Dunfermline 0 Falkirk 1
Saturday, 10th Nov 2018Ladbrokes Championship: Ryan Williamson and Kallum Higginbotham start in place of James Craigen and Aidan Connolly. Zak Rudden (71) 0-1
For the derby game Dunfermline Athletic manager Allan Johnston made two changes from the side successful at Alloa the previous Saturday. Ryan Williamson and Kallum Higginbotham were preferred taking the place of James Craigen and Aidan Connolly.
Ray McKinnon made two changes to his Falkirk starting eleven, Leo Fasan returned in goal and Paul Paton took the place of Joe McKee.
Before kick off both clubs marked Remembrance with Chairman Ross McArthur and Lex Miller on behalf of Falkirk laid wreaths in the centre circle. Andrew Irving kicked off for the Bairns who were to attack the goal at the McCathie Stand end.
First attack should have provided a 39 second opener. Higginbotham gathered the ball in the centre of the park and made ground before releasing a shot that Fasan dived low to his right to parry away. Andy Ryan pounced on the loose ball but from just six yards out failed to bury it, drilling it into the keeper instead.
The flow continued towards the visitors goal and in just the second minute Joe Thomson was through and his shot went behind off a defender but the corner was successfully defended.
Malaury Martin sent over a 12th minute free kick that slipped over the crossbar and two minutes later an Aidan Keena cross from the left just evaded the in running Hippolyte. In between the two Dunfermline chances Paton delivered the visitors’ first corner of the game only for the Pars defence to head clear.
There was a promising counterattack from the Fifers in 19 minutes. Higginbotham drove a low ball from his own half that was deflected as it travelled to a defence on the far side. Ryan blocked the attempted clearance allowing Jackson Longridge to sweep the ball up the left for Thomson but he was caught by the offside trap.
Three minutes later the home side were awarded a free kick 25 yards out on the right side but Hippolyte tried to find the net on the near side and after the ball rounded the three man wall it also travelled outside the right post.
Irving sent in a 26th minute corner from the right that managed to slip through the Pars six yard box untouched. Four minutes later however when the ball was allowed to be cut back from deep down right, Irving’s on target shot was deflected behind. Two corners followed but again the Pars defence held out.
Falkirk turned up the pressure when Lewis Kidd pushed up. The right back was twice involved before slipping a pass into the path of Zak Rudden but his shot was not to do any damage.
Next in 33 minutes Higginbotham teed up Hippolyte but his low shot from 20 yards out skimmed wide right. Injury then caused Aidan Keena to go off with Faissal El Bakhtaoui becoming the first substitute to be used.
Higginbotham picked up a 39th minute booking in handing Falkirk a free kick on the left that Paton duly pumped into the Pars box. There were plenty of Falkirk heads jumping to try and convert but in a bit of a melee the defence came out on top.
Tommy Robson swept away a pass that El Bakhtaoui threatened to latch on to on the edge of the Falkirk box. Right on half time, Andy Ryan releases a shot that was deflected behind off Brough. The corner from Martin reached Ryan at far post but he could not direct the ball into net.
It has been a first half where the stats claimed 58% possession to the visitors.
Half time: Dunfermline 0 Falkirk 0
Falkirk had failed to make one shot at goal in the first half but within 90 seconds of the restart Paton had rattled the Dunfermline crossbar with a fierce effort from 25 yards out. They had clearly been instructed to shoot on sight because their next attempt from Deimantas Petravicius was blasted from the right but went out for a throw in on the left 15 yards out.
Ten minutes into the second half Longridge smashed a cross in from the left searching El Bakhtaoui at the near post but only a corner was won. That did not do the trick but very soon thereafter Williamson’s cut back saw El Bakhtaoui hit a good effort on target only to be blocked by Kidd. Play remained in and around the Bairns box and Martin was unfortunate when he fired a low shot that escaped narrowly wide left.
On 58 minutes a lofted ball from Ashcroft was controlled by Higginbotham and his well struck shot was stopped by the well positioned Fasan. Both sides had upped the tempo in the second half and it was another swift move with Thomson cutting back for El Bakhtaoui that provided the next chance but Faiss turned and drove his shot wide left.
