Dunfermline 0 Inverness CT 1
Saturday, 20th Mar 2021Scottish Championship: same again starting elevens for both Pars and Caley Jags. David Carson (81) 0-1:
The first senior goal for 25 year Englishman David Carson nine minutes from time was enough to win the match for Inverness Caley Thistle over a lacklustre Dunfermline team.
Undefeated in their six home games since losing to Morton on 12th December, Dunfermline were hosts to an Inverness side under the new temporary management of Neil McCann and Billy Dodds. Caley Thistle’s three most recent league wins have all come away from home including a victory away from Stark’s Park in midweek.
On the back of wins, both sides went with the same starting elevens as last time out. Inverness Caley Thistle’s side included two former Pars Brad McKay and Danny Devine in the centre of their defence.
The visitors were led out from the concourse of the East Stand by their skipper Sean Welsh and Fraser Murray got the match underway attacking the goal at the away end. There was a tentative start from both teams and it was the eighth minute before a Dom Thomas free kick from the edge of the centre circle did anything to threaten but even then Paul Watson could not control the delivery.
Owain Fôn Williams had to dive at the feet of Nikolay Todorov as a pass opened up an opportunity while at the other end Craig Wighton had his 12th minute shot blocked by Robbie Deas.
Paul Watson earned himself a yellow card as he stopped Daniel MacKay’s progress down the left and from the resultant free kick Sutherland found Todorov but only a corner resulted. When that came in from the right Sutherland got a fierce connection only to hit Aaron Comrie on the line.
Then Dunfermline were unlucky after Fraser Murray played Wighton into the left side of the box. The striker slipped the ball neatly past Mark Ridgers but the offside flag was raised. Back at the other end Welsh teed up Roddy Macgregor but his shot was easily taken by Fôn Williams.
Midway through the half Fôn Williams did well to hold a free kick sent over from the right after five players from either side had lined the front edge of the box. Kyle Macdonald’s 25th minute effort from 30 yards out went wide right as the home side pushed back up the park.
The Pars first corner followed in the 28th minute when Macdonald’s cut back was turned behind by Brad McKay. The defender headed clear when Fraser Murray sent the cross over from the left. Thomas was next to shoot at goal but again it was McKay who blocked the attempt.
Sutherland made nothing of a 35th minute corner from the left, his low delivery being skied by Scott Allardice. Thomas made a good break up the left wing but when he crossed Devine cut it out and Ridgers gathered as Wighton pressurised him. Ridgers then held a 38th minute corner when Thomas crossed from the right.
Next minute Thomas was back defending when he took down D MacKay and from the free kick 28 yards out Welsh sent the shot straight at Fôn Williams. Two minutes from the break Daniel Mackay tested Fôn Williams with a well connected low effort from 20 yards. The Welsh keeper turned the ball away to his right to give Sean Welsh the opportunity to deliver a corner from the left that was defended.
The visitors had got in seven first half shots to Dunfermline’s three but the game was without a goal at the break.
Half time: Dunfermline 0 Inverness Caley Thistle 0
First opportunity of the second half was carved out by Daniel Mackay evading Watson to allow himself a 48th minute pop at goal from 30 yards out that was way off target. Two minutes later Macgregor tried a shot from a similar distance that went narrowly outside the left upright.
Next a Todorov effort from 25 yards landed on the roof of the Pars net but there were worrying signs compounded by a Welsh free kick that the defence had to head clear. Fon Williams was stretched to parry away a Macgregor shot and although D Mackay met the ball his header was mopped up.
Fraser Murray drove a shot from the edge of the box that Ridgers held before in 57 minutes Lewis Mayo was introduced in place of Iain Wilson, the first substitute of the afternoon.
In 62 minutes firstly Banks and then Whittaker launched good efforts at the Caley Thistle goal with Ridgers doing particularly well to stop the latter. Next minute Thomas smashed a shot over the bar as things began to look better for the Fifers.
A period of possession in the opposition half was punctuated with a Banks shot that Ridgers held. That was the 19 year old’s last involvement as Declan McManus replaced him at the midpoint of the second half.
When Paul Watson went down injured, he received treatment but unable to continue Vytas Gašpuitis came on in his place. The decision to award Inverness a free kick 20 yards out was hotly disputed but thankfully Fon Williams dived to his left to keep out a very good effort by Welsh from the 76th minute setpiece.
Five minutes later a pass to pick out David CARSON on the right let the full back in to draw Euan Murray and stylishly tuck his shot away in off the far post. 0-1
Dunfermline rallied to try and get the equaliser. Macdonald and then Thomas crashed shots at the Caley goal but both efforts were kept clear of Ridgers. Fraser Murray supplied the cross from an 88th minute free kick but Euan Murray’s header went straight to Ridgers.
A 94th minute Pars corner was headed clear and with that the away win was secured for Neil McCann’s team. Dunfermline slip to third place as a result of Raith Rovers getting at 1-1 draw away to Ayr United.
