Dunfermline 5 Peterhead 1
Saturday, 22nd Jul 2017Betfred Cup: Declan McManus (7) 1-0: Joe Cardle (12) 2-0: Joe Cardle (22) 3-0: Declan McManus (47) 4-0: Rory McAllister (64 pen.) 4-1: Scott Ross (74 og) 5-1
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPB7974_8461.jpg)
Jim McInally brought his Peterhead side to a wet and cool East End Park for this Betfred Cup tie. Both Peterhead and Dunfermline had played East Fife in their last matches and it was the Buchan side who had taken full points with a 1-0 win. The Pars were held to a goalless draw in midweek at Methil but had picked up a welcome bonus point after winning the penalty shoot out 9-8.
Both sides made one change to their starting elevens. Dean Shiels made his starting debut for the home side meaning Nat Wedderburn dropped to the bench and Samson Gabriel was preferred to Paul Cairney in the Peterhead team.
The Pars kicked off attacking the goal at the east end and Declan McManus got off to a flying start twisting and turning his way in to the visitors box from the right. There was only 14 seconds on the clock when Jamie Stevenson`s tackle halted him eight yards from goal.
Joe Cardle ran at the Blue Toon defence and released a fourth minute shot from 20 yards that travelled wide left of goal with Shiels complaining that a ball to him would have paid off better.
It took the Pars just three more minutes to establish a lead. Nicky Clark set it up with a strong run down the left and his cut back was met 15 yards out by McMANUS for his debut goal for the Pars. 1-0
A fine sweeping move involving McManus to Higginbotham to CARDLE created a 12th minute goal. The Pars favourite slotted in from right 2-0.
Dunfermline kept up the pressure on the Peterhead defence with Clark touching the ball into the path of Michael Paton who released a shot from 20 yards that went wide left.
A 19th minute free kick gave Rory McAllister the opportunity to fire a 30 yard free kick over the four man Fifers wall but Sean Murdoch easily plucked the net bound shot out to his left.
Former Par Willie Gibson was next to hit a shot on target but Murdoch dropped to his left to save. Then Joe CARDLE struck again. It was 22nd minute when Williamson slipped the ball to Higginbotham and then ran on to connect again on the right byeline. Ryan`s cutback was perfect for Joe who smashed the ball home from ten yards. 3-0
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/SportPix_Betfred_Dun-v-Pet_CB22072017007_0498.jpg)
Higginbotham tormented his marker out left and when he got on the cut back Shiels crashed a shot on target but that was blocked.
On the half hour Peterhead forced a corner on the right but when taken by Gibson that was met at the near post and headed wide right off a visitors head.
Four minutes later another sweet move from Paton to Clark back to Paton and wide to Higginbotham put the latter in for a shot but unluckily the ball was always destined to go outside the far post.
Next a good solo run from McManus in 36 minutes, racing away after Gibson lost possession in the centre of the park, was punctuated by a block on a shot from the left that earned a corner.
Five minutes from the interval Callum Morris collected a yellow card for impeding McAllister on the edge of the box. Gibson hit the resultant free kick on to the roof of the net. In 44th minute Morris fouled Gibson on the left side and his quickly taken free kick teed up Stevenson but that was despatched well wide left from 25 yards out.
Half time: Dunfermline 3 Peterhead 0
Peterhead made a double substitution before the second half got underway, Paul Cairney and Russell McLean replacing Samson Gabriel and Jordon Brown.
Higginbotham thumped a shot narrowly over the bar and there were only two minutes of the half gone when a lofted ball from Paton just inside his own half picked out who McMANUS chipped the keeper from the left corner of the penalty box. 4-0
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/SportPix_Betfred_Dun-v-Pet_CB22072017002_3381.jpg)
A 50th minute crack from Shiels was deflected behind for a corner but that did cause the visitors any danger. Five minutes later Williamson worked a route in from the right and from the edge of the six yard box cut back for Clark but although he beat Fleming the ball was headed off the line by a defender. Next Ferry scooped the ball away from Clark for a corner on the right but Peterhead defended that well.
Comfortably ahead the Pars introduced Aaron Splaine and Callum Smith, withdrawing Michael Paton and Nicky Clark. McManus and Cardle remained to see which might seal their hat trick. But it was Peterhead who scored next in 64 minutes, Rory McALLISTER scored from the penalty spot after the ball had come off the hand of Ashcroft as he slid in to tackle the Peterhead no.9. 4-1
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/SportPix_Betfred_Dun-v-Pet_CB22072017016_7972.jpg)
A fifth Dunfermline goal was only ten minutes away however, a spectacular own goal on a McManus cross. Smith put pressure on sub central defender Scott ROSS to diverted the ball into his own net at the near post. 5-1
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/SportPix_Betfred_Dun-v-Pet_CB22072017001_9664.jpg)
McManus had a great chance to clinch his hat trick on 80 minutes. Higginbotham dispossessed Gibson midway inside the Dunfermline half and forced his way up the park with both Gibson and Jason Brown in pursuit. A fine exchange off Smith set up the pass for the unmarked new boy but Fleming came out to pull off a fine save.
An 88th minute corner won by Williamson`s pace was sent over by Higginbotham and after M`Voto`s header was turned behind another followed. No more goals but a comfortable victory.
Six goals at East End Park for the second week running only the opposition were allowed to score one. Much to be admired from an impressive Athletic performance.
