Raith Rovers 1 Dunfermline 1
Wednesday, 29th Sep 2021cinch Championship: Mark Connolly and Reece Cole start in place of Paul Watson and Craig Wighton. Dario Zanatta (11) 1-0: Kevin O’Hara (79) 1-1:
This was a second attempt to play the first Fife derby of the season and the tasty fixture attracted live coverage on BBC Scotland. Last season the five fixtures between the clubs proved to be very competitive, the only disappointment being the absence of fans.
Signed on the morning of the match, Mark Connolly started alongside Vytas Gašpuitis in central defence. Paul Watson dropped out and Craig Wighton was relegated to the bench as Reece Cole was handed his third Dunfermline start.
Raith Rovers were unchanged from the starting eleven and bench that saw off Partick Thistle 3-2 on Sunday afternoon.
Dunfermline emerged from under the Main Stand and as the daylight had faded, gladly the Stark’s Park lights created a sheen on the artificial surface. It was Dylan Tait who kicked off for the Rovers attacking the goal in front of the travelling West Fifers support.
A free kick and a corner were won by the Pars within the first three minutes, Cole heading Josh Edwards corner from the right over the home crossbar. Neither side were getting much time in possession but after a strong Zanatta run Raith forced a sixth minute corner that the defence managed to clear cleanly. Next minute Zanatta cut inside from the left and delivered a ball towards the far post that Regan Tumilty just couldn’t catch.
Then there was no catching ZANATTA as he streaked down the left wing, cut back and and then smashed his shot into the far side of the Dunfermline net. The goal was a big disappointment because the visitors had started fairly well but it was the injection of power that created the chance. Eleventh minute and it was 1-0.
After a better spell from the Pars in which Pybus and Cole battled to keep possession they forced a 26th minute corner on the left but Cole’s delivery from the setpiece was cleared by the Raith defence. A speedy break sent Connolly scurrying down the right and his cross was met by diving header from Brad Spencer that thankfully went wide right.
Cole popped a shot that just cleared Jamie Macdonald’s crossbar. Edwards and Cole then combined but the Englishman’s effort to try and pick out Nikolay Todorov at the far post was too big.
The home side continued to press and Gašpuitis twice had to be called upon to thwart the efforts of a team that was as their fans were chanting ‘getting in to them’. Dunfermline were trying their best but were finding it tough against a team that seemed to have everything going for it.
Then Edwards and Kennedy got the break to win the first of three corners on the left. There was some dogged defending to be done and Pybus rattled a shot that was deflected behind, Dorrans wound up for the next clearance but didn’t connect and Pybus drilled another into the six yard box that gave Rovers a fright.
Owain Fôn Williams had one final save to make before the referee brought the first half to a close. The stats showed four shots apiece but in possession terms it was 64:36 in favour of the team that was ahead at the interval.
Half time: Raith Rovers 1 Dunfermline 0
Before the second half began Peter Grant made two changes withdrawing Reece Cole and Nikolay Todorov and bringing on Kevin O’Hara and Craig Wighton.
Zanatta got away the first shot on target in 49th minute and Connolly was able to divert the ball wide for a corner. That was defended and play was switched to the other end with Kennedy and O’Hara looking particularly motivated to alter the pattern of the game. It was Tumilty who hit a 52nd shot on target that Fon Williams held.
Next minute after the successful exchange of several passes Edwards pumped a high ball to the far post but Comrie was penalised as he flattened Liam Dick as he challenged in the air for the cross.
Tumilty was then unlucky to see his 25 yard attempt sail wide of Fon Williams goal. Kennedy was shown a yellow card as referee Anderson deemed him to go down too easily in the Raith box.
The goal that Dunfermline have been looking for looked like it might have arrived in 61 minutes after Wighton touched home a Kennedy cross but the offside flag had been raised. The match had become much more of a derby as the Pars had upped their game and the heat was evident as Graham Dorrans and Ross Mathews tangled and were both shown yellow.
