Dunfermline 5 Dumbarton 1
Saturday, 17th Jul 2021Premier Sports Cup: two changes as Wighton and Mehmet start in place of Pybus and Fôn Williams. Nikolay Todorov (49 seconds) 1-0: Dom Thomas (3) 2-0: Craig Wighton (28) 3-0: Buchanan og (51) 4-0: Ross Maclean (55) 4-1: Kevin O’Hara (71) 5-1:
A very warm summer’s day welcomed fans back to a match at East End Park for the first time in over sixteen months. The covid restrictions enforced absence had left stands devoid of supporters as players were forced to play competitive matches in eerily echoing stadiums. This was a day to celebrate and all the Pars fans proud to return were hoping for a resounding victory against a club that had only avoided relegation to League Two through the play offs.
For Dunfermline manager Peter Grant this was his first home match in charge and one in which he was desperate to get off to a good start. His starting line up was a return to that successful against Partick Thistle with Craig Wighton and Deniz Mehmet back in place of Dan Pybus and Owain Fôn Williams.
Dumbarton made two changes Kirk McKnight and Kris Syversten coming in for Callum Wilson and Andy Geggan.
The 1000 fans lucky enough to have acquired tickets for this match were housed in the Main Stand and the Norrie McCathie Stand. There encouragement was noticeable right from when the players emerged for the warm up. When the Pars re-emerged from the tunnel at the south west corner of the McCathie Stand, the loudest roar greeted Pars with everyone on their feet before Dumbarton emerged from the East Stand.
The Pars fans were in ecstasy as they watched their team go into a two goal lead within three minutes. The match got off to a great start with an opening goal in 49 seconds. Wighton sent Kyle Macdonald down the right and in his effort to palm the cross away keeper Sam Ramsbottom played the ball on to the chest of Nikolay TODOROV and the ball ended up in the net. 1-0
Todorov had the chance to make it two but mistimed his attempt only for Macdonald to gather and feed Dom THOMAS who with excellent close control on the right side of the Dumbarton box made his opening and fired the ball into the far side of the net. 2-0
Dunfermline kept up the pressure Josh Edwards winning a corner on right after good play by Macdonald. Aaron Comrie header’s at the back post was put out for another corner on left which Todorov headed over.
It was 17th minute before Dumbarton created any threat. Ross Maclean’s free kick from 28 yards was deflected behind for a corner on the left that Maclean also took but when cleared out a wild wayward shot did not bother the defence.
Five minutes later Mehmet had a save to make when Maclean picked out an unmarked Eoghan Stokes but the shot from 25 yards out went straight to the Pars keeper.
After 24 minutes play referee David Dickinson whistled for a water break and on the resumption another good run down the right side by Macdonald produced a perfect cross for WIGHTON to meet and head home. 3-0
Ramsbottom saved a headed effort from Todorov after he had been picked out by Edwards 35th minute cross. At the other end Maclean popped a shot from 25 yards that went narrowly outside the right goalpost.
Half time: Dunfermline 3 Dumbarton 0
Vytas Gašpuitis and Dan Pybus came on for Paul Watson and Paul Allan before the second half got underway. First opportunity of the half was provided by Ross Graham in 48 minutes after a surging run up the left channel but his lay off to Todorov was just missed. Next Todorov did get a connection to an Edwards cross and when the move was repeated in 51 minutes Gregor Buchanan swept the ball into his own net ahead of the Bulgarian striker’s inevitable finish. 4-0
Four minutes later Dumbarton got a goal back from a slack throw in and MACLEAN intercepted to get around the Pars defence and slot away in off the left post. 4-1
Dumbarton then forced a 58th minute corner on the right that Kris Syversten swept wide at the near post. On the hour Kevin O ‘Hara produced speed to keep in a long ball down the left side. His cross picked out Wighton who laid it off for Thomas to shoot. The block landed for Wighton and his delicate chip just dropped over the bar.
Comrie was forward to connect with the next chance, a Pybus cut back from the right but the defender’s shot was blasted wide left. Then the referee was in doubt that fans had returned as there were loud boos for no penalty decision when McKnight appeared to handle the ball as he fell on top of it in the left side of the Sons box.
