Dunfermline 1 Morton 3
Saturday, 6th Nov 2021cinch Championship: Mark Connolly, Kai Kennedy and Matty Todd start as Craig Wighton, Vytas Gašpuitis and Dan Pybus are named as subs.
Gary Oliver (13) 0-1: Matty Todd (35) 1-1: Gozie Ugwu (60) 1-2: Gary Oliver (87 pen.) 1-3:
A change of management but no change in fortune as tenth placed Dunfermline go down to ninth placed Greenock Morton.
In this the first match under the caretaker management team of Greg Shields and Steven Whittaker, the Dunfermline side showed three changes from the one defeated 4-2 at Arbroath the previous week. Mark Connolly, Kai Kennedy and Matty Todd started as Craig Wighton, Vytas Gašpuitis and Dan Pybus were named as subs.
Gus Macpherson made three changes to his starting eleven placing Tom Allan, Gavin Reilly and Cameron Blues on the bench to bring in Jimmy Knowles and former Pars Robbie Muirhead and Gozie Ugwu.
Dunfermline were out first and ringed around the centre circle before the opposition emerged from the concourse of the East Stand. The low November sun squeezed through the gap between the Main and McCathie Stand forming a narrow diagonal strip across the park during the one minute silence to remember those who went to wars and did not return.
Morton kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end. The home side made a patient start before in fifth minute Josh Edwards was able to cross a decent ball into the six yard box from the left but Morton cleared.
In tenth minute Kevin O’Hara cut an inviting ball back from the left corner flag but Dom Thomas’ shot was blocked. Just two minutes later it was Thomas with a cross from the left that allowed O’Hara a pop at goal but he was wide left.
The Dunfermline defence then found it hard to dispossess their opponents on the left side of the six yard box and when the ball was fed back it was Gary OLIVER it found and he drove the ball into the left side of the Pars goal. 0-1
In 18 minutes Paul Allan played Ryan Dow in on the right side of the Morton box and he delivered a fine opportunity for O’Hara to convert but he was eased off the ball without getting a shot away. Next a penetrating Connolly pass picked out Dow deep down the left and when he laid the ball back to Thomas, Allan found himself lining up for a shot from 20 yards out but that was blocked.
After a build up on the right Dow picked out Kennedy but his 28th minute shot was directed narrowly outside the far post. Then Todd and Kennedy combined to set up O’Hara but his shot from the edge of the penalty box went high.
The Pars got the equaliser they so dearly wanted just ten minutes before half time. Kennedy made a cross field run and managed to slip the ball left as he was challenged. O’Hara’s return was blocked but he was given a second chance and this time his cross was met by the inrunning TODD who headed home from close range. The 20 year olds’ first Dunfermline goal made it 1-1.
Allan fired a shot wide right while at the other end Oliver and Knowles swung ball from the left through the Dunfermline six yard box before the whistle came for the interval. It was a first half in which Dunfermline definitely finished stronger than they started, they had enjoyed the better of the possession and created the greater number of shots.
Half time: Dunfermline 1 Morton 1
The first attempt of the second half was a blast from Thomas that went high over the bar. It was ten minutes into the second half before the first corner of the game went Morton’s way but Connolly headed that clear. A surging run by Todd then displayed a show of confidence and the goalscorer was deemed to have fouled as referee Bobby Madden gave the decision to Morton when the home fans were appealing for their first corner.
Morton won a second corner on the hour and when Jaakko Oksanen delivered from the right Oisin McEntee’s header back across goal was touched on by Alan Lithgow for Gozie UGWU to poke home. 1-2
First Pars sub of the game was Craig Wighton replacing Dom Thomas in 66 minutes. The sub came close with a header from the second of two 74th minute corner, his header narrowly clearing the bar. That came after Rhys Breen looked set to score but his effort was deflected wide for the first of those corners.
