Dunfermline 3 Inverness CT 1
Saturday, 17th Oct 2020Scottish Championship: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie and Ryan Dow return. Nikolay Todorov (2) 0-1: Euan Murray (23) 1-1: Ryan Dow (78) 2-1: Declan McManus (84) 3-1:
League football returned to East End Park when the Scottish Championship kicked off with last season’s runners up Inverness Caley Thistle the visitors. No fans in the ground due to Covid-19 restrictions but live coverage for season ticket holders and pay per view customers on Pars TV.
Stevie Crawford was without Steven Whittaker who was serving a one match suspension due to being red carded in his last league game with Hibs. Iain Wilson retained his role in central midfield and Owain Fôn Williams, Aaron Comrie and Ryan Dow returned to the starting eleven. Fraser Murray dropped to the bench beside the Scottish U21 duo Lewis Mayo and Kerr McInroy.
Caley Thistle were without Miles Storey out with a hamstring injury picked up against Cowdenbeath in the Betfred Cup on Tuesday. He joined the already missing Aaron Doran and David Carson due to injury, while on-loan Rangers winger Kai Kennedy was in isolation after international duty with the Scotland Under-19s squad. Former Pars Danny Devine and James Vincent were on the bench, Kevin McHattie and Brad Mackay started against their former club.
Inverness had failed to score in their previous two competitive matches but broke their duck within 90 seconds. Kevin O ‘Hara kicked off with the Pars defending the McCathie Stand end but the visitors were the more positive from the kick off Nikolay TODOROV converted their first chance from a ball crossed early from the right by Daniel Mackay. 0-1
The Pars forced a seventh minute corner that Dom Thomas took short for Dow to centre and Declan McManus’ headed effort went over the bar. Then from the left a Thomas cross saw O’Hara and Dow dive in six yards out but they just couldn’t the significant touch.
The Caley Jags scorer was injured in a clash with Euan Murray leading to a 19th minute substitution with James Vincent coming on. Midway through the first half McManus switched the ball across field for Dow and with Comrie an option on the overlap, Turner was the choice and his ball towards the back post was headed behind for a corner on the left.
Thomas sent the setpiece in from the left and Euan MURRAY arrived to head the ball into the centre of the goal. 1-1
The Fifers pressed again and put the visitors’ defence under pressure. Another Thomas corner from the left almost caused another goal. McHattie’s attempted clearance sent the ball at goal and when it ricocheted back Wilson scooped his effort over the bar.
59% possession for the home side in the first 45 but with only one shot each on target, both successful, it was stalemate at the break.
Half time: Dunfermline 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 1
The second half was five minutes old when Turner sent O’Hara down the left and he took the ball in close before trying to squeeze it past Mark Ridgers at his near post. The shot was deflected for a corner when a lay off for McManus in the middle might have been a better choice. Watson was penalised for climbing as Thomas sent the ball in from the left.
Ridgers kept out a neat effort from McManus at his near post after O’Hara chased the ball deep down the right and laced in a good delivery. Then in 55 minutes a Thomas run allowed him a crack at goal from the edge of the box but the ball was deflected wide for a corner that changed nothing.
Williams tipped away a cross from a Scott Allardice corner and then from a free kick on the other side Allardice tried to pick out Brad Mackay on the edge of the box but play was stopped for a head knock as he clashed with Watson.
An advantage of no crowd noise is that you can hear the dialogue from Willie Collum to the players and management. John Robertson had plenty to say about his decision to give the Pars the ball to restart.
Fraser Murray was a 65th minute sub for Kevin O’Hara and within a minute he set up Comrie for an effort that was defended out to Wilson but his well connected effort was blocked.
Daniel Mackay broke up the left and Wilson was forced into conceding a corner. When Allardice delivered from the left Daniel Mackay gathered and shot severely testing Williams whose block earned Caley another corner.
