Reserves v Partick Thistle
Monday, 15th Apr 2019SPFL Reserve League at Lesser Hampden. Lewis McCann (37) 0-1: Lewis McCann (71) 0-2:
PARTICK THISTLE RESERVES 0 DUNFERMLINE RESERVES 2
Greg Shields was able to field first team squad players Aidan Connolly, Robbie Muirhead and Callum Smith for this the final away match of this season’s Reserve League. Partick Thistle hosted the match at Lesser Hampden and it was they who kicked off on a fine spring like day.
First promise came after eight minutes when skipper for the day, Paul Allan put through a great ball for Lewis Sawers inside the Jags box, but the keeper Luke Scullion got to the ball first and smothered it.
Two minutes later Gregor Jordan turned a Lee Duncanson cross from the right for a Thistle corner. Andy Rodden’s high cross is met by Dean Watson but went off Lewis Crosbie for another corner on left taken by Anton Eadie and gathered by Cammy Gill. Both keepers were called upon in 14 minutes, firstly Scullion saved from Muirhead and then Gill gathered another Duncanson cross.
Next McCann forced a corner on the right that Connolly took short to Allan. Muirhead received the ball through McCann to pull another save out of Scullion. The hosts threatened in 21 minutes when Bradley Renfrew made good ground down the right and the home side were aggrieved when no free kick was awarded when their man was halted on the eve of the Pars box.
The home side had a spell where they got closer to the Fifers goal. A 27th minute corner was overhit however and then on the half hour Jordan headed away a dangerous delivery from the right.
Partick produced a good pass from Rodden up the left to Galasso allowed Thistle to cross but Paul Brown made sure they conceded only a corner that was subsequently blow up by referee Calum Scott for something he saw in the box.
At the other end Connolly fired in a good attempt but Thistle’s keeper held. The Thistle reserves proud shut out record in excess of 300 minutes was then shattered by a McCANN goal in 37 minutes. Thomas Bragg’s pass set up Muirhead for the shot that Scullion could only parry away and the Pars striker was on hand to crash the ball home from inside the six yard box. 0-1
Five minutes from the break Mohamed Niang cut out a through ball from the Pars and sent Partick away on the counter but that came to nothing. Eadie produced a shot to test Gill and despite a pretty even first half, the sides went in with Dunfermline one up.
Half time: Partick Thistle Reserves 0 Dunfermline Reserves 1
The home side made a substitution before the restart Gio Vezza replacing Dean Watson but it was Dunfermline who threatened first. A great pass from Sawers sought out Muirhead but it was a bit too strong and wind assisted and despite a tussle with the Partick defender, Thistle got a goal kick.
Next Thistle had a chance with Rodden pinging the ball across the face of goal. Jordan Kemoe got closest to turning it in but couldn’t get the killer touch. At the other end Scullion pulled off a great save to keep out Crosbie’s strike and turn the ball behind for a 57th minute corner on the right. Connolly took it short to Allan who fed it back for the former Dundee United youth to send in but just too far away from Bragg to do any further damage.
McIntyre put in an excellent tackle to deny Sawers when he was played into the box. Muirhead tested the keeper with a 64th minute shot from close to the touchline and then deliver another inviting cross before being subbed in a double substitution after 69 minutes - Aidan Connolly and Robbie Muirhead coming off, Kieran Swanson and Liam Newton coming on.
The Pars doubled their lead from a 71st minute free kick won by Sawers, taken by Sawers and headed home by McCANN. The keeper got a hand to it but could not prevent the Fifers going 2-0 up.
McCann sent another effort over the crossbar before in 78 minutes he was withdrawn along with Callum Smith to make way for Lucas Berry and Jack Honeyman. The latter immediately had a chance but shot narrowly wide. The next chance, supplied by Sawers, should have made it 3-0 but Brown, from just inside the Thistle box, drove his shot narrowly wide.
The opposition went down to ten men with five minutes remaining when Eadie was unable to continue. Galasso drove into the box but could not get a shot away and when the ball went to Duncanson on the left his cross came back off the crossbar.
Kemoe despatched his 88th minute effort wide of target, while at the other end Brown did well to create a route into the Thistle box for a shot but Scullion did really well and parried the ball wide.
- - Listen to the post match thoughts of Greg Shields
PARTICK THISTLE: Luke Scullion: Lee Duncanson, Andy Rodden, Mohamed Niang, Ruaridh McIntyre, Anton Eadie, Dean Watson (Gio Vezza HT), Euan Griffiths, Jordan Kemoe, Evan Galasso, Bradley Renfrew.
SUBS NOT USED:
DUNFERMLINE: Cammy Gill: Lewis Crosbie, Paul Brown, Gregor Jordan, Thomas Bragg, Paul Allan (c), Lewis Sawers, Aidan Connolly (Liam Newton 69), Robbie Muirhead (Kieran Swanson 69): Lewis McCann (Lucas Berry 78), Callum Smith (Jack Honeyman 78).
SUBS NOT USED: Craig Burt (GK)
SCORERS: McCann (37, 71)
REFEREE: Calum Scott
WEATHER: Bright 12C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: SPFL Reserve League (home) v Hibs, Monday 22nd April tbc kick off 2.00pm
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