Stenhousemuir 1 Dunfermline 1

Saturday, 19th Sep 2020

Pre Season Friendly: Greg Spence (7 pen.) 1-0: Trialist 12 (29) 1-1

The first pre season match of 2020 was held at Ochilview Park behind closed doors on Saturday 19th September. Just over six months ago the 2019-2020 season ended with a 1-1 draw against Partick Thistle and in preparation for the new season Dunfermline took on the League Two side.

For this first Pars outing it was an eleven mixed with youth and experience. Trialist Aaron Dair led the attack with Kevin O’Hara and Dom Thomas either side of him. Young Thomas Bragg was in the heart of the defence alongside Tom Lang with Matty Bowman and Josh Edwards at full back. In middle of the park Lucas Berry and Steven Whittaker were joined by another Trialist wearing number 12.

The hosts took an early lead from the penalty spot after Cammy Gill had parried a well struck shot by former Pars striker David Hopkirk. Thomas Muir tried to follow up but was tumbled by the keeper. Referee David Dickinson pointed to the spot and Greig SPENCE made no mistake, hammering the ball into the left side of the net. 1-0

There were few shots at goal in the opening 20 minutes. Bragg appealed for a penalty when he failed to get on the end of a corner, Spence shot over the bar at the other end and from a Thomas free kick Whittaker, 25 yards out, got an opportunity from the second ball but was wildly high and right.

The Fifers drew level with a gem of a goal from TRIALIST no.12. A sweet connection some 35 yards out sent the ball into the top right of the Stenhousemuir goal to make it 1-1 in 29th minute.

Two minutes later Dunfermline then came close to another as Kevin O’Hara was denied by the crossbar while in 38 minutes Gill made a great fisted clearance from a Ryan Blair corner delivered in from the right.

Two minutes later and Creag Little headed another corner from the right on to the Pars crossbar.

Half time: Stenhousemuir 1 Dunfermline 1

The visitors fielded seven outfield subs for the start of the second half. Nineteen year old Matty Bowman moved forward with Aaron Comrie coming on at right back. Miller Fenton was at left back and in the centre of the defence, Paul Watson took over from Tom Lang. The goalscoring Trialist resumed with Paul Allan and Kyle Turner alongside him in midfield. Upfront Declan McManus was joined by another Trialist. Ben Swinton replaced Cammy Gill between the sticks.

Watson came close to converting a 62nd minute corner sent in from the right by Trialist no.12 and McManus just missed out on a connection to finish as the ball went out wide left of the goal.

McManus received a lay off from Trialist no.12 to have a crack at goal from 20 yards out but his attempt went wide left. From the left McManus drilled a strong cross along the six yard box that Comrie challenges for but Trialist C turned behind for a 72nd minute corner but that was defended.

Next a McManus free kick from 30 yards out was deflected into the keeper’s arms. Turner broke through from his own half with a strong run and Bragg came close with a header.

A 82nd minute corner sent one from the left by Blair was tipped away but Munro rattled the crossbar from it and then when another corner quickly followed Munro headed into Swinton’s arms.

An important first match for the team, early days into the season but already signs that some players could turn on the speed when required. The club has stuck vehemently to the guidelines so this was their first 11 v 11 match of any kind. Pre season matches have always left spectators wondering if they actually showed you anything and this was definitely in that category.

STENHOUSEMUIR : Trialist: Jonathan Tiffoney (Callum Yeates 75), Callum Yeats (Ryan Watters HT), Andrew Munro (c), Creag Little, Callum Tapping (Thomas Halleran), David Hopkirk (Trialist E 60), Thomas Muir (Mark McGuigan), Greig Spence (Trialist C, HT) Botti Biabi (Trialist D), Ryan Blair
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Spence (7 pen.)

DUNFERMLINE: Cammy Gill (Ben Swinton HT): Matty Bowman, Tom Lang (Paul Watson HT), Thomas Bragg, Josh Edwards (Miller Fenton HT): Lucas Berry (Aaron Comrie HT), Steven Whittaker (Paul Allan HT), Trialist (Lucas Berry 79), Dom Thomas (Trialist 11 HT), Kevin O’Hara (Trialist HT), Trialist (Declan McManus HT)
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Trialist 12 (29)

REFEREE: David Dickinson
WEATHER: Sunny 16C
ATTENDANCE

NEXT MATCH: Pre Season Friendly (away) v Spartans, Tuesday 22nd September 2020

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