A superb run from Thomas got him deep down the left and having got the better of Duffy was able to pick out Dow who got in a shot 18 yards out but unluckily the effort went wide right. The Pars vice captain did not have to wait too much longer for his goal.
A 78th minute Edwards free kick was swept from the left to the far side of the Caley box, Watson headed the ball back across the face of goal, McManus worked the keeper who did really well to keep him out but DOW pounced to stick away the loose ball. 2-1
The lead was extended six minutes from the end with a brilliant finish from the edge of the box by McMANUS after he had turned Brad Mackay.
In the end the second half performance earned the Fifers a well deserved win and gets them off to a great start in the league campaign.
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Lewis McCann, Paul Allan, Lewis Mayo, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: E Murray (23), Dow (78), McManus (84)
YELLOW CARD: Wilson (45), Edwards (81), McManus (84)
INVERNESS CT: Mark Ridgers: Wallace Duffy, Brad Mackay, Robbie Deas, Kevin McHattie: James Keatings, Sean Welsh, Scott Allardice, Roddy Macgregor (Cameron Harper, 85), Nikolay Todorov (James Vincent 19), Daniel Mackay .
SUBS NOT USED: Danny Devine, Lewis Hyde, Shane Harkness, Ryan Fyffe, Cameron Mackay (GK)
SCORERS: Todorov (2)
YELLOW CARD: B Mackay (88)
REFEREE: Willie Collum
WEATHER: Overcast 9C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: Scottish Championship (away) v Alloa Athletic, Saturday 24th October 2020 kick off 3.00pm
50/50 Draw 100008741 won £328
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Preview Inverness CT
Saturday, 17th Oct 2020Scottish Championship (home) Saturday 17th October, kick off 3.00pm
The last dozen league matches between the teams have seen three Dunfermline wins, three draws and six Caley Thistle wins.
League football returns with a tough opening fixture at home to John Robertson’s Inverness Caley Thistle. Dunfermline lost all three league matches against the Highlanders last season but desperately want to kick their league campaign off with a victory.
Only Morton lost more away games in the Championship than the Caley Jags last season and the Fifers will be hoping to make sure their first away game of this league season is just as unsuccessful.
Betfred Cup form has seen the Pars win three with three shut outs as well. The visitors have played two matches and recorded a 1-0 defeat at Tynecastle before being held to a goalless draw at home to Cowdenbeath on Tuesday night.
Milestones v Inverness Caley Thistle (home)
Last League Victory | 16/02/19 | 1-0 | Championship
Last League Defeat | 25/02/20 | 1-2 | Championship
Best League Victory | 07/08/99 | 4-0 | Division 1
Worst League Defeat | 18/01/12 | 1-3 | Division 1
Last Goalless Match | 02/05/12 | 0-0 | Premier League
First Ever Meeting | 07/08/99 | 4-0 | Division 1
The last dozen league matches between the teams have seen three Dunfermline wins, three draws and six Caley Thistle wins.
Last 12 League matches v Inverness Caley Thistle
25/02/20: (H) 1-2 [0-1] Doran, [1-1] Thomas, [1-2] Walsh
21/12/19: (A) 0-2 [0-1] Rooney, [0-2] McCart
14/09/19: (H) 0-1 [0-1] Welsh
04/05/19: (A) 0-1 [0-1] Austin
16/02/19: (H) 1-0 [1-0] Thomson
30/10/18: (A) 2-2 [1-0] Keena, [1-1] Calder, [2-1] Keena, [2-2] White
01/09/18: (H) 0-3 [0-1] Rooney, [0-2] Polworth, [0-3] Oakley
21/04/18: (A) 2-2 [1-0] Ryan, [1-1] Chalmers, [1-2] Austin, [2-2] Clark.
13/03/18: (H) 1-0 [1-0] Craigen
28/10/17: (A) 0-1 [0-1] Bell
12/08/17: (H) 5-1 [1-0] Smith, [2-0] Ashcroft, [2-1] Vigurs, [3-1] Cardle, [4-1] Hopkirk, [5-1] Cardle.