A double substitution in 78 minutes then saw Nikolay Todorov and Kyle Macdonald come on for Kevin O’Hara and Matthew Todd. Edwards forced Lithgow to concede an 80th minute corner on the left, three corners were to follow but none were to alter the scoreline. Wighton coming closest with a header.
Then in 86th minute Morton sub Lewis McGrattan got the break of the ball as he broke into the Pars penalty box. He was able to power a shot on target that Connolly kept out with a hand. A yellow card for the on loan defender and a penalty for the ‘Ton. OLIVER stepped up and drove the ball into the bottom right. 1-3
Luck continued to evade the Fifers with Wighton’s header on a Macdonald cross being saved. Kennedy tested the keeper with a free kick three minutes into time added on.
The win took Morton five points ahead of Dunfermline and up into eighth. On a day that saw three of the five Championship matches finish in draws Queen of the South are now the nearest in ninth place, four points better off than the Pars.
SUBS NOT USED: Vytas Gašpuitis, Lewis McCann, Dan Pybus, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORERS: Todd (35)
YELLOW CARD: Connolly (86)
MORTON: Jack Hamilton: Oisin McEntee, Alan Lithgow (c), Brian McLean (Michael Ledger 39), Mark Russell: Robbie Muirhead (Lewis McGrattan 59), Reece Lyon, Jaakko Oksanen, Gary Oliver: Jimmy Knowles (Gavin Reilly 84), Gozie Ugwu.
SUBS NOT USED: Tom Allan, Cameron Blues, Lewis Strapp, Kyle Jacobs.
SCORERS: Oliver (13, 87 pen.), Ogwu (60)
YELLOW CARD: Oksanen (72)
REFEREE: Bobby Madden
WEATHER: Cloudy 12°C
ATTENDANCE 3531
NEXT MATCH: cinch Championship (away) v Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Saturday 13th November 2021, kick off 3.00pm
50/50 prize draw, winning ticket number was 524476
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Preview Morton
Saturday, 6th Nov 2021cinch Championship: (home) Saturday 6th November 2021, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park
After twelve Championship matches of the 2021-2022 season Dunfermline have still to win a league match but having drawn seven of those matches the Fifers are just two points behind Morton, their opponents this Saturday. A home win would lift the Pars off the foot of the table for the first time since August.
The Pars record of three wins in the last seventeen meetings against Morton suggests the Greenock side have become a bit of a bogey team. In all meetings the Pars have the upper hand with 49 wins to Morton’s 38 and 33 have been drawn.
Dunfermline are undefeated in the last four matches against Morton but there is a growing tendency for the clubs to draw games between them.
Milestones v Morton (Home)
Last Victory: 13/03/21 | 1-0 | Championship
Last League Defeat: 12/12/20 | 1-2 | Championship
Best Victory: 29/01/66 | 6-0 | Division One*
Worst Defeat: 28/03/15 | 0-4 | League One
Last Goalless Draw: 17/03/18 | 0-0 | Championship
First League Meeting: 25/12/26: | 1-1 | Division One*
*Pre league reconstruction
Last time at East End Park
Dunfermline 1-0 Morton
Sat, 13th Mar 2021
A headed goal from Craig Wighton was enough to lift the three points and move the Pars back into second place in the Championship.
Dunfermline, back in action after 14 days without a match, faced a Morton side under the new management of former Par, Gus Macpherson.
A Murray pass took Banks into the left side of the Morton box and as the Crystal Palace loanee tried to round keeper Aidan McAdams he was taken down and referee Steven Kirkland pointed to the penalty spot.
Wighton took responsibility for the 21st minute spot kick but McAdams went to his right to block the shot. Wighton followed up and looped a shot on to the crossbar before McLean headed off the goal line. The Pars second penalty miss in consecutive matches.
