Dunfermline 0 Dundee United 1

Tuesday, 26th Mar 2019

Ladbrokes Championship: Pars unchanged from the team started v Alloa. Peter Pawlett (24) 0-1

Second placed Dundee United took on fifth placed Dunfermline Athletic who were unchanged from the team that started at the Indodrill Stadium two Saturdays back while United made four changes from the side they fielded against Alloa on Saturday. Pavlov Safranko returned from international duty with Slovakia, Ian Harkes, Charlie Seaman and Peter Pawlett started meaning Nicky Clark, Sam Stanton, Paul Watson dropped to the bench and there was no Matty Smith.

The home bench welcomed back from injury Faissal El Bakhtaoui. It was the visitors who kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end. United took the game to their opponents straight away but the first danger came from a Ryan Blair free kick that travelled through the box and out beyond the left upright.

The Taysiders were awarded a sixth minute free kick midway into the Pars half when Lee Ashcroft rather physically stopped the run of Pawlett but they failed to put the setpiece to good use. Two minutes later Bruce Anderson did really well to poke the ball through between two defenders and release Kallum Higginbotham down the right. His ball In was searching for both Anderson and Louis Longridge and had it ran on to the latter the result might have been better. The on loan Dons player tried to convert but the ball did not sit up for him.

Dunfermline 0-1 Dundee United
Tue, 26th Mar 2019

The thirteenth minute saw Dunfermline create the first good opportunity of the match. From the right Anderson ran the ball along the top of the United box before laying it off to L Longridge and his shot from 20 yards was captured by keeper Benjamin Siegrist at the second attempt.

The home fans enjoyed watching their team starting to gain plenty of possession in the United half and in 19th minute L Longridge slipped the ball wide for his brother and his delivery cause panic but the defence just eight yards out, prevented the well placed Blair getting in a shot.

Dundee United were to take the lead in 24 minutes when his great turn of pace allowed PAWLETT a run into the home box to slip the ball in at the left goalpost. 0-1

It had been 487 minutes since Dunfermline had last conceded a goal but immediately they came close to conceding another when Safranko powered a shot from a corner on the right but the net bound effort was blocked.

Blair delivered a 30th minute corner from the left but Ashcroft’s glancing header dropped wide right. Ryan Scully pulled off a couple of great saves to prevent Pawlett who sun to shoot and then from both Butcher and Safranko.

Five minutes from the interval a penetrating run by McMullan down the right got him deep into the Pars box but his shot was saved at the near post by Scully and went behind off an attacker wide right. Higginbotham then tried to chip a ball into the right side of the opposition box but it was too strong for Craigen to catch.

Final chance of the first half was a superb header from Safranko that he powered wide narrowly right. Superb saves by Scully certainly ensured that Dunfermline were still in the match at the interval.

Half time: Dunfermline 0 Dundee United 1

Dunfermline looked well up for the second half with L Longridge running from deep to set up a 48th minute cross that was just too much ahead of the in running Anderson. Then at the other end Scully turned a Pawlett shot around his right hand post. Fortunately Mark Reynolds corner was not to trouble the Pars defence.

The home side fought back with Craigen driving towards the United box and chipping the ball across goal. Thomson gathered but he could only clip the ball back across goal and out.

McMullan was claiming for a 62nd minute penalty when his shot went behind off Ashcroft but he only got the corner and again the defence won the ball. Two minutes later the home crowd rose as Anderson ran on to a through ball but the offside flag went up much to their displeasure.

The heat rose with a couple of late tackles on Jackson Longridge and then Anderson but it was the away support that broke into doing when Safranko forced a corner off Ashcroft at the midpoint of the second half. Pawlett sent the ball in from the right and Safranko met that with a header that just cleared the crossbar.

Faissal El Bakhtaoui replaced Kallum Higginbotham for the last twenty minutes. The Pars defended a 72nd minute before El Bakhtaoui was taken out on the far touchline by Robson. That earned the United man a yellow card and Blair the opportunity to deliver a free kick in. It resulted in a corner but neither setpiece changed anything.