When O’Hara was barged out on the right byeline Edwards swung in the 70th minute setpiece but Gašpuitis headed wide from ten yards out. With 18 remaining Dom Thomas came on for Dan Pybus and Rovers brought on Matej Poplatnik for Ethon Varian.
Dorrans required treatment in 76 minutes and he was able to return to the action. Three minutes later there was much more to celebrate when the fast moving Edwards received the ball back off Kennedy to cross from the left. That was met by Kevin O’Hara at the near post to finish with class and equalise. 1-1
In 84 minutes a Tumilty cross was perfect for sub Matej Poplatnik but Fon Williams pulled off a save of spectacular proportions to keep out the on loan Livvy striker. There was a further chance three minutes later but Tumilty’s low ball in from the right went across the six yard box untouched.
Four minutes were added to the regulation 90 during which Comrie put in a great block to deny 18 year old sub Kai Fotheringham. It would end all square for the Pars third successive draw but one point not enough to lift Dunfermline off the foot of the table.
SUBS NOT USED: Blaise Riley-Snow, Kieran Mitchell, David McKay, Tom Lang, Robbie Thomson (GK).
SCORERS: Zanatta (11)
YELLOW CARD: Tumilty (58), Matthews (63)
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Mark Connolly, Vytas Gašpuitis, Josh Edwards: Graham Dorrans (c): Ryan Dow, Dan Pybus (Dom Thomas 72), Reece Cole (Kevin O’Hara HT), Kai Kennedy: Nikolay Todorov (Craig Wighton HT)
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Paul Allan, Leon Jones, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORERS: O’Hara (79)
YELLOW CARD: Kennedy (57), Dorrans (63)
REFEREE: Euan Anderson
WEATHER: Fine 12°C
ATTENDANCE 2876
NEXT MATCH: cinch Championship (away) v Queen of the South, Saturday 2nd October 2021, kick off 3.00pm at Palmerston Park
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Preview Raith Rovers
Wednesday, 29th Sep 2021cinch Championship (away) Wednesday 29th September 2021, kick off 7.05pm at Stark’s Park
On Wednesday night there will be a second attempt to play the cinch Championship match against Raith Rovers, the first in front of fans since 2nd January 2017. That sunny Monday afternoon Dunfermline proved to be troublesome first foots for their hosts. They scored twice through Clark and Ashcroft and with a little more luck it could have been an even more convincing scoreline.
Unfortunately that was the Pars last win there and the four subsequent matches away to Raith have seen three defeats and one draw. The teams go head to head after indifferent starts to their league campaigns but as we all know anything can happen in a derby and it regularly does.
Dunfermline have won 22 of the 60 matches that they have played at Stark’s Park, Raith have won 21 and 17 have been drawn. The Pars have only won two of their last ten away to Raith Rovers.
Milestones v Raith Rovers (away)
Last Victory | 02/01/17 | 2-0 | Championship
Last Defeat | 08/05/21 | 2-0 | Premiership play off
Best Victory | 29/10/94 | 5-2 | Div One (old)
Worst Defeat | 01/01/83 | 0-6 | Div One (old)
Last Goalless Draw | 08/09/81 | 0-0 | Division One
First League Meeting | 24/03/28 | 1-5 | Div One (old)
In the last dozen fixtures it is four wins, five defeats and three draws.
Last Twelve Meetings
08/05/21 | A | Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 0 | L | Premiership play off
04/05/21 | H | Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 0 | D | Premiership play off
30/03/21 | A | Raith Rovers 5 Dunfermline 1 | L | Championship
03/02/21 | H | Dunfermline 4 Raith Rovers 1 | W | Championship
05/12/20 | A | Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 2 | D | Championship
19/01/19 | A | Raith Rovers 3 Dunfermline 0 | L | Scottish Cup
08/04/17 | H | Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 0| W | Championship
02/01/17 | A | Raith Rovers 0 Dunfermline 2 | W | Championship
05/12/16 | H | Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 0 | D | Championship
20/08/16 | A | Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 0 | L | Championship
05/08/14 | H | Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 0 | W | Challenge Cup
20/08/13 | H | Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 2 | L | Challenge Cup
Last time at Stark’s Park
Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 0, Saturday, 8th May 2021
Scottish Premiership Quarter Final Play Off Second Leg
Dunfermline’s season ended with defeat to rivals Raith Rovers. John McGlynn’s side took their chances in a game which many considered the Pars were the better team.
