U20s v Kilmarnock
Tuesday, 25th Apr 2017SPFL Development League: (away) Tuesday 25th April 2017, kick off 6.00pm: Scott McLean (36) 1-0: Michael Paton (78 pen.) 1-1: Michael Paton (90+1) 1-2:
- - Listen to John Potters post match comments
KILMARNOCK 1 DUNFERMLINE 2
The under 20s final away match took them down the A77 to face 13th placed Kilmarnock in the Development League. Having encountered wintry showers over Fenwick Moor the all weather surface at Rugby Park however guaranteed no doubts over the match.
John Potter`s young side was augmented by first team squad players Lewis Martin, Lewis Spence and Michael Paton.
The match kicked off in bright sunlight with that likely to trouble the home keeper, Devlin Mackay at the Rugby Road end but he showed a clean pair of hands when Robbie Crawford`s second minute corner came in from the left.
Neither side managed to take the ball close to the opposing boxes as the early play was all in a central area but in 11 minutes Scott Lochhead played the ball back for Spence to push into the Killie box but as Lochhead tried to get on the end of the pass Mackay was out to collect.
There were attempts to build slow measured build ups by both sides and it was 17 minutes before the first shot of the match when the Kilmarnock no.9 Innes Cameron let go with a shot from 20 yards that flew wide right.
Two minutes later Crawford flighted a free kick from the right in towards Callum Smith on the top of the hosts box but his header sent the ball high and dropped into the hands of yellow kitted keeper.
The Pars forced a corner on the left but Crawford took it short to Spence who returned it for the taker to send the ball through the six yard box. Lochhead was next to threaten sending a shot from the left side of the Killie box wide right.
Gill pulled off a fine save in 25 minutes after Scott McLean got to the bye line on the right and cut back for Will Graham to crash the ball on target but the Pars keeper palmed it over his bar. Back at the other end Josh Robertson was presented with an opportunity when Callum Smith crossed from the right. The young left back got a good connection 15 yards out but Mackay held.
It was hard lines for the Fifers when Smith swept his 29th minute shot narrowly wide after Spence had picked out the hungry Crawford and he had switched the ball on smartly for his striker. Dunfermline kept up the pressure and Crawford dispatched a 25 yard effort wide.
Next it was Smith who had an effort blocked by big Karleigh Osbourne and Killie broke through the middle with Cameron feeding McLean as he raced down the left but his first touch took the ball too far ahead of him and Martin was able to mop up the danger.
The Pars defence was ripped apart in 36 minutes when McLEAN latched on to the ball and this time, showing good close control beat off the challenges to net the opener. 1-0
Paton retaliated making Mackay palm away his fierce shot from an acute angle left and then the same player assumed responsibility for a 38th minute free kick but from 25 yards he cleared both the defensive wall and the bar.
Pates had another good chance four minutes later when he got on the end of a Spence chip into the box but from ten yards out, he shot into the keeper`s hands.
Half time: Kilmarnock 1 Dunfermline 0
Lochhead fired a shot over the bar within 50 seconds of the restart and Smith took the ball deep on the left a few minutes later but his chip went across the face of goal. The home side`s Jack Paterson then got away and Gill did well to save from short range.
The first substitution of the evening came in 56 minutes when Galloway was forced to give in to his back injury. Evan Horne went to right back as Brandon Luke came into the reds midfield.
Dunfermline enjoyed a period of possession and played in the opposition half but when awarded a free kick, Paton overhit that and on the next attack Luke laid the ball off to Lochhead, he moved it on to Spence but his attempt to pick out Robertson wide was cut out.
Shots were tried by both Paton and Lochhead but neither troubled Mackay. In 73 minutes it was Luke who received the ball 25 yards out to turn and shoot but just over the bar. Then a Spence ball chip into the right side had Luke turn provider and his cut back allowed Smith to shot but his effort was blocked.
With quarter of an hour remaining Lewis Clark went in hard on Paton just inside the box. The referee pointed to the spot as the defender also hurt himself badly and required several minutes treatment before the spot kick could be taken. PATON patiently waited and duly planked the ball into the bottom right for 1-1.
Clark tried but was unable to continue so Killie played the rest of the match with ten men. Morrison was unusually far forward in 84 minutes and he played a great ball in for aspence on the right but the offside flag went up.
The Pars forced corners but the only shot was a Paton attempt from 25 yards that stayed too high. Lochhead drilled an 86th minute shot at the keeper and sensing the chance, still the visitors came at their hosts. Another corner changed nothing but in the first minute of added time Spence`s cross from the right picked out the leaping PATON whose header won the match.
SUBS NOT USED: Curtis Lyle
SCORERS: McLean (36)
YELLOW CARD: McDonald (82)
DUNFERMLINE: Cammy Gill: Johnny Galloway (Brandon Luke 56), Stuart Morrison, Lewis Martin, Josh Robertson: Robbie Crawford, Evan Horne, Lewis Spence,Michael Paton: Scott Lochhead, Callum Smith.
SUBS NOT USED: Matty Todd, Gregor Jordan
SCORERS: Paton (78 pen. 90+1)
YELLOW CARD: Morrison (87)
REFEREE: Calum Haswell
WEATHER: Changeable 6C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: SPFL Development League (home) v St Johnstone, Tuesday 2nd May at New Central Park, Kelty kick off 2.00pm
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