Queen of the South 0 Dunfermline 0
Saturday, 14th Oct 2017Ladbrokes Championship: Ryan Williamson and Callum Morris return in place of Lewis Martin and Dean Shiels
It was third v fifth as the Pars faced Queen of the South in the final match of the first diet of scheduled fixtures in the Ladbrokes Championship. Allan Johnston had his players back from international duty meaning Ryan Williamson and Callum Morris started. Lewis Martin dropped to the bench while Dean Shiels was serving a suspension for his red card late on in the game against Falkirk.
Queen of the South manager Gary Naysmith made four changes from the side he put out at Montrose the previous week. Chris Kane was out and Callum Tapping and former Pars players Andy Stirling and Shaun Rooney were relegated to the bench. Darren Brownlie, Connor Murray, Lyndon Dykes and James McFadden started for the home side, only their second home match since 19th August.
The visitors kicked off attacking the goal in front of the home support but it was Queens who had the first chance when Lyndon Dykes released Stephen Dobbie to his left for the striker to crash an attempt over the crossbar within two minutes.
Kallum Higginbotham`s fourth minute free kick aimed at Declan McManus on the edge of the box was intercepted by the head of Dykes.
The first corner of the afternoon was conceded off Callum Smith but McFadden`s delivery was defended and Dunfermline broke on the counter through Aaron Splaine but after picking out McManus on the right Queen of the South won back possession.
The Fifers first corner in 12 minutes was delivered low by Higginbotham towards Nicky Clark but the defence cleared only for Splaine to gather on half way. His pass picked out Smith wide left and when got in the cross Clark turned the ball into the sidenetting when Higginbotham was waiting in a central position.
Higginbotham was on the left to deliver a dangerous ball into the six yard box in 19th minute but Clark chested the ball down but failed to get away the killer shot.
Queen of the South created a threat when Dykes broke down the left channel but his shot at an angle was deflected away. Then in 27 minutes they turned out and even better opportunity. Callum Fordyce who was playing in a right back role was forward to head the ball on for Connor Murray. The Queens Academy graduate delivered a fine ball in that McFadden connected with on the left but his fierce low shot skimmed past the right goalpost.
Smith made a fine run down the left evading Murray and Jacobs before his shot was blocked by Fordyce. In 33 minutes the home side put together a good move on the left. Jordan Marshall playing the ball off McFadden to Dobbie who laced a good pass into the Pars box for John Ranking to latch on their and fire across the face of goal. Next a Fordyce delivery caused Morris problems, thankfully McFadden could not capitalise and Murdoch collected the loose ball.
QOS continued on top with Fordyce just catching a strong pass to the right byeline and sending in another ball in from the right before Dobbie tested Murdoch with a shot that Murdoch touched over the bar.
Fordyce was shown the first card of the afternoon in halting Callum Smith`s progress just ten yards inside his own half. The former Pars man played enough with young Smith in the Dunfermline U20s last season to know that it was a real danger to let the 17 year old break.
The teams would turn around all square but there was no debate in that Gary Naysmith`s team had the better of the opening 45 minutes. No goals but 55% possession in favour of Queens, 7 shots to the Pars one and five corners to the visitors three.
Half time: Queen of the South 0 Dunfermline 0
Higginbotham was teed up for a crack at goal within two minutes of the restart. Nat Wedderburn headed the ball down for Smith who then found Higgy but his low drive was dispatched wide left. An injury to Jacobs halted play in 50th minute but the former Livingston player was able to continue.
Williamson was cool in receiving a pass from Higginbotham and then beating Marshall and taking the ball to the byeline. Unluckily Martin plucked his delivery out at the near post. Then in 56 minutes McManus fed Smith the ball on the edge of the Queens box but his deflected shot was held again by the all in pink keeper.
Murdoch held a Fordyce attempt in 58 minutes after Marshall`s free kick from half way had been headed on into the Pars box. Kerr backheeled the ball from the byeline for the 25 year old former Dunfermline captain to have a shot.
Higginbotham launched in a free kick from 45 yards out but that was defended while at the other end Murray picked out Dykes but his header sailed into Murdoch`s hands.
Dunfermline were getting more into the match and were desperately unlucky when a typical Williamson cut was cleared off Clark`s head by Fordyce. Bizarrely no corner was given. On 70 minutes Splaine played another ball for Williamson to cut back but this time Queens denied the waiting McManus.
Andy Ryan was the first substitution made by the Pars management team, a 76th minute change as Declan McManus went off. The home side had brought on Andy Stirling at the same time and it was him who had the next opportunity but failed to connect with a good chance on the edge of the Fifers box.
Ryan drove an 82nd minute free kick 23 yards out into the QOS wall and then defended a corner from the right sent in too low by Higginbotham. At the other end the Pars defended another corner before taking play to the other end where Talbot got caught in a challenge that caused him to limp back.
Time was running out for both sides but the Pars forced a 90th minute corner where Lee Ashcroft`s header looked like a possible winner but the ball was headed off the line by sub Callum Tapping. In the second minute of time added on Dykes had the final chance to break the stalemate but Murdoch dropped to his left to make an important hold.