SUBS NOT USED: Josh Edwards, Kevin O’Hara, Lewis McCann, Cammy Gill (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Watson (14), Wighton (79), McManus (82)
INVERNESS CT: Mark Ridgers: David Carson, Danny Devine, Brad McKay, Robbie Deas: Roddy Macgregor, Scott Allardice, Sean Welsh (c), Daniel Mackay (Kevin McHattie 87), Shane Sutherland, Nikolai Todorov (Miles Storey 60).
SUBS NOT USED: Wallace Duffy, Harry Nicolson, Lewis Hyde, Shane Harkness, Cameron Mackay (GK)
SCORERS: Carson (81)
YELLOW CARD: Carson (74), Neil McCann (74)
REFEREE: Peter Stuart
WEATHER: Dry, breezy 13°C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: Scottish Cup (away) v Morton, Tuesday 23rd March 2021, kick off 7.45pm at Cappielow, behind closed doors.
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Preview Inverness CT
Saturday, 20th Mar 2021Scottish Championship: Saturday 20th March 2021 v Inverness Caley Thistle, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park behind closed doors
Saturday sees the return to East End Park of Inverness Caley Thistle, a side now under the temporary leadership of Neil McCann and Billy Dodds. Their win over ten man Raith on Tuesday night was just the Highlanders second victory in 14 matches.
Stevie Crawford’s men will be keen to capitalise on Raith Rovers and Dundee failing to take anything from their midweek home games. Dunfermline have won seven of their nine home league games and in doing so conceded just eight goals.
Milestones v Inverness Caley Thistle (home)
Last League Victory | 17/12/20 | 3-1 | 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
Last time at East End Park
Dunfermline 3 Inverness Caley Thistle 1
Championship, Saturday 17th October 2020
Dunfermline 3-1 Inverness CT
Sat, 17th Oct 2020
This was the opening league match of the Pars campaign and it got off to a dreadful start. Inverness had failed to score in their previous two competitive matches but broke their duck within 90 seconds. Nikolay TODOROV converted their first chance from a ball crossed early from the right by Daniel Mackay. 0-1
The Pars struck back from a corner midway through the first half. Thomas sent the ball in from the left and Euan MURRAY arrived to head the ball into the centre of the goal. 1-1
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 Ryan 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 got them off to a great start in the league campaign.
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Ryan Dow, Iain Wilson, Kyle Turner (Kerr McInroy 78), Dom Thomas: Kevin O’Hara (Fraser Murray 65), Declan McManus
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Lewis McCann, Paul Allan, Lewis Mayo, Cammy Gill (GK)
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)
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
29/12/20 (A) 1-1 [1-0] Turner, [1-1] Todorov
17/10/20 (H) 3-1 [0-1] Todorov, [1-1] E Murray, [2-1] Dow, [3-1] McManus
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
Recent Form
Dunfermline have won two, drawn one and lost three of their last six matches. They are unbeaten in their six home games since losing to Morton on 12th December.
Inverness’ win on Tuesday night at Stark’s Park was just their second win since 4th December. Their three most recent league wins have all come away from home and they have now lost two, drawn three and won one of their last six matches.
DUNFERMLINE
Morton (H) W 1-0
Queen of the South (A) L 0-1
Alloa Athletic (H) W 2-1
Arbroath (A) L 0-2
Raith Rovers (H) W 4-1
Hearts (A) L 0-1
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
Raith Rovers (A) W 1-0
Raith Rovers (H) D 0-0
Morton (H) L 0-1
Alloa Athletic (A) D 1-1
Dundee (A) L 1-2
Hearts (H) D 1-1
Current League Stats
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 2nd
League Points: 30
Goal Difference: +8
League Record: P18 W8 D6 L4 GF27 GA19
Last Six Match Form: LWLWLW
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
League Position: 6th
League Points: 24
Goal Difference: +3
League Record: P20 W5 D9 L6 GF26 GA23
Last Six Match Form: DLDLDW
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Morton):Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Kyle Macdonald: Steven Whittaker, Iain Wilson: Dom Thomas (Kyle Turner 80), Scott Banks (Vytas Gašpuitis 89), Fraser Murray: Craig Wighton (Declan McManus 81).
SUBS NOT USED: Kevin O’Hara, Lewis McCann, Matthew Todd, Cammy Gill (GK)
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE (v Raith Rovers): Mark Ridgers: David Carson, Danny Devine, Brad McKay, Robbie Deas: MacGregor, Scott Allardice, Sean Welsh (James Keatings 79 (Kevin McHattie 90+1)), Daniel Mackay, Shane Sutherland (Miles Storey 63), Nikolai Todorov.
SUBS NOT USED: Wallace Duffy, Harry Nicolson, Lewis Hyde, Cameron Mackay (GK).
Referee will be Peter Stuart, his first time ever in charge of a Dunfermline game and just his fifth at Championship level. His third Inverness Caley Thistle match of this season.
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