Dunfermline 5 Inverness Caley Thistle 1
Saturday, 12th Aug 2017Ladbrokes Championship: Talbot, Shiels and Smith start in place of Martin, Paton and McManus. Smith (2) 1-0: Ashcroft (14) 2-0: Vigurs (18) 2-1: Cardle (41) 3-1: Hopkirk (67) 4-1: Cardle (90) 5-1
The first home league match of the 2017-2018 Championship season was against the newly relegated Inverness Caley Thistle. It was the first league visit of the Highlanders to East End Park since February 2012 and the Pars` last league win over Caley Thistle was last century on 18th December 1999. Since then there have been 10 League visits without defeat for Caley Thistle.
Manager Allan Johnston was without the services of the suspended Declan McManus and in the absence of Nicky Clark, out after surgery on his ankle, the attack was led by David Hopkirk with Callum Smith in a supporting role. Jason Talbot and Dean Shiels also started in place of Lewis Martin and Michael Paton.
Inverness manager John Robertson brought in Jake Mulraney and Collin Seedorf, meaning David Raven was on the bench and Ross Draper had left the club.
Iain Vigurs got the game underway with Caley Thistle attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end. Within 90 seconds Callum Smith put the Pars into the lead. A Matthew Elsdon free kick on half way was pumped to the far right where Joe Cardle gathered and fed the ball forward. Running through SMITH headed the ball on and when Mark Rodgers came to meet it 20 yards out the ball broke left and the seventeen year old slipped the ball in for his first ever league goal. 1-0
There was an immediate response from Caley forcing a desperate block inside the Pars six yard box. Dunfermline soaked that up and with the confidence of the lead asserted themselves. Ryan Williamson got up the right and Nat Wedderburn turned on the top of the D and released a tenth minute shot that Ridgers saved.
John Baird tried a shot three minutes later that deflected behind for a corner on the left and Sean Murdoch grabbed that after first fisting it into the air.
David Hopkirk was next the threaten and he ran down the left channel to release a shot from 20 yards out that Ridgers turned away for a corner on the right. Kallum Higginbotham sent the ball in from the right for Lee ASHCROFT to meet at the near post and glance his 14th minute header in at the far post. 2-0
The visitors cut the deficit back just four minutes later. A Talbot challenge on Mulraney handed Caley a free kick 25 yards out VIGURS hit the setpiece low and the ball nestled in the far left of the home net. 2-1
On the half hour Inverness won a corner on the left and George Oakley met that but headed narrowly wide right. Then a high foot from Shiels earned Thistle a free kick 40 yards out. Vigurs aimed that forceably into the Pars box and it was Oakley who headed the deflected ball wide as he ran in on goal.
The away fans rallied as Vigurs quickly took another free kick this time on the right. Baird gathered on the edge of the box and laid the ball off for Mulraney but his effort was blocked. A corner on the right kept up the pressure as Caley pushed for an equaliser before they had to face John Robertson at half time.
Williamson conceded a 37th minute corner. Liam Polwarth delivered from the left and the ball cross crossed the six yard box before eventually going behind for a goal kick. Back at the other end the sun appeared as Cardle powered an effort on target only for Seedorf to block.
It was Dunfermline who were to score the next goal. A strong and determined run from Higginbotham cutting in from the right, brushed off challenges to set up CARDLE who netted from 20 yards out, in off the right post. 3-1
A satisfactory first half from DA, more of the same required in the second half.
Half Time: Dunfermline 3 Inverness Caley Thistle 1
Higginbotham switched the ball on down the right for Williamson to force a corner just two minutes into the second half but referee Steven McLean blew for an over aggressive challenge when the ball was centred.
In 50th minute Higginbotham again created danger as he took on players before slipping the ball into Williamson who raced forward on the overlap. His cross was controlled by Smith but Hopkirk arrived at the same moment and Inverness got of the hook.
Sean Murdoch was out fast to block an Oakley effort as the striker ran in to latch on to a 52nd minute Vigurs free kick play unexpectedly into the right side of the box.
Mulraney went down rather softly in a challenge from Cardle but Higginbotham headed clear. A 64th minute corner was flighted over from the left, Baird headed it back and Brad Mackay failed to trouble Murdoch as he collected.
Next a Caley break allowed Chalmers to cross and Ashcroft got between Oakley to concede the corner. That again failed to trouble the Pars and when play switched to the other end HOPKIRK was presented with the opportunity to net from the edge of the box with a fine finish. 4-1
With twenty minutes remaining Lewis Martin came on for Jason Talbot and Inverness made two tactical substitutions, Mulraney and Oakley were withdrawn to introduce Alex Cooper and Felitciano Zschusschen,
In 76 minutes Smith showed fantastic evasive skills to get in for a shot from the left but Ridgers deflected his effort behind. Cardle was next to have a go snatching a shot from 25 yards out that went wide right. Next Higginbotham fed Smith and his shot from an angle on the right was held by Ridgers dropping at his near post.
With the comfort of a three goal lead the Fifers spread the passes about the park, nevertheless Cooper got a late chance for ICT that was deflected behind for a corner that changed nothing.
In the last minute of the match CARDLE rubbed more salt in the Highhlanders wounds in a typical run along the 18 yard line until the opportunity arose to hit a low right footed shot into the bottom left. 5-1
Sixteen goals in three home games certainly will have the fans coming back for more.
DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c) Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot (Lewis Martin 70): Kallum Higginbotham, Dean Shiels, Nat Wedderburn (Aaron Splaine 81), Joe Cardle: David Hopkirk (Scott Lochhead 74), Callum SmithSUBS NOT USED: Jean Yves M`Voto, Michael Paton, Fraser Aird, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: Smith (2), Ashcroft (14), Cardle (41, 90), Hopkirk (67)
YELLOW CARD: Morris (20)
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE: Mark Ridgers: Colin Seedorf, Joe Chalmers, Matthew Elsdon, Riccardo Calder, Brad Mackay, Liam Polworth, Jake Mulraney (Alex Cooper 71), Iain Vigurs (David Raven 81), John Baird, George Oakley (Felitciano Zschusschen 71).
SUBS NOT USED: Connor Bell, Liam MacDonald, Ryan Esson (GK)
SCORERS: Vigurs (18)
YELLOW CARD: Oakley (6), Elsdon (23), Polworth (57), Mackay (76)
REFEREE: Steven McLean
WEATHER: Showery 15C
ATTENDANCE 4391
NEXT MATCH: Irn Bru (Challenge) Cup: (home) v Arbroath, Tuesday 15th August 2017, kick off 7.45pm at East End Park
Winning ticket no. 3208 won £747
Views : 11,854
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Preview Inverness Caley Thistle
Saturday, 12th Aug 2017Ladbrokes Championship: Saturday 12th August 2017 kick off 3.00pm at East End Park
Dunfermline first home match in this season`s Championship kicks off on Saturday when Inverness Caley Thistle are welcomed to East End Park. The Highlanders have spent twelve of the last thirteen seasons in the top flight of Scottish football and won the Scottish Cup in 2014-2015. They took the drop after seven consecutive seasons in the Premier League and before the league season kicked off were quoted at odds of 5-1 to win the Championship.
They have certainly come a very long way since their first visit to East End in the First Division on 7th August 1999, a game Dunfermline won comfortably by four goals to nil. It is 13 games back now since Dunfermline last defeated Inverness Caley at East End Park that was over sixteen years ago in December 1999.
| Milestones v Inverness Caley Thistle (home). | |||
| Last League Victory | 18/12/99 | 1-0 | Division 1 |
| Last League Defeat | 18/01/12 | 1-3 | Division 1 |
| Best League Victory | 07/08/99 | 4-0 | Division 1 |
| Worst League Defeat | 18/01/12 | 1-3 | Division 1 |
Inverness have only lost five of the 30 matches between the sides.
Recent Form
So far this season Inverness have played five competitive matches and Dunfermline six.
DUNFERMLINE
Rangers (A) L 0-6
Livingston (A) D 1-1
Hearts (A) D 2-2
Peterhead (H) W 5-1
East Fife (A) D 0-0
Elgin City (H) W 6-0
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
Dundee United (A) L 0-1
Forfar (A) W 2-1
Falkirk (H) L 0-2
Stirling (A) D 0-0
Brechin City (H) W 3-0
Last Time at East End Park
Betfred Cup - Tuesday 26th July 2016
Dunfermline 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 5
Iain Vigurs 30 yard shot beat David Hutton to give the visitors a 16th minute lead but 12 minutes later Pars captain Andy Geggan met Kallum Higginbotham`s delivery to power a header past keeper Cammy Mackay.
Dunfermline then lost a goal from a free kick just three minutes from the interval. Billy King added to the Pars woes with a 54th minute goal off Williamson. Vigurs completed his hast trick in 66 minutes and Carl Tremarco netted a fifth Caley goal in the final minutes.
DUNFERMLINE: David Hutton: Ryan Williamson, Lee Ashcroft, Ben Richards-Everton, Jason Talbot: Rhys McCabe, Lewis Spence, Andy Geggan (c), Joe Cardle (James Thomas 89): Michael Moffat (Callum Smith 78), Kallum Higginbotham (Paul McMullan 73).
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Michael Paton, Cammy Gill (GK)
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE: Cammy Mackay, David Raven, Gary Warren (c), Kevin McNaughton, Carl Tremarco: Billy King, Liam Polwarth, Jake Mulraney (Ross Draper 59), Greg Tansey, Iain Vigurs (Ali Sutherland 85), Scott Boden (Alex Fisher 81).
SUBS NOT USED: Jason Brown, Lewis Horner, Owain Fon Williams (GK)
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Rangers): Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c) Lee Ashcroft, Lewis Martin: Kallum Higginbotham (Dean Shiels, 62), Michael Paton, Nat Wedderburn, Joe Cardle (Scott Lochhead 68): David Hopkirk (Jean Yves M`Voto 29), Declan McManus.
SUBS NOT USED: Callum Smith, Aaron Splaine, Jason Talbot, Cammy Gill (GK)
INVERNESS CT (v Dundee United): Mark Ridgers: David Raven, Joe Chalmers, Matthew Elsdon, Riccardo Calder (Jake Mulraney 56), Brad Mackay, Liam Polwarth, Ross Draper, Iain Vigurs, John Baird (Connor Bell 75), George Oakley (Felitciano Zschusschen 85)
SUBS NOT USED: Alex Cooper, Liam MacDonald, Ryan Esson (GK)
Referee will be Steven McLean.
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