Matthew Todd subbed Ryan Blair and Nicky Clark replaced Paul McMullan but time was running out for the Fifers. In 82 minutes J Longridge received the ball from a throw in down on the left, he cut inside, beat two men as he made ground into the penalty box but when he executed a fine pass through the box there were just no takers.

Myles Hippolyte was introduced for L Longridge and there was a push for the equaliser. There were a number of close things with Ashcroft heading down for the strikers but United clearing. Scully went up for an added time corner and El Bakhtaoui whistled a shot from 25 yards narrowly wide.

Dundee United proved to be too good for the Pars who were not to end their eleven and a half year run without a home win over the Tannadice club. The three points take them to within two points of league leaders Ross Country. Inverness recorded a home win over Alloa Athletic to move into third with 45 points, five more than Dunfermline in fifth place.

Ayr United sit between Inverness and Dunfermline on 43 points albeit with two matches in hand on those two teams. That sets up Friday night’s home match against Ayr as an opportunity to retake fourth place.

DUNFERMLINE: Ryan Scully: James Craigen, Lee Ashcroft (c), Danny Devine, Jackson Longridge: Tom Beadling, Ryan Blair (Matthew Todd 78): Joe Thomson, Louis Longridge (Myles Hippolyte 84), Kallum Higginbotham (Faissal El Bakhtaoui 70): Bruce Anderson.
SUBS NOT USED: James Vincent, Ryan Williamson, Mark Durnan, Cammy Gill (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Devine (45), L Longridge (75)

DUNDEE UNITED: Benjamin Siegrist: Charlie Seaman (Paul Watson 86), Rachid Bouhenna, Mark Reynolds (c), Callum Booth: Calum Butcher: Paul McMullan (Nicky Clark 79), Ian Harkes, Jamie Robson: Peter Pawlett (Sam Stanton 69): Pavol Safranko.
SUBS NOT USED: Aidan Nesbitt, Fraser Fyvie, Morgaro Gomis, Ross Laidlaw (GK)
SCORERS: Pawlett (24)
YELLOW CARD: Robson (77)

REFEREE: Euan Anderson
WEATHER: Dry 9C
ATTENDANCE 6096

NEXT MATCH: Ladbrokes Championship: (home) v Ayr United, Friday 29th March 2019, kick off 7.05pm

50/50 half time draw: Ticket no. 324684 won £566


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Preview Dundee United

Tuesday, 26th Mar 2019

Ladbrokes Championship: (home) Tuesday 26th March 2019, kick off 7.45pm at East End Park

Dunfermline Athletic and Dundee United will meet ten days after their original fixture was postponed by the weather. The Pars are at home for the next two matches. Inverness who play Alloa on the same evening have now retaken fourth place so it is as fifth placed side that they take on second placed Dundee United on Tuesday and on Friday, third placed Ayr United. The Pars will be trying to win six league games back to back for the first time since the 2011 First Division title run in.

Milestones Dundee United (Home)
Last League Victory | 27/04/07 | 1-0 | SPL
Last League Defeat | 20/10/18 | 0-2 | Championship
Best League Victory | 11/08/45 | 7-0 | Div B*
Worst League Defeat | 29/10/11 | 1-4 | SPL
Last Goalless Draw | 01/05/18 | 0-0 | Premiership Play off
First League Meeting | 08/10/21 | 4-1 | Div 2 (old)
*Pre league reconstruction

Dunfermline have not defeated Dundee United at East End Park since 2007 but that was the last in a run of seventeen home games against the Tannadice club without defeat.

The last dozen games between the two sides have seen United win seven, Dunfermline one with four games ending up all square.

Last Twelve Matches v Dundee United

Date | H/A | F-A | WDL | Competition
12/01/19 | A | 0-1 | L | Championship
27/10/18 | H | 0-2 | L | Championship
04/08/16 | A | 3-2 | W | Championship
04/05/18 | 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

Last time at East End Park
Saturday 27 October 2018
Dunfermline 0 Dundee United 2

The second quarter of the Pars Championship campaign began like the first, with Dundee United as opponents. This time the encounter was hosted by East End Park.