18/02/12: (H) 1-1 [1-0] Cardle, [1-1] Ross.
Last time at East End Park
Dunfermline 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 2
Ladbrokes Championship, Tuesday 25th February 2020
Fortune favoured Inverness greater than it did Dunfermline on this cold Tuesday night. The visitors went ahead from a disputed free kick 23 yards out that was deemed to have crossed the goal line after rattling down off the crossbar. Carson and DORAN stood over the ball before the latter hit the ball around the four man wall to score. 0-1
When Dom Thomas’s cross from the setpiece was not properly cleared THOMAS pounced on the opportunity and spectacularly crashed home from 20 yards out. 1-1
The 70th minute equaliser was then followed by what turned out to be the winner for the away team as a Tom WALSH shot was deflected past a helpless Owain Fôn Williams.
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Lee Ashcroft (Lewis Martin 81), Danny Devine, Euan Murray: Ryan Dow (Ethan Ross 54), Paul Paton (c), Kyle Turner, Dom Thomas: Jonathan Afolabi (Gabby McGill 68): Kevin Nisbet.
SUBS NOT USED: Joe Thomson, Tom Beadling, Lewis McCann, Cammy Gill (GK)
INVERNESS CT: Mark Ridgers, Shaun Rooney, Brad McKay, Lewis Toshney, Carl Tremarco (c): David Carson, James Vincent, Miles Storey (Tom Walsh 70), Aaron Doran (Charlie Trafford 81), Roddy Macgregor (James Keatings 61), Jordan White.
SUBS NOT USED: Kevin McHattie, Nikolay Todorov, Cameron Harper, Cameron Mackay (GK).
Last Season’s Form
DUNFERMLINE
Final League Position: 6th
League Points: 37
League Record: P28 W10 D7 L11 GF41 GA36
Goal Difference: +5
Last Six League & Cup Match Form: DDDWWW
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
Final League Position: 2nd
League Points: 45
League Record: P27 W14 D3 L10 GF39 GA32
Goal Difference: +7
Last Six League & Cup Match Form: LWLWLD
Recent Matches
DUNFERMLINE
Kilmarnock (A) W 3-0
Falkirk (H) W 2-0
Dumbarton (A) W 1-0
Stirling Albion (N) D 0-0
Rangers B (A) L 1-3
East Fife (A) W 1-0
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
Cowdenbeath (H) D 0-0
Hearts (A) L 0-1
Elgin City (H) D 1-1
Clachnacuddin (A) W 2-0
Nairn County (A) W 7-0
Elgin City (A) W 7-3
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE (v Kilmarnock): Cammy Gill: Steven Whittaker, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Fraser Murray, Iain Wilson, Kyle Turner (Paul Allan 73), Dom Thomas (Lewis McCann 80): Kevin O’Hara (Ryan Dow 66), Declan McManus (Gabby McGill 80).
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Miller Fenton, Owain Fôn Williams (GK), Ben Swinton (GK)
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE (v Cowdenbeath): Cameron Mackay: Kevin McHattie (Cameron Harper 65), Brad Mackay, Sean Welsh, Wallace Duffy (Danny Devine 77), James Vincent (Scott Allardice 65), James Keatings, Robbie Deas, Miles Storey (Nikolay Todorov 13), Roddy Macgregor, Daniel Mackay
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Hyde, Shane Harkness, Ryan Fyffe, Mark Ridgers (GK).
Miles Storey was subbed after injuring his hamstring in the Betfred Cup group match against Cowdenbeath on Tuesday and will have to sit out the next few matches.
Former Pars Kevin McHattie, Danny Devine and James Vincent all returned from injury and could play some part.
Referee will be Willie Collum.
Other Championship Fixtures
Hearts v Dundee (Friday night)
Ayr United v Queen of the South
Morton v Alloa Athletic
Raith Rovers v Arbroath
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