Dunfermline 2 Raith Rovers 0
Wednesday, 6th Apr 2022cinch Championship: one change as Jakub Stolarczyk returns from international call up. Kevin O’Hara (34) 1-0: Kevin O’Hara (79) 2-0:
Fifth placed Raith Rovers were the visitors for the fourth and final derby of the season. The ninth placed hosts were seeking to build on the success of a 4-1 win over Partick Thistle in the previous home match.
Manager John Hughes brought back in Jakub Stolarczyk after he returned with being with the Poland U21 side. Deniz Mehmet was back on the bench, as was striker Lewis McCann who returned from a shoulder injury.
Raith Rovers made four changes from the team that lifted the SPFL Trust Trophy on Sunday. Dropping out were Sean Mackie, Liam Dick, Ethan Ross and Ethon Varian making way for Dario Zanatta, Brad Spencer, David McKay and their captain Kyle Benedictus.
After the players went back in after the warm up rain came down as hard as it possibly could. The visitors kicked off attacking the goal at the home end but it was the Pars who would create the first danger after a challenge on Josh Edwards earned a sixth minute free kick on the left wing. Keeper Jamie Macdonald fisted away Liam Polworth’s delivery as referee Nick Walsh blew play up for some over enthusiastic challenging.
Both Edwards and Todd delivered balls into the Rovers box without anyone in a black and white shirt being able to get on the end of them before a Dan Pybus tackle on Frank Musonda handed the visitors a 16th minute free kick on the edge of the box. Aidan Connolly drove the ball on to the four man wall and the ball was cleared.
Steven Lawless drove a low effort narrowly wide right from 30 yards out and then Dom Thomas showed a couple of moments of flair football to keep the pressure on Raith. Dunfermline forced the first corner of the night but Thomas’ 27th minute delivery from the right was intercepted first by Ross Matthews.
The breakthrough came in 34 minutes after Liam Polworth won possession off Spencer just outside the Raith penalty box allowing Kevin O’HARA to latch on to the ball advance towards goal and smash it right footed past Macdonald. 1-0
The lead might have doubled nine minutes later after a fast break up the left with Polworth feeding Thomas who in turn picked out O’Hara his pass then put Lawless through with just the keeper to beat but he crashed the ball over the crossbar.
A good first half from the home side just a shame that the advantage was not greater.
Half time: Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 0
The first opportunity of the second half took just 90 seconds to come. A Thomas free kick on the right was attacked in the box by both Coll Donaldson and Efe Ambrose but unluckily neither could make the necessary contact to convert. Next there was a promising break with Thomas sending O’Hara deep down the left and he then flashed the ball in across the six yard box with half time sub Ethan Ross happy to turn the ball behind for a corner. Unfortunately that caused no problems for the Rovers defence.
Edwards tried a shot from distance that Macdonald held at his second attempt and Lawless then tried a similar shot but his was deflected for the keeper to take comfortably. John McGlynn’s side came more into the game as the hour mark passed and the Pars could count themselves extremely fortunate that Reghan Tumilty’s low cross managed to escape without a finish.
The Pars forced a corner where Donaldson headed wide but the Kirkcaldy side were not going to give up the points without a fight. They pushed up and although they kept the defenders busy they failed to trouble Stolarczyk. The one goal lead was beginning to look rather slender but O’Hara might have calmed the nerves from a 76th minute break but with Polworth available to his right, chose to shoot and the keeper blocked.
The striker quickly made up for not taking his chance. An in-swinging Thomas corner from the right three minutes later was cleverly forced over the line by O’HARA as he beat MacDonald at the near post. 2-0
Bobby Kamwa replaced the two goal striker for the final seven minutes plus time added on. Pybus made a 90th minute break but presented with the ball, Polworth’s shot was stopped by the keeper.
Three very welcome points as Dunfermline retain their undefeated home record in 2022. A six point gap now between them and tenth placed Queen of the South and more importantly just two behind Lee Bullen`s Ayr United.
DUNFERMLINE: Jakub Stolarczyk: Matthew Todd, Coll Donaldson, Efe Ambrose, Josh Edwards: Liam Polworth, Dan Pybus, Joe Chalmers, Dom Thomas: Steven Lawless (c), Kevin O’Hara (Bobby Kamwa 83)SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Comrie, Lewis Martin, Nikolay Todorov, Ryan Dow, Lewis McCann, Leon Jones, Reece Cole, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORERS: O’Hara (34, 79)
RAITH ROVERS: Jamie Macdonald: Reghan Tumilty, David McKay, Kyle Benedictus (c), Frankie Musonda: Aidan Connolly, Ross Matthews, Sam Stanton, Brad Spencer, Dario Zanatta (Ethan Ross HT), Matej Poplatnik.
SUBS NOT USED: Liam Dick, Ethon Varian, Aaron Arnott, Greig Young, Robbie Thomson (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Connolly (78)
REFEREE: Nick Walsh
WEATHER: Damp 6°C
ATTENDANCE 5199
NEXT MATCH: cinch Championship (away) v Kilmarnock, Saturday 9th April 2022, kick off 3.00pm at BBSP Stadium Rugby Park
50/50 Half Time Draw, ticket number 03253 wins £500 prize
Views : 5,889
Related Stories
-
Dunfermine 2-0 Raith Rovers
Wed, 6th Apr 2022
-
John Hughes post Raith Rovers
Wed, 6th Apr 2022
-
Kevin O Hara post Raith Rovers
Wed, 6th Apr 2022
Check out the Gallery for more photo's -- the images below will scroll through automatically.
