Pars in the Development League. The match was played at the home ground of Highland League club, Formartine United.
John Potter took a young side north augmented by Lewis Spence, Ryan Williamson and Callum Fordyce. At 21, 21 and 24 they were the oldest players on the park. The visitors kicked off, forc d a corner within 90 seconds and then after just three minutes Reece Duncan`s pass in from the left was flicked on by Evan Horne to Brandon Luke who got in a shot that sneaked narrowly wide right.
Two Williamson runs alerted Aberdeen to his dangerous crosses. The first earned a tenth minute corner, the second travelling deep to Luke who could not keep his shot on target.
A 13th minute shot from Williamson skimmed in from the right requiring David Craddock the Dons keeper to tip the ball around his right hand post. Next minute a Spence header forced the keeper to touch the ball over his crossbar.
Aberdeen were feeling the pressure from the Fifers but a Connor McLennan cross and then a Frank Ross shot diverted the danger to the other end. Another Williamson run midway through the half let him in for another crack at goal but although well struck, the effort went straight into the keeper`s hands.
Williamson continued to press with another low shot that flashed across goal in 26 minutes. Two minutes further passed and another Williamson chance was drilled into the sidenetting. Ross`s run earned Aberdeen their first corner in 34th minute but when that came in from the left, Gill held the headed effort.
Scott Wright made a surging run but the defence did its job in halting him but then a 39th minute free kick awarded after Horne tripped Ross on the left allowed Ross a pop at goal but the ball landed on the roof of the net.
The teams turned around all square but the Pars had more and better chances in a competitive first 45.
Half time: Aberdeen 0 Dunfermline 0
Just three minutes into the second half, Joe MacPherson was yellow carded for chopping down Luke on the left and Crawford`s delivery dropped nicely for Lochhead at the far post but he miscued. In 54 minutes Horne lofted the ball into the right side of the home box but Luke`s shot could not be kept on target.
A crisp attack from Lochhead lying deep, through Luke to Spence on the right ended up with a cross that Lochhead nodded for Duncan but his attempt from the edge of the box did not have enough on it to beat Craddock. At the other end Norris should have broken the deadlock in 57 minutes after a ball from the left fell nicely for him but it rose all the way and narrowly cleared Gill`s bar.
Just four minutes later Gill made a superb block to deny Ross` shot on the angle and Wright headed the rebound over the bar. Aberdeen had eased themselves into the match and the introduction of Joe Nuttall for the unlucky Wright gave cause for concern.
A run by Crawford led to Mbayo halting him and earning the Pars a 67th minute free kick that Lochhead fired on target from 25 yards but again Craddock tipped the ball over his bar.
A couple of mistakes led to Aberdeen taking a 71st minute lead. Fordyce skied a clearance 40 yards out causing Gill to come racing out of his goal. Nuttall won possession however and cut in to shoot. That attempt was blocked but the ball sat up for ANDERSON to slot past Williamson and Gill as he scrambled back. 1-0
Owen Andrew replaced Paul Allan as the Pars set out to find an equaliser but it was Aberdeen who were to find the net with three goals in the final five plus three added minutes. First Seb ROSS hit on the break to net the Dons second in 85 minutes. 2-0
Four minutes later Frank ROSS released a shot from the edge of the box that Gill had no chance of saving and then in the second minute of added time NUTTALL slotted in Aberdeen`s fourth. To make matters worse Horne collected a second yellow card for a nasty tackle on Frank Ross.
The scoreline in no way reflects the story of the game which was anyone`s up until the opening goal.
SUBS NOT USED: Sam Roscoe, Chris Antoniazzi, David Dangana, Harrison Sharp (GK).
SCORERS: B Anderson (71), S Ross (77), F Ross (89), Nuttall (90+2)
YELLOW CARD: MacPherson (48), Henry (51)
DUNFERMLINE: Cammy Gill: Paul Allan (Owen Andrew 77), Callum Fordyce, Stuart Morrison: Ryan Williamson, Robbie Crawford, Evan Horne (c), Brandon Luke (Matthew Todd 86), Reece Duncan (Josh Robertson 86): Lewis Spence, Scott Lochhead
SUBS NOT USED:
YELLOW CARD: Horne (87)
RED CARD: Horne (90+3)
REFEREE: Dan MacFarlane
WEATHER: Dreich 6C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: SPFL Development League (home) v Hibs. Monday 3rd April at New Central Park, Kelty ko 2.00pm
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