Dundee United 2 Dunfermline 3
Saturday, 4th Aug 2018Ladbrokes Championship: Nicky Clark 1-0: Joe Thomson (59) 1-1: Jackson Longridge (67) 1-2: L Longridge (84) 1-3: Fraser Aird (89) 2-3:
After a fantastic second half comeback Dunfermline Athletic registered their first win over Dundee United in all competitions at this their sixteenth attempt.
Dunfermline travelled to Tannadice for this league season opener hoping for their first league victory there for seven years. Having won four matches out of four Allan Johnston’s side were full of confidence going into the match while United had drawn two at home, lost away to Ross County and won at Elgin.
Lee Robinson was back in goal and otherwise it was the same Pars starting eleven as faced Stirling Albion. With Ryan Williamson and Kallum Higginbotham both serving suspensions and Lewis Martin injured, there were four teenagers on the visitors’ bench.
Dundee United’s Csaba László made three changes from the starting eleven at Elgin, former Par Fraser Aird and Matthew Smith dropped to the bench making way for Yannick Loemba and Craig Curran, while 28 year old Slovakian Matej Rakovan came in between the posts for Benjamin Siegrist.
Two United players started who played the Pars in the last play off game in May while Dunfermline fielded four. It was the Fifers who kicked off with the travelling support in the stand behind them. It was a wary beginnng from both sides and Lee Ashcroft did well to halt the progress of Loemba on the edge of the box after the big no.90 raced towards the Dunfermline goal in sixth minute.
Jackson Longridge’s throw in on the left was taken short to Myles Hippolyte and he forced a ninth minute corner. James Craigen delivered from the left and somewhat predictably Nicky Clark headed clear.
William Edjenguele was shown the first yellow card of the match when he cut down Faissal El Bakhtaoui midway inside the United half but when Craigen sent the ball on the defence cleared. Another free kick two minutes later from about the same distance out but on the left side this time was directed towards Danny Devine but the offside flag was raised.
United’s first effort came from Clark but there was insufficient on the shot to concern Robinson who held with ease. Hippolyte required treatment from physio in 16th minute after going down in front of the United goal but despite limping off he was able to run back on two minutes later.
The teams were cancelling each other out with United favouring long balls. In 28 minutes J Longridge put in a great ball from the left that Frederic Frans slid into to concede a corner on the left. Craigen centred, the ball was defended out for Joe Thomson to try a shot but we was well right of target.
On the half hour Christoph Rabitsch chopped down El Bakhtaoui earning the 22 year old Austrian a yellow, Faiss one for retaliation and Dunfermline the free kick that United duly defended.
Back at the other end an Edjenguele header was deflected for a 33rd minute corner on left but when that was taken short Ashcroft was able to steal the ball away from Loemba. Then in 41 minutes Rabitsch caught Louis Longridge and the Fifers had an opportunity from a free kick 30 yards out but when Hippolyte fires the setpiece narrowly wide right.
United were to go ahead after a scramble in front of the Pars goal. The ball was headed around and broke towards the Pars several players got a touch and the unfortunate Craigen could not stop the ball crossing the line. Nicky CLARK peeled away to the left celebrating poking home the 44th minute goal. 1-0
The text books would say not the best time to lose a goal and very disappointing since it could be argued it was against the run of play and the stats showed 57% Pars first half possession.
Half time: Dundee United 1 Dunfermline 0
Fraser Aird replaced Christoph Rabitsch for the restart and it looked like the Pars might well have been told to test the keeper more in the second half. In the first minute Rakovan needed all his height to reach back to turn Hipolyte’s 50 yard effort round his right hand post.
A corner followed but United defended that. Craigen gathered on the right but his effort was wayward. J Longridge pumped a high ball into the box that El Bakhtaoui challenged for but Rakovan held.
In 52 minutes Aird got the chance from a header but straight into Robinson’s hands. Next Aird produced a fine ball in from the right that Loemba got his head to but not enough to find the net.
