Dunfermline 3 Queen of the South 3
Saturday, 11th Dec 2021cinch Championship: one change Breen in for Gašpuitis. Alex Cooper (3) 0-1: Kai Kennedy (21) 1-1: Lee Connelly (48) 1-2: Mark Connolly (54) 2-2: Innes Cameron (65) 2-3:Lewis McCann (88) 3-3.
It was ninth v tenth, both teams on 13 points and the visitors seeking their first league win since the pair met at Palmerston Park on the first Saturday in October. John Hughes made one change, former Queen of the South centre back Rhys Breen coming in for the totally absent Vytas Gašpuitis.
Queen of the South brought back Innes Cameron and Roberto Nditi from the side that were knocked out of the Scottish Cup in midweek by Cove Rangers. Niyah Joseph and Ruben Soares Junior dropped to the bench and it was former Par Willie Gibson who was the Queens` captain.
The rain got heavier as the teams emerged Pars from the undercroft below the McCathie Stand and Queens from the concourse of the East Stand. The visitors kicked off attacking the goal at the home end and Gibson flighted an early free kick into the Pars box that got no connection. Queens would take an early lead however in third minute when Lee Connelly broke and played Josh Todd into the left side of the Dunfermline penalty box and from the byeline he cut back for Alex COOPER to drill home 0-1
Connelly produced another inviting cross from the left that travelled through the home box before the Fifers could look much of an attacking threat. Dorrans fired over from a fourth minute Josh Edwards corner and Lewis McCann was offside when Mark Connolly targeted him on the left side of the opposition box.
Kyle Macdonald released a 14th minute shot that was blocked after Kai Kennedy had taken on men and battled his way through the middle to play the ball off McCann and set up the shot.
On 20 minutes Edwards fed Kennedy on the left and his cross was defended out to the edge of the box where Macdonald’s bravery won a free kick as he and Nditi challenged for the ball. Graham Dorrans and Kennedy stood over the ball as referee Don Robertson positioned the five man wall. It was KENNEDY who struck and his effort curled around the wall found the net in off the right goalpost, his first Dunfermline ever goal made it 1-1.
The home side won two corners on the left in 32 minutes, Kennedy took both and from the second Connolly close in got a touch but not enough to find the target. It was Kennedy who made the break a minute later that teed himself for an angled shot from the right but keeper Solomon Brynn parried that away.
Dunfermline now looked the more likely to score a second. Kennedy teed up Macdonald for a 37th minute shot that he sent over the bar and Kennedy also popped over the top as well. In between Aaron Comrie had made a timely intervention to head away a dangerous Max Johnston cross that looked destined for Nditi less than ten yards out.
The half time stats would show 57% home possession and seven shots to Queens two but with one goal each there was still everything to play for.
Half time: Dunfermline 1 Queen of the South 1
The second half started the same way as the first with the home side losing a goal within three minutes. A weak pass back set up Cameron to break down the left channel and slip the ball right to Lee CONNELLY whose shot from 20 yards out flew into the Pars net. 1-2
Kennedy was brought down by Nditi 27 yards out as the on loan Ranger made an attempt to break through what was becoming an increasingly solid Queens team. From the 54th minute free kick Kennedy picked out Mark CONNOLLY in front of goal and his header marked his first goal for Dunfermline. 2-2
Three minutes later Hughes made a double substitution withdrawing Matthew Todd and Kyle Macdonald to introduce Kevin O’Hara and former Queens midfielder Dan Pybus.
On the hour Euan East on the edge of his own box, made a timely tackle on McCann preventing the young striker getting in on goal. The visitors would threaten with Todd hitting the left stantion and then having a shot from the edge of the box turned behind by Owain Fôn Williams. They took the lead for a third time when Johnston sent the corner in from the left and CAMERON rose above everyone to head in from five yards out. 2-3
Nikolay Todorov replaced Ryan Dow for the last twenty minutes but it was Pybus who got deep inside the Queens box to cut back for McCann but his shot was deflected behind for a corner on the right. Again it was Connolly who almost found the way through heading Edwards’ corner on target but Gibson headed off the line in 77 minutes.