Just before the water break midway through the second half, a Macdonald cross that took a deflection on its way to Gašpuitis was headed over the crossbar. Goal number 5 arrived however in 71 minutes. Macdonald was the obvious choice spare on the right for a pass from Graham and another perfect ball in found O’HARA who headed home. 5-1
Pybus earned a 77th minute corner and although Gašpuitis met it with a forceful header the defence kept it out. Another sub, Toddy for Toddy, as Matty Todd replaced Nikolay Todorov and the young sub might have scored with almost his first touch but the cross from the right was just behind him.
O’Hara turned a Macdonald pass just wide right, and then in 84 minutes, nicely teed up by Todd, the striker dispatched his shot over the crossbar.
Dunfermline coasted this match and the five goals were a real treat for the fans. The match also marked the first team debut for 17 year old Miller Fenton, a late substitute for Josh Edwards.
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson (Vytas Gašpuitis HT), Ross Graham: Kyle Macdonald, Paul Allan (Dan Pybus HT), Dom Thomas (c), Josh Edwards (Miller Fenton 82): Kevin O’Hara, Nikolay Todorov (Matty Todd 77), Craig Wighton.SUBS NOT USED: Owain Fôn Williams (GK)
SCORERS: Todorov (1), Thomas (3), Wighton (28), Buchanan og (51), O’Hara (71)
DUMBARTON: Sam Ramsbottom: Kirk McKnight, Ryan McGeever, Gregor Buchanan, Sam Muir: David Hopkirk, Stuart Carswell (c), Eoghan Stokes (Callum Wilson 67), Ross Maclean: Conner Duthie: Kristian Syvertsen.
SUBS NOT USED: Evan Maley, Callum Erskine (GK).
SCORERS: Maclean (55)
REFEREE: David Dickinson
WEATHER: Sunny 24°C
ATTENDANCE 1000
NEXT MATCH: Premier Sports Cup (home) v Stenhousemuir, Saturday 24th July 2021, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park.
Views : 6,740
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Preview Dumbarton
Saturday, 17th Jul 2021Premier Sports Cup v Dumbarton, Saturday 17th July 2021 kick off 3.00pm at East End Park
This is the seventh League Cup meeting with the Sons and the first at East End Park since August 1953. Dunfermline have won five and drawn one of the previous meetings in this cup.
At home the Pars have won 31 and drawn 8 of the 47 times that they have played Dumbarton at home.
Milestones Dumbarton (Home)
Last Victory | 28/04/18 | 4-0 | Championship
Last Defeat | 23/03/13 | 3-4 | First Division
Best Victory | 02/01/54 | 6-1 | Division 2
Best Victory | 26/08/53 | 6-1 | League Cup
Worst Defeat| 23/03/2013 | 3-4 | First Division
First Meeting | 11/01/1913 | 3-0 | Division 2
Last Goalless Draw | 20/03/82 | 0-0 | Division 1
The Pars have won nine of the last 12 meetings, two have been drawn and one lost.
Last 12 Matches v Dumbarton
Date | H/A | F-A | Res | Competition
06/10/20 | A | 1-0 | W | Betfred Cup
28/04/18 | H | 4-0 | W | Championship
06/01/18 | A | 1-0 | W | Championship
25/11/17 | H | 2-2 | D | Championship
26/08/17 | A | 4-0 | W | Championship
15/04/17 | A | 2-0 | W | Championship
04/03/17 | H | 5-1 | W | Championship
29/10/16 | A | 2-2 | D | Championship
06/08/16 | H | 4-3 | W | Championship
23/03/13 | H | 3-4 | L | Division One
05/01/13 | A |1-0 | W | Division One
24/11/12 | H | 4-0 | W| Division One
Last time at East End Park
Dunfermline 4 Dumbarton 0
Saturday 28th April 2018, Championship
Kallum Higginbotham (18) 1-0: Kallum Higginbotham (25) 2-0: Fraser Aird (45) 3-0: Ryan Williamson (66) 4-0:
With one point from this home match against ninth placed Dumbarton would have been enough to secure play off ties against Dundee United but with the opposition reduced to ten men in just ninth minute when their captain Craig Barr was red carded for his challenge on Andy Ryan, the task was made so much easier.