Midway through the first half Referee Steven Kirkland earned the wrath of the home crowd as he awarded Robbie Neilson’s side a free kick on the left after it looked much more like Faissal El Bakhtaoui had been fouled. Fraser Aird sent the ball in from the setpiece 40 yards out and Paul McMULLAN met it at the near post to head in at the near post. 0-1

Disaster struck on the hour when a wayward pass from Jackson Longridge was perfect for McMullan who advanced and squared to Billy KING on the right side of the Pars box. He took a touch, wrong footing his defender before planking his left footed effort in the Pars net. 0-2

DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: Ryan Williamson, Lee Ashcroft (c), Danny Devine, Jackson Longridge: Louis Longridge (Andy Ryan 69), James Craigen (Aidan Connolly 62), James Vincent ( Joe Thomson 77), Tom Beadling, Myles Hippolyte, Faissal El Bakhtaoui. .
SUBS NOT USED: Malaury Martin, Aidan Keena, Robbie Muirhead, Cammy Gill (GK)

DUNDEE UNITED: Benjamin Siegrist: Stewart Murdoch, Rachid Bouhenna, Frederic Frans, Callum Booth: Billy King (Nicky Clark 63), Fraser Fyvie, Sam Stanton, Fraser Aird (Christoph Rabitsch 78), Pavol Safranko (Craig Curran 90+1), Paul McMullan.
SUBS NOT USED: Yannick Loemba, William Edjenguele, Matty Smith, Matej Rakovan (GK)

Form Last Six Matches

DUNFERMLINE
Alloa Athletic (A) W 1-0
Queen of the South (H) W 1-0
Partick Thistle (H) W 3-0
Ayr United (A) W 1-0
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) W 1-0
Ross County (H) L 1-2

DUNDEE UNITED
Alloa Athletic (H) W 2-1
Ross County (H) W 1-0
Partick Thistle (A) L 1-2
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) L 1-2
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) W 1-0
Falkirk (H) D 1-1

Recent Form

Had the sides met as originally planned Dunfermline would have been looking to close a six points gap. However since the postponement United have played two league matches and taken full points. Stevie Crawford has Dunfermline going well with five successive league wins since the 2-1 home defeat to Ross County on 2nd February.

Dundee United have only lost four league matches away from home - at Ayr (2), Alloa and Partick. That defeat to Partick two weeks ago came as a result of an added time winner from Aidan Fitzpatrick.

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 4th
League Points: 40
Goal Difference: 0
Home League Record: P14 W5 D3 L6 GF13 GA14
Last Six League Match Form: LWWWWW

DUNDEE UNITED
League Position: 2nd
League Points: 52
Goal Difference: +5
Away League Record: P14 W6 D4 L4 GF16 GA13
Last Six League Match Form: WDWLWW

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Alloa Athletic): Ryan Scully: James Craigen, Lee Ashcroft (c), Danny Devine, Jackson Longridge: Tom Beadling, Ryan Blair: Joe Thomson, Louis Longridge, Kallum Higginbotham (James Vincent 77): Bruce Anderson (Myles Hippolyte 85).
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Williamson, Mark Durnan, Matthew Todd, Robbie Muirhead, Cammy Gill (GK)

DUNDEE UNITED (v Alloa Athletic): Benjamin Siegrist: Jamie Robson, Callum Booth, Rachid Bouhenna, Mark Reynolds: Paul McMullan, Sam Stanton (Ian Harkes 67), Paul Watson (Charlie Seaman 76), Calum Butcher, Nicky Clark, Cammy Smith (Paul Pawlett 43).
SUBS NOT USED: Aidan Nesbitt, Fraser Fyvie, Matty Smith, Ross Laidlaw (GK)

Referee will be Barry Cook, just his second match in charge at East End Park this season, the first being the 2-1 defeat to Ross County early last month.

Other Championship Fixtures
Inverness Caley Thistle v Alloa Athletic

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