The home support were growing impatient and whistled as Cooper went down off the ball on the half way line with six minutes to go. Ally Roy replaced him but as Kennedy placed his cross on the roof of the net, it became increasingly likely that the Dumfries side would hold on for the win.
Then in 88 minutes Kennedy’s corner from the left was glanced in by Lewis McCANN for a well received equaliser.
Queens finished with a push, forcing an added time corner but one point each moved both clubs above Morton and Dunfermline go to Kilmarnock next week in eighth place.
SUBS NOT USED: Ross Graham, Craig Wighton, Paul Allan, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORERS: Kennedy (21), Connolly (54), McCann (88)
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH: Solomon Brynn: Max Johnston, Willie Gibson (c), Euan East, Alex Cooper (Ally Roy 84): Calvin McGrory, Ruari Paton, Innes Cameron, Lee Connelly, Josh Todd, Roberto Nditi.
SUBS NOT USED: Kieran McKechnie, Niyah Joseph, Ruben Soares Junior, Josh Rae (GK).
SCORERS: Cooper (3), Connelly (48), Cameron (65)
REFEREE: Don Robertson
WEATHER: Rain 7°C
ATTENDANCE 3425
NEXT MATCH: cinch Championship (away) v Kilmarnock, Saturday 18th December 2021, kick off 3.00pm at Rugby Park
50/50 Draw 50/50 winning ticket number – 529940 - won the prize of £600
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Preview Queen of the South
Saturday, 11th Dec 2021cinch Championship (home) v Queen of the South, Saturday 11th December 2021, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park
Allan Johnston and Sandy Clark return to East End Park with their Queen of the South side which is level on 13 points with Dunfermline Athletic and Morton. The home side are undefeated against the Dumfries club in their last five games at East End Park and will be keen to repeat their winning performance against Ayr United in their last home match on 20th November.
Milestones Queen of the South (Home)
Last Victory | 17/04/21 | 3-1 | Championship
Last Defeat | 20/10/18 | 0-1 | Championship
Best Victory
30/12/72 | 6-1 | Div One (old)
16/04/11 | 6-1 | First Division
Worst Defeat | 09/12/17 | 2-5 | Championship
Last Goalless Draw | 01/09/76 | 0-0 | League Cup
First Ever Meeting | 12/12/25 | 4-0 | Second Division
Dunfermline have lost only eight of 43 league games at home to Queen of the South. They have won 28 and drawn seven.
Last Meeting at East End Park
Dunfermline 3-1 Queen of the South
Sat, 17th Apr 2021
A much needed win boosted Dunfermline`s play off hopes after Dom Thomas played a part in all three Pars goals against the Doonhamers.
The opener came in 10th minute when Thomas crashed a shot towards the left side of the Queens net, Ferguson parried it and Kevin O’HARA reacted first to net from close range.
The game would remain at 1-0 until nine minutes from time when Fraser MURRAY gave Dunfermline the second goal that they had been chasing. It came after tremendous perseverance and control from Thomas. Receiving a Whittaker pass the former Killie man carried the ball up the right, cut in choosing not to lay off to O’Hara but instead terrorising Maxwell to make ground along the byeline and tee up the on loan Hibee at the far post. 2-0
Then in 87 minutes MAXWELL hooked in a left footed shot to reduce the advantage. But in the first minute of added time Ewan HENDERSON would net a third. A long ball out of the under pressure Fifers defence drew Ferguson out of his goal but 35 yards out O’Hara beat the keeper, stopped the ball going out on the right side of goal to cut back for Thomas who picked out the on loan Celtic man. 3-1
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Vytas Gašpuitis, Lewis Mayo, Josh Edwards: Steven Whittaker (c): Dom Thomas, Declan McManus (Fraser Murray 56), Ewan Henderson: Kevin O’Hara, Craig Wighton (Kerr McInroy 80).