SUBS NOT USED: Shaun Rooney, Scott Mercer, Ross Ferguson, Jack Leighfield (GK).
YELLOW CARD: Fordyce (41), Brownlie (89)
DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c), Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Kallum Higginbotham, Aaron Splaine, Nat Wedderburn, Declan McManus (Andy Ryan 76), Callum Smith, Nicky Clark.
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Fraser Aird, Jean-Yves M`Voto, Conner Duthie, Scott Lochhead, Cammy Gill (GK).
YELLOW CARD: McManus (64), Splaine (68), Talbot (79)
REFEREE: Stephen Finnie
WEATHER: Wet 16C
ATTENDANCE 1834
NEXT MATCH: Ladbrokes Championship: (home) v Livingston, Saturday 21st October 2017, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park.
Half Time Draw Ticket no. 114542 won £380
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Preview Queen of the South
Saturday, 14th Oct 2017Ladbrokes Championship: Saturday 14th October 2017, kick off 3.00pm at Palmerston Park
Dunfermline travel to Dumfries on Saturday hoping to get back to their winning ways. Back to back defeats to Dundee United and Falkirk are the first since last November. Those defeats, both at the hands of Dundee United, were followed by an eleven match unbeaten run and no doubt Allan Johnston and his management team will be looking for the same again.
Milestones away to Queen of the South
Last League win 06/05/17: 1-0 Championship
Last League defeat: 02/10/10: 0-2 Division One
Best League win: 02/05/09 & 14/04/82: 3-0 Division One
Worst League defeat: 13/12/75: 2-5: Division One
Last meeting at Palmerston
Queen of the South 0 Dunfermline 1
Ladbrokes Championship, 6th May 2017
The sides last met on the final day of last season. A home win would ensure a fifth place finish for the Dumfries men but if Dunfermline could avoid defeat it would be them who would finish fifth.
The league`s top goalscorer Stephen Dobbie was ably supported by his fellow team mates but could not penetrate the Fifers` defences.
In the first minute of time added on at the end of the match, keeper Sean Murdoch`s clearance rocketed straight up the park, Nicky CLARK got his head to it, possibly wrong footing QOS keeper Lee Robinson who slipped. The ball rolled into the net and the somewhat bizarre late Pars goal was the match winner.
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH: Lee Robinson: Kyle Jacobs, Darren Brownlie, Chris Higgins, Jordan Marshall: Callum Tapping (Joe Thomson 60), John Rankin, Dominic Thomas, Danny Carmichael (Connor Murray 74): Lyndon Dykes (Derek Lyle 65), Stephen Dobbie.
SUBS NOT USED: Scott Mercer, Andy Dowie, Dale Hilson, Jim Atkinson (GK)
DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Fordyce (c), Lee Ashcroft, Michael Paton: Kallum Higginbotham, Nat Wedderburn, Rhys McCabe, Paul McMullan (Callum Smith 80): Nicky Clark, Michael Moffat (Joe Cardle 61).
SUBS NOT USED: Gavin Reilly, Stuart Morrison, Lewis Spence, Brandon Luke, David Hutton (GK).
Recent Stats
DUNFERMLINE
League record: 3rd P8 W5 D1 L2 GD+13 16pts
Last six games: WLWWLL
Falkirk (A) L 0-2
Dundee United (H) L 1-3
Brechin City (A) W 3-0
St Mirren (H) W 3-0
Morton (A) L 2-3
Buckie Thistle (A) W 3-0
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH
League record: 5th P8 W3 D2 L3 GD+3 11pts
Last six games: WDDLLDW
Montrose (A) W 3-1 aet
Inverness Caley Th (A) D 0-0
St Mirren (A) L 1-3
Morton (H) L 1-2
Livingston (A) D 2-2
Berwick Rangers (A) W 5-0
Recent Form
Queens have failed to win in their last four league games and their only successes since defeating a depleted Falkirk side on 26th August has been Irn Bru Cup wins at Berwick and Montrose and it took a late Stephen Dobbie equaliser and goals deep into extra time to knock out Stewart Petrie`s side.
Their home defeat to Morton in September has been their only home defeat of the season.
The Pars have only scored one goal in their last two games following an eight match run when they scored 25 times.
Last Time out
DUNFERMLINE (v Falkirk): Sean Murdoch: Lewis Martin, Lee Ashcroft, Nat Wedderburn (Jean-Yves M`Voto 79), Jason Talbot: Kallum Higginbotham, Aaron Splaine (Andy Ryan 74), Dean Shiels, Declan McManus, Callum Smith, Nicky Clark.
SUBS NOT USED: Conner Duthie, Scott Lochhead, Cammy Gill (GK).
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH (v Montrose): Alan Martin: Jordan Marshall, Callum Fordyce, Jason Kerr, Shaun Rooney (Darren Brownlie 86), John Rankin, Andy Stirling (Derek Lyle 68), Kyle Jacobs, Callum Tapping, Stephen Dobbie, Chris Kane (James McFadden 84)
SUBS NOT USED: Lyndon Dykes, Connor Murray, Scott Mercer, Jack Leighfield (GK).
Referee will be Stephen Finnie.
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