Brough was yellow carded in 64 minutes and Dunfermline awarded a free kick 27 yards out, much to the annoyance of the home support who would rather have seen their side take advantage of the possession they ended up with in the opposition half. Hippolyte powered the setpiece on target but the keeper stopped it.
As the match entered its final quarter El Bakhtaoui was denied by keeper Fasan. Petravicius was appealing for a penalty after Ashcroft man handed his opponent. No decision given but Pars were fortunate to get away without a free kick since contact started outside the box.
The Bairns served warning and then duly scored in 71 minutes when RUDDEN showed how to take and finish chances. Having received the lay off from PATON, the 18 year old player on loan from Rangers released a strike from 25 yards out that flew into bottom right of the Dunfermline goal and Robinson had little hope of halting it. 0-1
With 14 minutes remaining Allan Johnston made a double substitution Aidan Connolly and Robbie Muirhead replacing Myles Hippolyte and Kallum Higginbotham. Muirhead immediately powered a shot on target but hit a defender.
An 85th minute throw in from Williamson to Robinson and back was swept forward allowing Connolly to send an inviting ball into the six yard box but just too far ahead of the diving Ryan.
Longridge has his 88th minute shot pushed away by Fasan who was still the busier of the two keepers. There was a good chance from a 92nd minute free kick but Ashcroft at the far post just could not get high enough to head home.
Fourteen shots from Dunfermline and three from their opponents but it was to be Falkirk’s second league win of the season and yet another home match without a win for the Pars. As a result the Pars remained in seventh place.
SUBS NOT USED: James Craigen, Lewis Martin, James Vincent, Cammy Gill (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Hippolyte (10), Devine (32), Higginbotham (39)
FALKIRK: Leo Fasan: Lewis Kidd, Jordan McGhee (c), Scott Harrison, Patrick Brough (Tom Dallison 83): Tommy Robson, Paul Paton, Prince Buaben, Andrew Irving, Deimantas Petravicius: Zak Rudden.
SUBS NOT USED: Joe McKee, Marcus Haber, Dennon Lewis, Ruben Sammut, Mustapha Dumbuya, Robbie Mutch (GK).
SCORERS: Rudden (71)
YELLOW CARD: Buaben (11), Brough (64), Paton (90+2)
REFEREE: Andrew Dallas
WEATHER: Overcast 10C
ATTENDANCE 5762
NEXT MATCH: Ladbrokes Championship: (away) v Ross County, Saturday 24th November 2018, 3.00pm kick off at the Global Energy Stadium, Dingwall.
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Preview Falkirk
Saturday, 10th Nov 2018Ladbrokes Championship: (home) Saturday 10th November 2018, 3.00pm kick off at East End Park
In mileage terms Alloa Athletic are the Pars closest league neighbours but next nearest Falkirk are considered the big derby game for both clubs and both sets of fans. Everyone accepts that form doesn’t count for much when it comes to derbies and Dunfermline manager Allan Johnston has already described this Saturday’s home match as ‘massive’.
It will be the 100th league meeting between Dunfermline and Falkirk. So far the Bairns have the most success, they have 43 wins to the Pars 34 and 22 have been drawn. Going into this game Falkirk sit bottom of the league having taken just four points from the 12 league fixtures played so far. Meanwhile the Pars have collected 15 points but with four points from their last two matches away from home they are now up for taking full points from the visit of Ray McKinnon’s Falkirk.
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Dunfermline v Falkirk: The Full League Record |
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| . | P | W | D | L | F | A |
| At East End Park | 49 | 19 | 12 | 18 | 67 | 61 |
| At Brockville | 36 | 10 | 7 | 19 | 39 | 60 |
| At Falkirk Stadium | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 14 |
| TOTALS | 99 | 34 | 22 | 43 | 119 | 135 |
Milestones Falkirk (Home)
Last League Victory | 02/01/18 |2-0| Championship
Last League Defeat | 27/03/13 |1-2| Championship
Best League Victory | 13/04/66 | 6-1| Division 1
Worst League Defeat | 02/01/52 | 0-6 | Division 2
Dunfermline have won just four of the last twelve meetings but those three of those four were in the last three meetings.