SUBS NOT USED: Nat Wedderburn, Scott Lochhead, Conner Duthie, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: McManus (7, 47), Cardle (12, 22), Ross (74 og)
YELLOW CARD: Morris (39)
PETERHEAD: Greg Fleming: Jason Brown, Mason Robertson, David McCracken (Scott Ross 59), Jamie Stevenson: Scott Brown, Simon Ferry: Jordon Brown (Russell McLean HT), Samson Gabriel (Paul Cairney HT), Willie Gibson: Rory McAllister
SUBS NOT USED: Allan Smith, Scott Adams, Marc Lawrence, Fraser Hobday (GK).
SCORERS: McAllister (64 pen)
YELLOW CARD: McAllister (41)
REFEREE: Bobby Madden
WEATHER: Rain 14C
ATTENDANCE 1878
NEXT MATCH: Betfred Cup: (away) v Hearts, Saturday 29th July 2017 kick off 3.00pm
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Joe Cardle post Peterhead
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Preview Peterhead
Saturday, 22nd Jul 2017AJ:- "We know Peterhead well from our time in League One. We found them hard to beat, physical with good players too
After Elgin City`s visit on the opening day of the 2017-2018 season, next visitors to East End Park in this season`s Betfred Cup are another League Two side, Peterhead.
The Blue Toon have visited Dunfermline only four times and have won two and drawn two. The sides have met once before in this competition in August 2008 when Dunfermline won 2-0 thanks to goals early on the second half from Nick Phinn and Andy Kirk.
They come together both on the back of matches against East Fife. Peterhead won at Balmoor on Saturday and the Pars were held to a goalless draw in Methil on Tuesday night.
Allan Johnston has said:-
"We know Peterhead well from our time in League One. We found them hard to beat, physical with good players too. We know what to expect and for it not to be easy. Jim McInally`s teams are always fired up and when you are up against a striker like Rory McAllister upfront who can score goals then you are always in a game."
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBP_0053_0625.jpg)
Peterhead manager Jim McInally was pleased to see his team achieve a clean sheet against East Fife last Saturday. After that match he was quoted as saying:-
"It was really pleasing to get a win and clean sheet, especially as we started six new players. They looked as though they had been playing with each other for a while but they are all decent level players.
"We have got good options now with the shapes we can play and the bodies we can bring on although in the next two games we will be chasing the ball for big parts so that will be a different test. But we have just beaten a team from the league we have just come from so that was pleasing."
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBP_0099_7661.jpg)
As predicted by Allan Johnston, Rory McAllister duly delivered the winner, the striker`s early goal separating the sides. McAllister nipped in to intercept a stray Mark Docherty pass and strode forward to slip the ball past Ryan Goodfellow from the edge of the penalty area.
The 30 year old was off and running for the season after just 11 minutes and although the Blue Toon had further opportunities to build on their lead, the one goal was enough to confirm the win.
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBP_0055_3438.jpg)
Last time at East End Park
SPFL League One
Saturday 30th April 2016
Dunfermline 1 Peterhead 0
The only team in League One that Dunfermline had still to win against were the opposition for the final match of the season. Third placed Peterhead made one enforced change, Leighton McIntosh started in place of the suspended Rory McAllister.
The winning goal came from a really sweet move 17 minutes into the match. From the middle of the park Michael Moffat fed the ball left for Cardle. Joe sent a right footed cross to the far side of the six yard box and although that found a Peterhead head the danger was not properly cleared and CARDLE found himself threaded a pass from Wallace that set him up to slip the ball into the left side of the goal.
At the final whistle the party started and the Ladbrokes representatives presented Andy Geggan and Callum Fordyce with the League One trophy, silver streamers were fired in the air and there was joy all around East End Park.
DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch. Craig Reid (Ryan Williamson 82), Brad McKay, Ben Richards-Everton, Jason Talbot. David Hopkirk, Andy Geggan (c), Josh Falkingham (Shaun Byrne 79), Joe Cardle. Ryan Wallace (Faissal El Bakhtaoui 77), Michael Moffat.
SUBS NOT USED: Shaun Rooney, Rhys McCabe, Paul Joseph Crossan, David Hutton GK).
SCORER: Cardle (17
PETERHEAD: Graeme Smith. Jamie Stevenson (Marc Lawrence 67), James Redman, Ryan Strachan, Steven Noble. Jordan Brown, Kevin Dzierzawski (Nathan Blockley 20), Simon Ferry, Nicky Riley (Andy Rodgers 75). Shane Sutherland, Leighton McIntosh.
SUBS NOT USED: Paul Jarvie (GK).
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBP_9861_5094.jpg)
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE (v East Fife): Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c), Lee Ashcroft, Lewis Martin: Kallum Higginbotham (Scott Lochhead 68), Michael Paton, Nat Wedderburn (Dean Shiels 68), Joe Cardle: Declan McManus (Callum Smith 82), Nicky Clark.
SUBS NOT USED: Jean-Yves M`Voto, Conner Duthie, Aaron Splaine, Cammy Gill (GK)
PETERHEAD (v East Fife): Greg Fleming: Jason Brown, Mason Robertson, David McCracken, Jamie Stevenson: Scott Brown, Simon Ferry: Jordon Brown (Samson Gabriel 83), Paul Cairney (Russell McLean 70), Willie Gibson (Allan Smith 87): Rory McAllister
SUBS NOT USED: Scott Ross, Scott Adams, Mark Lawrence, Fraser Hobday (GK).
Referee will be
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