Hippolyte was then unlucky from a 54th minute header from a Craigen corner, just sending his chance over the crossbar. Another Pars corner was headed clear but the pressure was clearly on the Tannadice side. Hippolyte latched on to a long Louis Longridge ball to get deep down the left and his well executed cross just eluded Thomson and El Bakhtaoui.
Then in 59 minutes Dunfermline got a well deserved equaliser. El Bakhtaoui controlled the ball on the right side of the box and he fed the ball back for THOMSON on the edge of the box and possibly with the aid of a deflection, his low drive beat the keeper low to his left. 1-1
A second Dunfermline goal came midway through the half and it was a second goal in Dundee for Jackson LONGRIDGE. The full back’s diving header was the finish required after Craigen’s thrown in reached Thomson and his snapshot was stopped but sat up nicely for the goalscorer. 1-2
The travelling support were enjoying this and a degree of panic crept into the home side’s play. They brought on Matthew Smith for Craig Curran before a 79th free kick played in by Craigen was headed on target by Hippolyte but Rakovan held.
It was 81st minute when Robinson had to make a serious save. Aird fed Clark on the right side and the keeper blocked the angled shot from 12 yards out. The resultant corner threatened the Dunfermline goal Stanton got a good strike in from outside the box but Frans’ header deflected the ball wide left.
Paul McMullan was introduced for Jamie Robson in 84 minutes and in his absence a Craigen throw in on the left was accepted by Louis LONGRIDGE. He beat a couple of men as he travelled left and from the edge of the box sent a good left footed finish into the bottom right. 1-3
There was to be late drama after AIRD netted from a 89th minute free kick 28 yards out. 2-3
The Pars saw the game out however to register their first win at Tannadice since 2011, celebrated famously by the 1347 very happy travelling support.
SUBS NOT USED: Declan Glass, Paul Watson, Benjamin Siegrist (GK)
SCORERS: Clark (44), Aird (89)
YELLOW CARD: Edjenguele (12), Rabitsch (30)
DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: Lee Ashcroft (c), Mark Durnan, Danny Devine (Andy Ryan 90): James Craigen, Joe Thomson, James Vincent, Louis Longridge, Jackson Longridge: Faissal El Bakhtaoui, Myles Hippolyte.
SUBS NOT USED: Aidan Connolly, Matthew Todd, Paul Allan, Callum Smith, Brandon Luke, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: Thomson (59), J Longridge (67), L Longridge (84)
YELLOW CARD: El Bakhtaoui (30), Vincent (73), Thomson (80)
REFEREE: Willie Collum
WEATHER: Overcast 21C
ATTENDANCE 6532
NEXT MATCH: Ladbrokes Championship (home) v Ross County, Saturday 11th August 2018, 3.00pm kick off at East End Park
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Preview Dundee United
Saturday, 4th Aug 2018Ladbrokes Championship (away) Saturday 4th August 2018, kick off 3.00pm at Tannadice
In May Dundee United’s 2-1 win caused Dunfermline Athletic’s exit from Premiership Play offs. Now the fixture schedulers provide the earliest possible opportunity for the Fifers to seek revenge when the first fixture of the new league season sends the Pars back to Tannadice where it all ended last season.
Over the last two seasons these sides have met twelve times. Two seasons back it was in Betfred and Irn Bru Cups and in four league matches - resulting in five United wins and one draw. Last season it was four league matches and two play off games - united won four and two were drawn.
That was only part of a poor record against the Tangerines, now no wins in 15 meetings, but it has not always been so one sided. In the 137 league meetings Dunfermline have 48 wins and United 51 with 38 match drawn.
Milestones Dundee United (Away)
Last League Victory:
20/08/11: 1-0: SPL
Last Defeat:
04/05/18: 1-2: Premiership Play off
Best League Victories:
29/01/66: 4-0: Div 1*
22/08/62: 4-0: Div 1*
28/02/48: 4-0: Div B*
Worst League Defeat
29/04/61: 0-5: Div 1*
*Pre league reconstruction
The last dozen league games between the two sides have seen United win eight with four games ending up all square.