The only goal of the game came just before half time. Banks surged in field and laid off for Thomas on the left to pick out WIGHTON. As he drifted in between Fjørtoft and McGinty, his glancing header found the ‘Ton net, 1-0
DUNFERMLINE: 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)
MORTON: Aidan McAdams: Michael Ledger, Brian McLean, Sean McGinty (c), Markus Fjørtoft: Stephen McGinn: Aidan Nesbitt, Reece Lyon (Gary Oliver 69), Luca Colville, Craig McGuffie (Cameron Salkeld 80), Kazaiah Sterling (Kalvin Orsi 80).
SUBS NOT USED: Robin Omar, Cameron Blues, Robbie Muirhead
Twelve Matches v Morton
Half of the last twelve matches between the sides have been drawn, three of them with no goals. Three of the twelve were lost and three were Dunfermline wins. The first meeting this season, the opening fixture, ended a 2-2 draw.
31/07/21 (A) D 2-2 Championship
23/03/21 (A) D 0-0 Scottish Cup
13/03/21 (H) W 1-0 Championship
15-01-21 (A) D 0-0 Championship
12-12-20 (H) L 1-2 Championship
11-01-20 (A) L 2-3 Championship
07-12-19 (H) W 3-1 Championship
05-10-19: (A) D 1-1 Championship
05-04-19: (H) L 0-1 Championship
26-01-19: (A) D 0-0 Championship
01-12-18: (H) W 3-0 Championship
22-09-18: (A) D 1-1 Championship
Recent Form
Dunfermline have now drawn six of their last eight matches, including their last four at home. Improved performances in the draws against Raith Rovers and Kilmarnock at East End Park were encouraging and give hope that a home win is near.
Morton have gone nine games without a win and have won just one of their twelve league games. That was at Hamilton in week 2 of the schedule and their match winning goal that day is the only goal they have scored away from home in the league so far. Gus Macpherson’s team have drawn six of their last seven matches including their last three away games.
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Arbroath (A) L 2-4
Raith Rovers (H) D 1-1
Partick Thistle (A) D 0-0
Kilmarnock (H) D 2-2
Queen of the South (A) L 0-1
Raith Rovers (A) D 1-1
MORTON
Hamilton Academical (H) D 1-1
Partick Thistle (H) D 0-0
Queen of the South (A) D 0-0
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) L 0-2
Montrose (A) D 0-0
Arbroath (H ) D 2-2
League Record
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 10th
League Points: 7
Goal Difference: -11
League Record: P12 W0 D7 L5 GF9 GA20
Last Six Match Form: DLDDDL
MORTON
League Position: 9th
League Points: 9
Goal Difference: -7
League Record: P12 W1 D6 L5 GF8 GA15
Last Six Match Form: DDLDDD
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Arbroath): Owain Fôn Williams (c): Aaron Comrie, Rhys Breen, Vytas Gašpuitis, Josh Edwards: Dom Thomas, Dan Pybus (Iain Wilson 66), Paul Allan (Lewis McCann 83), Ryan Dow: Kevin O’Hara, Nikolay Todorov
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Kai Kennedy, Craig Wighton, Leon Jones, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
MORTON (v Hamilton Academical): Jack Hamilton: Oisin McEntee, Alan Lithgow, Brian McLean, Mark Russell: Cameron Blues (Robbie Muirhead 76), Reece Lyon, Jaakko Oksanen, Tom Allan (Jimmy Knowles 66), Gavin Reilly (Gozie Ugwu 55), Gary Oliver.
SUBS NOT USED: Michael Ledger, Lewis Strapp, Darren Hynes, Lewis McGrattan.
Referee will be Bobby Madden. Since officiating in Dunfermline’s season opener, the 4-2 win over Partick Thistle, six of his following 15 matches have been outside the country. After trips to Czech Republic, Greece, Sweden, Kosovo, Cyprus and Serbia it is a case of welcome to Fife Bobby.
Other Championship Fixtures
Fixture announcement
Scottish Cup tie away to Partick Thistle has been scheduled for Friday 26th November with a 7.45pm kick off.
31/07/21: Morton 2 Dunfermline 2
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