It was a Second Leg with fewer chances than the First Leg and Dunfermline dearly paid for not cashing in on Tuesday night’s opportunities. The Pars season would come to a sad and abrupt end and Raith Rovers went on to play Dundee in the Premiership Play Off Semi Final.
Raith got the long awaited breakthrough in 64 minutes when a Macdonald cross from the left could not be cleared properly and Tumilty was able to shoot from the right side. Fôn Williams saved but the ball dropped for VAUGHAN to nip in to finish over the unlucky keeper. 1-0
The game was put beyond the Pars when McManus’ pass went to an opponent and the ball was lashed forward by Spencer for UGWU to latch on to, brushing off two defenders before crashing an 89th minute shot past the helpless keeper. 2-0
RAITH ROVERS: Jamie Macdonald: Reghan Tumilty, Iain Davidson (Fernandy Mendy 85), Kyle Benedictus (c), Kieran Macdonald: Ross Matthews (Dylan Tait 76), Regan Hendry, Brad Spencer, Dan Armstrong: Lewis Vaughan, Jamie Gullan (Gozie Ugwu 82).
SUBS NOT USED: Adam King, Timmy Abraham, Nathan Cooney, Robbie Thomson (GK)
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c)(Fraser Murray 85), Josh Edwards: Dom Thomas, Steven Whittaker, Lewis Mayo (Scott Banks 70), Ewan Henderson: Kevin O’Hara, Craig Wighton (Declan McManus 70).
SUBS NOT USED: Kerr McInroy, Kyle Macdonald, Vytas Gašpuitis, Cammy Gill (GK)
Recent Form
Raith Rovers win over Partick on Sunday took John McGlynn’s men into fourth place. They have won five of their last seven matches including a home win over Aberdeen in the Premier Sports Cup. Their vulnerability was revealed with a 1-0 defeat to Queen of the South on 11th September.
Dunfermline lost four matches in between draws - 2-2 at Morton and 0-0 at home to Caley Thistle. On Saturday they took on Hamilton Academical and despite a clean sheet only took one point from the match.
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Hamilton Accies (H) D 0-0
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) D 0-0
Ayr United (A) L 0-3
Arbroath (H) L 0-3
Rangers (A) L 0-5
Partick Thistle (H) L 0-3
RAITH ROVERS
Partick Thistle (H) W 3-2
Celtic (A) L 0-3
Morton (A) W 1-0
Queen of the South (H) L 0-1
Ayr United (A) W 2-0
Forfar Athletic (H) W 1-0
League Record
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 10th
League Points: 3
Goal Difference: -8
League Record: P6 W0 D3 L3 GF3 GA11
Last Six Match Form: LLLLDD
RAITH ROVERS
League Position: 4th
League Points: 10
Goal Difference: +2
League Record: P6 W3 D1 L2 GF10 GA8
Last Six Match Form: WWLWLW
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE (v Hamilton Accies): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Vytas Gašpuitis, Josh Edwards: Ryan Dow, Dan Pybus, Graham Dorrans (c), Kai Kennedy (Dom Thomas 72): Nikolay Todorov (Reece Cole 63), Craig Wighton (Kevin O’Hara 61)
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Paul Allan, Leon Jones, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
RAITH ROVERS (v Partick Thistle): Jamie MacDonald: Reghan Tumilty, Kyle Benedictus, Christophe Berra, Liam Dick: Aidan Connolly, Ross Matthews, Brad Spencer (Blaise Riley-Snow 71), Dylan Tait, Dario Zanatta (Kieran Mitchell 83), Ethon Varian (Matej Poplatnik 80).
SUBS NOT USED: David McKay, Kai Fotheringham, Tom Lang, Robbie Thomson (GK).
Referee will be Euan Anderson.
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