Alloa Athletic 1 Dunfermline 4
Saturday, 24th Oct 2020Scottish Championship: two changes for Dunfermline as Steven Whittaker and Fraser Murray start. Ryan Dow (7) 0-1: Kevin Cawley (45+1) 1-1: Kevin O’Hara (67) 1-2: Kevin O’Hara (77) 1-3: Kevin O’Hara (90 pen.) 1-4:
Kevin O’Hara’s first professional hattrick turned this game after coming on midway through the second half. Scoring with his first touch the 22 year old striker showed great determination, to add another two and secure the three points for the Pars.
Dunfermline Athletic’s first away game in the 2020-2021 Championship season was at the Indodrill Stadium where they took on Peter Grant’s Alloa Athletic. The Wasps defeated Edinburgh City 2-1 in the Betfred Cup in their only home match so far this season. While the Pars were hoping to build on their 3-1 home win over Inverness, Alloa were looking to recover from their opening league match defeat away to Morton.
Dunfermline seeking their first away win over Alloa since March 2019 made two changes to their starting eleven. Former Alloa player Kevin O’Hara and Kyle Turner dropped to the bench as Steven Whittaker and Fraser Murray started.
For Alloa Steven Hetherington was out so Innes Murray was prompted from the bench in the only change to their side that started against Morton the previous Saturday. Former Pars Robert Thomson started and Liam Buchanan and Stefan Scougall were on the bench.
The ground was near to empty with just a handful of press and directors in the main stand. The grey and red seats in temporary away stand opposite were all vacant and although the PA system blared out music there was still an eerie absence of atmosphere as the players warmed up both sides wearing distinctive black tee shirts with white lettering saying “Show Racism the Red Card”.
First out were the match officials appearing out of the portakabins behind the goals on the south side. Dunfermline emerged from their changing facilities in the adjacent community centre after Alloa Athletic had lined up alongside the officials for everyone to show support for Show Racism the Red Card.
After a bright start from the visitors Lee Connolly broke up the left exchanging a pass with Thomson to force a fourth minute corner but that was over hit. Two minutes later Alan Trouten hit a 30 yard effort narrowly wide before the Fifers hit on the break. A superb hooked ball from Fraser Murray sent Ryan DOW through to round the keeper for the seventh minute opener. 0-1
Three minutes later it was Fraser Murray who came very close to heading in a second Pars goal after a great cross from Dom Thomas. Alloa keeper Reece Willison put Innes Murray in trouble with a weak pass out. Robbed by Thomas who fed swiftly Declan McManus, the defence recovered to thwart the Dunfermline forwards.
On the quarter hour there were strong appeals for an Alloa penalty after Trouten tumbled in a challenge with a Josh Edwards. Referee Don Robertson was unmoved and when play switched to the other end F Murray forced an 18th minute corner but the threat that is Thomas and Euan Murray could only yield a weak shot wide left.
There was then danger from the Wasps when Whittaker fouled Connolly and a free kick followed 27 yards out but Innes Murray into the five man wall. A snapshot from Dow 20 yards out was turned around his left hand post by Willison but from two 35th minute Thomas corners Dunfermline could not convert anything.
The match was in added time at the end of the first half when Kevin CAWLEY met an Innes Murray ball in from the right and his header from the edge of the box looped over everyone into the net. 1-1
59% possession for the home side and they had five first half attempts to the Pars two.
Half time: Alloa Athletic 1 Dunfermline 1
Dow got the second half underway and three minutes into it Thomas reaped terror on the left to put in a great ball from the byeline. Whittaker’s shot was blocked and Dow hit the loose ball across goalmouth and out right.
First substitution of the day, on loan Rangers player Lewis Mayo came on for Paul Watson in 51 minutes when it looked as though the stitched cut on the Pars defenders head might have reopened.
Alloa looked certain to score five minutes later. From a pass on the left midway into the Fifers half, Thomson rose ahead of E Murray to glance his header towards the far post. Williams dived to his left to keep the effort out but Trouten pounced to the right of goal. Edwards covered the post and the Alloa man’s shot was again stopped by the keeper and big Owain was able to grab the ball. The home side followed that up with two Connolly corners from the right with eventually McManus driving the ball away.
Edwards did his best to break through the Alloa defence, cutting inside to lay the ball off to F Murray in a central position but his 22 yard shot was held by Willison.
A 65th minute free kick was hit narrowly wide right by Alloa’s Murray before Kevin O’Hara came on for the injured Ryan Dow. Within 30 seconds O’HARA had his name on the scoresheet. A free kick taken by Fon Williams created problems for Robertson whose header towards his keeper was intercepted by the sub who lifted the ball into the goal. 1-2
O’HARA certainly proved that he knew where the goals were at Alloa. Latching on to a neat interchange from sub Kyle Turner, through McManus for him to take into the box on the left side and hit the net just inside the right goalpost. 1-3
Seven minutes from the end the left upright denied O’Hara of his hattrick, Thomas blasting the rebound over the crossbar. O’Hara did not give up chasing down the left to miraculously keep the ball in play. He crossed from the corner flag and when Lynch took down Turner, referee Robertson pointed to the spot. The former Alloa favourite was handed the ball by McManus to step up and hammer the ball low to the keeper’s right. 1-4.
At last a victory over Alloa Athletic, the first in six attempts and a win that takes Dunfermline above Hearts to sit second in the Championship after two games. It was again a much better second half than first and what a return for Kevin O’Hara to his old club.
SUBS NOT USED: Cameron O’Donnel, Andy Graham, Adam Brown, Blair Malcolm, Andy Wilson (GK).
SCORERS: Cawley (45+1)
YELLOW CARD: Peter Grant (82)
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson (Lewis Mayo 51), Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Steven Whittaker: Fraser Murray, Iain Wilson (Kyle Turner 71), Dom Thomas: Ryan Dow (Kevin O’Hara 66), Declan McManus.
SUBS NOT USED: Kerr McInroy, Lewis McCann, Miller Fenton, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: Dow (7), O’Hara (67, 77, 90 pen.)
REFEREE: Don Robertson
WEATHER: Dry 11C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: Scottish Championship (home) v Queen of the South, Saturday 31st October 2020, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park (behind closed doors)
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