Last Twelve Matches v Dundee United
Date | H/A | F-A | WDL | Competition
05/05/18 | A | 1-2 | L | Premiership Play off
01/05/18 | H | 0-0 | D | Premiership Play off
24/03/18 | A | 1-1 | D | Championship
13/01/18 | H | 0-0 | D | Championship
02/12/17 | A | 1-2 | L | Championship
30/09/17 | H | 1-3 | L | Championship
11/04/17 | A | 0-1 | L | Championship
28/01/17 | H | 1-1 | D | Championship
12/11/16 | H | 0-1 | L | Irn Bru Cup
08/11/16 | A | 0-1 | L | Championship
10/09/16 | A | 0-2 | L | Championship
31/08/16 | A | 0-3 | L | League Cup
Last time at Tannadice
Friday 4th May 2018, Premiership Play Off
Dundee United 2 Dunfermline 1
Dunfermline travelled to Tannadice for a Friday night fixture that would determine who would face Livingston on Monday night and who would have their season terminated. As we all know it was United who progressed and the Pars were consigned to another year in the Championship.
The opening goal came on 14 minutes when Aird got to the byeline on the left again and his ball into the near post was touched home by Declan McMANUS. 0-1
It was a cruel blow when United scored a 57th minute equaliser. A King corner from the right was headed into the centre of the goal and McDONALD nipped in and tucked the ball away for 1-1.
United scored the winner 20 minutes from time when their Player of the Year, Sam STANTON single handedly created and finished. He took advantage of a parting of the defence down the left channel to make ground and stick his shot past the advancing Robinson. 2-1
DUNDEE UNITED: Deniz Dogan Mehmet (Harry Lewis 63): Anthony Ralston, Bilel Mohsni, Stewart Murdoch, Jamie Robson: Willo Flood (c), Scott Fraser, Billy King (Mark Durnan 90), Sam Stanton, Paul McMullan (Thomas Mikkelsen HT), Scott McDonald.
SUBS NOT USED: Grant Gillespie, Craig Slater, William Edjenguele, Matthew Smith.
DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: Ryan Williamson ( 88), Callum Morris (c), Lee Ashcroft, Lewis Martin: Kallum Higginbotham (Jean-Yves M’Voto 74), James Vincent, James Craigen (Joe Cardle 84), Fraser Aird: Declan McManus, Nicky Clark.
SUBS NOT USED: Nat Wedderburn, Jason Talbot, Dan Armstrong, Michael Paton, Cammy Gill (GK)
Form in Betfred Cup matches
DUNFERMLINE
Stirling Albion (H) W 3-1
Brechin City (A) W 7-1
Dundee (A) W 1-0
Peterhead (H) W 3-0
DUNDEE UNITED
Elgin City (A) W 4-0
Alloa Athletic (H) D 1-1
Ross County (A) L 0-1
Arbroath (H) D 1-1
Fraser Aird (above) and Nicky Clark (below) could line up against their former team mates
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE (v Stirling Albion): Cammy Gill: Lee Ashcroft (c), Mark Durnan, Danny Devine: James Craigen, Joe Thomson, James Vincent (Aidan Connolly 71), Louis Longridge, Jackson Longridge: Faissal El Bakhtaoui (Andy Ryan 71), Myles Hippolyte.
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Williamson, Kallum Higginbotham, Lewis McCann, Lee Robinson (GK)
DUNDEE UNITED (v Elgin City): Benjamin Siegrist: Frederic Frans (Declan Glass 84), Jamie Robson, Sam Wardrop, William Edjenguele, Adam Barton, Samuel Stanton, Christoph Rabitsch, Fraser Aird (Yannick Loemba 61), Nicky Clark
SUBS NOT USED: Matthew Smith, Paul McMullan, Scott Allardice, Gavin Ritchie
Other Ladbrokes Championship Fixtures
Ayr United v Partick Thistle
Falkirk v Inverness Caley Thistle
Morton v Queen of the South
Ross County v Alloa Athletic
Referee will be Willie Collum.
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