Preview Raith Rovers
Wednesday, 6th Apr 2022cinch Championship: (home) v Raith Rovers, Wednesday 6th April 2022 kick off 7.45pm at East End Park
Raith Rovers play in the final of the SPFL Trust Trophy this Sunday so the fourth Fife derby of the season takes place on Wednesday. The previous three have all ended up all square but this time both teams will be out to win. Three points are needed to lift the Pars away from tenth placed Queen of the South but the Rovers will want the three points to keep their play off hopes alive.
Once again this is a very big match for both clubs.
In total the clubs have met 124 times, Dunfermline winning 50 and Raith 43. At home Dunfermline have won 28 of their 62 matches against Raith, the visitors winning 22 and twelve drawn. It is ten league visits back, in August 2009, since the Rovers left with the three points.
Milestones v Raith Rovers (home)
Last Home Victory | 03/02/21 | 3-1 | Championship
Last Home Defeat | 20/08/13 | 0-2 | Ramsden Cup
Best Home Victory | 08/09/62 | 6-0 | Division One (old)
Best Home Victory | 01/01/68 | 6-0 | Division One (old)
Worst Home Defeat | 19/11/27 | 0-4 | Division One (old)
Last Goalless Home Draw | 04/05/21 | 0-0 | Premiership Play Off
First Ever Home Meeting | 10/02/23 | 0-3 | Scottish Cup
Last time at East End Park
cinch Championship
Dunfermline 1-1 Raith Rovers
Tue, 26th Oct 2021
After a scoreless first half the teams came out into the pouring rain that was swept in a strong towards the East Stand. Within five minutes East End Park erupted to greet a special Dom THOMAS strike. The former Killie man received the ball from Dow who had travelled upfield at pace having latched on to Fôn Williams roll out. Dom then hit a fine effort from 27 yards out that sailed into the top left corner of Jamie Macdonald’s net. 1-0
The Pars looked to have survived a late let off as Dick looked to be set up to score but the ball pinballed in the six yard box to stay out. However the goal that the visitors were pressing for came with two minutes remaining. SPENCER drilled a low ball from the edge of the box into the bottom left of the Pars net 1-1.
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams (c): Aaron Comrie, Mark Connolly, Vytas Gašpuitis, Josh Edwards: Dom Thomas, Dan Pybus (Iain Wilson 59), Paul Allan, Ryan Dow: Kevin O’Hara (Kai Kennedy 79), Craig Wighton (Nikolay Todorov 79)
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Rhys Breen, Lewis McCann, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORERS: Thomas (50)
RAITH ROVERS: Jamie MacDonald: Regan Tumilty, Christophe Berra, Tom Lang, Liam Dick: Brad Spencer, Dylan Tait, Aidan Connolly (Blaine Riley-Snow, 84), Ethan Ross (Kieran Mitchell 76), Dario Zanatta: Matej Poplatnik.
SUBS NOT USED: Frankie Musonda, Aaron Arnott, Greig Young, Robbie Thomson (GK)
Last Twelve Meetings
Honours are even over the last dozen games. Dunfermline have won three of the last twelve meetings, lost three and six have been drawn.
02/01/22 | A | Raith Rovers 0 Dunfermline 0 | D | Championship
26/10/21 | H | Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 1 | D | Championship
29/09/21 | A | Raith Rovers 1 Dunfermline 1 | D | Championship
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
27/03/21 | 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
Recent Form
Dunfermline were undefeated in three matches before losing at Inverness last Saturday but they are unbeaten at home in 2022 and will want to pick up from where they left off at East End Park following their impressive 4-1 win over Partick Thistle.
Raith Rovers have won just one of their last 14 league matches. One of their three wins in the last six matches was over Kilmarnock in the semi final of the SPFL Trophy and another v Queen of the South in Sunday’s final. In their last league match they relinquished a 3-1 lead to allow Arbroath to draw level.
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) L 0-2
Partick Thistle (H) W 4-1
Morton (H) D 1-1
Hamilton Academical (A) D 2-2
Arbroath (A) L 0-1
Kilmarnock (H) D 0-0
RAITH ROVERS
Queen of the South (N) W 3-1
Arbroath (A) D 3-3
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) L 2-3
Queen of the South (A) W 1-0
Ayr United (H) L 0-4
Kilmarnock (A) W 2-1
League Record
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 9th
League Points: 29
Goal Difference: -16
Home League Record: P15 W3 D8 L4 GF17 GA21
Last Six Match Form: DLDDWL
RAITH ROVERS
League Position: 5th
League Points: 43
Goal Difference: 0
Away League Record: P15 W5 D6 L4 GF18 GA16
Last Six Match Form: DWLWLD
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Inverness Caley Thistle): Deniz Mehmet: Matthew Todd (Reece Cole 79), Coll Donaldson, Efe Ambrose (Aaron Comrie 79), Josh Edwards: Liam Polworth (Nikolay Todorov 63), Dan Pybus, Joe Chalmers, Dom Thomas (Ryan Dow 63): Steven Lawless (c) (Bobby Kamwa 59), Kevin O’Hara
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Rhys Breen, Paul Allan, Callum Archibald (GK)
RAITH ROVERS (v Queen of the South): : Jamie Macdonald: Reghan Tumilty, Musonda, Liam Dick (David McKay 83), Sean Mackie: Aidan Connolly, Ross Matthews, Sam Stanton, Ethan Ross (Aaron Arnott 87), Ethon Varian (Dario Zanatta 56), Matej Poplatnik (Dario Zanatta 89).
SUBS NOT USED: Christophe Berra, Lewis Vaughan, Brad Spencer, Greig Young, Robbie Thomson (GK)
Dunfermline Athletic remaining fixtures
Sat 9th April: Kilmarnock (A)
Sat 16th April: Ayr United (H)
Sat 23rd April: Partick Thistle (A)
Fri 29th April: Queen of the South (H)
Views : 6,912