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis McCann, Paul Allan, Kyle Macdonald, Matthew Todd, Cammy Gill (GK)
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH: Rohan Ferguson: Willie Gibson, Gregor Buchanan (c), Rhys Breen, James Maxwell: Ayo Obileye (Daniel Pybus, 77): Ciaran Dickson (Aidan Fitzpatrick 60), Rhys McCabe, Isaiah Jones (Stephen Dobbie 60), Connor Shields, Dapo Mebude.
SUBS NOT USED: Niyah Joseph, Nortei Nortey, Euan East, Jack Leighfield (GK).
Last Twelve League Matches v Queen of the South
Date: . . H/A WDL F-A League
02/10/21: (A) | L | 0-1 | Championship
17/04/21: (H) | W | 3-1 | Championship
27/02/21: (A) | L | 0-1 | Championship
31/10/20: (H) | W | 3-2 | Championship
07/03/20: (H) | D | 1-1 | Championship
01/02/20: (A) | W | 3-2 | Championship
02/11/19: (H) | W | 2-0 | Championship
10/08/19: (A) | D | 1-1 | Championship
20/04/19: (A) | L | 1-2 | Championship
02/03/19: (H) | W | 1-0 | Championship
15/12/18: (A) | L | 0-0 | Championship
20/10/18: (H) | L | 0-1 | Championship
In the last twelve meetings, Dunfermline have won five, Queen of the South five and two have been drawn.
Recent Form
Queen of the South have drawn four and lost four of their last eight league matches. Indeed Queens last three points came against Dunfermline on 2nd October. In between they have won SPFL Trust matches against Partick Thistle and Morton but then on Tuesday night they were comprehensively dumped out of the Scottish Cup losing 3-0 at home to League One leaders Cove Rangers.
Dunfermline have lost four and won two of their last six matches but lost only one of their last six home matches. They have lost their last two matches, both away from home by the only goal of the games and last time at East End Park they did win their first home game under John Hughes by 3-0.
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Hamilton Academical (A) L 0-1
Partick Thistle (A) L 0-1
Ayr United (H) W 3-0
Inverness Caledonian Thistle (A) W 2-1
Morton (H) L 1-3
Arbroath (A) L 2-4
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH
Cove Rangers (H) L 0-3
Partick Thistle (H)D 0-0
Morton (H) W 2-1
Cove Rangers (H) D 2-2
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) L 1-2
Arbroath (A) D 1-1
Raith Rovers (H) D 1-1
League Record
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 9th
League Points: 13
Goal Difference: -10
League Record: P16 W2 D7 L5 GF15 GA25
Last Six Match Form: LLWWLL
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH
League Position: 10th
League Points: 13
Goal Difference: -10
League Record: P16 W3 D4 L9 GF13 GA23
Last Six Match Form: DLDWDL
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Hamilton Academical): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Mark Connolly, Vytas Gašpuitis, Josh Edwards: Kyle Macdonald (Dan Pybus 72), Matthew Todd (Nikolay Todorov 78), Graham Dorrans (c), Kai Kennedy (Kevin O’Hara 68): Ryan Dow, Lewis McCann
SUBS NOT USED: Ross Graham, Craig Wighton, Paul Allan, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH (v Cove Rangers) Solomon Brynn: Max Johnston, Paul McKay, Willie Gibson (c), Alex Cooper: Calvin McGrory, Ruari Paton, Niyah Joseph (Euan East 70), Lee Connelly, Josh Todd (Ally Roy 63), Ruben Soares Junior.
SUBS NOT USED: Kieran McKechnie, Josh Rae (GK).
Other Championship matches
Ayr United v Hamilton Academical (Friday)
Morton v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Partick Thistle v Arbroath
Raith Rovers v Kilmarnock
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