Dunfermline opened the scoring in 18 minutes. The goal came from a deep cross from Fraser Aird on the left that evaded the defence and Kallum HIGGINBOTHAM smashed the ball home from ten yards out. 1-0
Seven minutes past before HIGGINBOTHAM doubled his tally. He was picked out on the left side of the Sons box and he found the net with a superb finish, 2-0.
Fraser AIRD scored Dunfermline’s third on the stroke of half time, cutting in from the left to find the net with a great shot from an acute angle on the left.
Midway through the second half Ryan WILLIAMSON scored his first senior goal in his 111th appearance for Dunfermline Athletic. It was a Cardle who made the chance edging his way across the penalty box with the crowd screaming for a shot. It did not come but he slipped the ball right for the better placed full back to direct the ball home. 4-0 and what a celebration!
DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c), Lee Ashcroft (Jason Talbot HT), Lewis Martin: Kallum Higginbotham(Joe Cardle 61), James Vincent, James Craigen, Fraser Aird: Andy Ryan, Nicky Clark (Declan McManus 67).
SUBS NOT USED: Dan Armstrong, Nat Wedderburn, Dean Shiels, Cammy Gill (GK)
DUMBARTON: Jamie Ewings: David Smith, Craig Barr (c), Aidan Wilson, Dougie Hill: Stuart Carswell, Kyle Hutton, Liam Burt (Danny Handling 75), Iain Russell (Grant Gallagher 23), Andy Stirling: Kevin Nisbet (Mark Stewart 61).
SUBS NOT USED: Callum Gallagher, David Wilson, Dimitris Froxylias, Scott Gallacher (GK).
Last Six Matches
Dunfermline’s two matches this season have seen a win and a defeat but there are high hopes in this first home match with fans since 7th March 2020.
Dumbarton’s season didn’t kick off until Tuesday night and after leading at half time went down 2-1 to Stenny. Last season they avoided relegation by overcoming Stranraer and then Edinburgh City in the play offs.
DUNFERMLINE
St Mirren (A) L 0-1
Partick Thistle (A) W 4-2
Raith Rovers (A) L 0-2
Raith Rovers (H) D 0-0
Alloa Athletic (A) L 0-1
Arbroath (H) W 4-3
DUMBARTON
Stenhousemuir (H) L 1-2
Edinburgh City (H) L 0-1
Edinburgh City (A) W 3-1
Stranraer (H) W 1-0
Stranraer (A) D 0-0
Peterhead (H) W 3-2
Last Season
DUNFERMLINE
Scottish Championship
League Position: 4th
League Points: 39
Goal Difference: +4
Home League Record: P14 W9 D3 L2 GF24 GA13
Last Six Match Form: WLDLWL
DUMBARTON
League One
League Position: 9th
League Points: 25
Goal Difference: -10
Away League Record: P11 W2 D3 L6 GF6 GA13
Last Six Match Form: WDWWLL
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v St Mirren): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Ross Graham: Kyle Macdonald, Paul Allan, Dan Pybus, Dom Thomas (c)(Craig Wighton 62), Josh Edwards: Kevin O’Hara, Nikolay Todorov
SUBS NOT USED: Vytas Gašpuitis, Miller Fenton, Matty Todd, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
DUMBARTON (v Stenhousemuir): Ramsbottom: Andy Geggan, Ryan McGeever, Gregor Buchanan, Sam Muir: Stewart Carswell, Callum Wilson (Kirk McKnight 84), Conner Duthie, Eoghan Stokes (Kristian Syvertsen 68), Ross Maclean: David Hopkirk.
SUBS NOT USED: Callum Erskine (GK).
A few former Dunfermline players will be returning to East End Park with the Sons - David Hopkirk, Conner Duthie, Gregor Buchanan and the ever popular Andy Geggan.
2018: Dunfermline 4 Dumbarton 0
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