Last 12 Matches v Falkirk
06/04/18 (A) 2-0 W Championship
07/04/18 (A) 2-1 W Championship
02/01/18 (H) 2-0 W Championship
04/11/17 (A) 1-1 D Championship
05/10/17 (A) 0-2 L Irn Bru Cup
19/08/17 (H) 3-1 W Championship
22/04/17 (H) 1-2 L Championship
04/02/17 (A) 0-2 L Championship
26/12/16 (H) 1-1 D Championship
15/10/16 (A) 1-2 L Championship
19/08/14 (H) 1-2 L Petrofac Cup
27/08/13 (A) 1-2 L League Cup
Last meeting at East End Park
Ladbrokes Championship 2nd January 2018
Dunfermline 2 Falkirk 0
This was Lee Robinson’s debut match for Dunfermline. Nicky CLARK put the Fifers ahead in 16th minute finishing a chance from the right of goal and when his shot was fumbled by the Falkirk keeper, Robbie Mutch, it made its way into the net. 1-0
A second Pars goal came six minutes into the second half when Jason Talbot sent a diagonal pass back into the Bairns box, Clark got a touch and the ball broke for Declan MCMANUS to stick the ball in at the right post. 2-0
DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: Ryan Williamson, Lee Ashcroft, Jean Yves M`Voto, Jason Talbot: Michael Paton, Nat Wedderburn, Dean Shiels, Joe Cardle (Kallum Higginbotham 84): Nicky Clark (c), Declan McManus (Andy Ryan 86)
SUBS NOT USED: Fraser Aird, Lewis Martin, Callum Smith, Cammy Gill (GK)
FALKIRK: Robbie Mutch: Aaron Muirhead, Peter Grant (Alex Harris 64), Reghan Tumilty, Tom Taiwo (Rory Loy 64), Craig Sibbald, Jordan McGhee, Louis Longridge, Thomas Robson, Andrew Nelson, Sean Welsh.
SUBS NOT USED: Cameron Blues, Lewis Kidd, James Craigen, Paul Watson, Robbie Thomson (GK)
Form Last Six Matches
DUNFERMLINE
Alloa Athletic (A) W 1-0
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) D 2-2
Dundee United (H) 0-2
Queen of the South (H) L 0-1
Alloa Athletic (H) D 2-2
Falkirk (A) W 2-0
FALKIRK
Ayr United (H) L 0-1
Ross County (H) D 1-1
Queen of the South (A) L 0-2
Morton (A) L 0-1
Dunfermline (H) L 0-2
Alloa Athletic (A) W 2-0
League Form
Falkirk have won only one league match this season, a 2-0 win at Alloa. They picked up a point from Ross County’s visit to The Falkirk Stadium last midweek and they lost to league leaders Ayr United, by the only goal of the game last Saturday.
Dunfermline’s away form is good with just one defeat in ten games in all competitions this season. At home however they are seeking their first win in four games and what would be just their second league win of the campaign.
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 7th
League Points: 15
League Record: P12 W4 D3 L5 GF12 GA18
Goal Difference: -6
Last Six League Match Form: WWLLDW
FALKIRK
League Position: 10th
League Points: 4
League Record: P12 W1 D1 L10 GF6 GA20
Goal Difference: -14
Last Six League Match Form: WLLLLDL
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Alloa Athletic): Lee Robinson: James Craigen (Ryan Williamson 60), Lee Ashcroft (c), Danny Devine, Jackson Longridge: Myles Hippolyte, Malaury Martin, Joe Thomson, Aidan Connolly (Kallum Higginbotham 60): Andy Ryan, Aidan Keena (Faissal El Bakhtaoui 68).
SUBS NOT USED: Robbie Muirhead, Lewis Martin, James Vincent, Cammy Gill (GK)
FALKIRK (v Ayr United): David Mitchell: Lewis Kidd (Ruben Sammut 74), Scott Harrison, Patrick Brough, Jordan McGhee: Tommy Robson, Joe McKee (Marcus Haber 65), Andrew Irving, Deimantas Petravicius: Prince Buaben (Denton Lewis 73), Zak Rudden.
SUBS NOT USED: Tom Dallison, Aidan Laverty, Mark Russell, Leo Fasan (GK).
Referee will be Andrew Dallas.
Other Ladbrokes Championship Matches
Ayr United v Queen of the South
Morton v Alloa Athletic
Partick Thistle v Inverness Caley Thistle
Ross County v Dundee United
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