Falkirk 0 Dunfermline 1
Saturday, 5th Nov 2022cinch League One: Chris Hamilton and Kyle Macdonald start in place of Rhys Breen and Nikolay Todorov. Craig Wighton (60) 0-1:
When the League One fixtures were released in the summer, November the fifth was the date that no Falkirk or Dunfermline fan was ever going to forget. The Fifers returned to the Falkirk Stadium for the first time since December 2018 hoping to continue the recent run there of three wins.
James McPake made two changes from the side that started against Kelty Hearts the previous week with Chris Hamilton and Kyle Macdonald getting the nod ahead of Rhys Breen and Nikolay Todorov. On the bench was the welcome sight of Paul Allan.
Falkirk’s manager John McGlynn named the same starting eleven and bench that was successful away to Queen of the South the previous Saturday. Familiar faces in the Bairns team were former Pars Coll Donaldson, Brad Mackay and Kai Kennedy.
The match was a sell out and the atmosphere had built up long before kick off and it was the hosts who kicked off attacking the goal in front of the very vocal travelling support that would total 1976.
The early play was tentative from both sides but Falkirk through Kennedy forced a sixth minute corner off Aaron Comrie only for Deniz Mehmet to have an easy take from Aidan Nesbitt’s delivery.
The home side continued to enjoy possession predominantly in their own half. Comrie’s challenge on Leon McCann handed Falkirk a 14th minute free kick on the left side but Mehmet held after Kyle Benedictus took the sting off the crossed ball. Matty Todd had a surging run out of defence two minutes later but his progress was halted by Donaldson.
Dunfermline’s first threat to the Falkirk goal did not come until 21st minute when Josh Edwards swung the ball over from the left firing Nicky Hogarth to tip away the danger. There was a let off after Nesbitt robbed Hamilton of possession and sent Kennedy in on the left side of the Pars box but Fisher brushed off the man in gloves to see the ball out for a goal kick.
Territorially Dunfermline then enjoyed a spell further up the park with Edwards, Mochrie and Chalmers linking up well but still no shots. Then in 36 minutes a long throw in from Edwards from the right landed for Benedictus but his effort was blocked and when Chalmers collected and returned the defence held out.
Two minutes later Henderson headed a cross from the left behind for a corner and when that came over Comrie got two efforts in with the second being held by Hogarth. Another corner was forced in 39 minutes and this time Mochrie worked the ball to Chalmers whose cross was met by Fisher but his header went over the bar.
In 42 minutes Fisher headed away Kennedy’s corner from the right and there was to be no breaking the deadlock in the first half. It was a half in which the home side had seen 59% possession but it is goals that count.
Half Time: Falkirk 0 Dunfermline 0
First threat of the second half came in 51 minutes when Macdonald intercepted a pass and picked out Mochrie on the left but unfortunately Falkirk defended the cross. Next minute Burrrell was yellow carded for a late tackle on Fisher but the defence held out to deny the visitors.
The pressure was maintained with Macdonald again winning the ball and the next cross came in from Edwards. A 60th minute corner on the right was forced by Comrie and when Chalmers inswinger came in WIGHTON dipped to head the ball in at the far post. 0-1
The celebration on the park was great but the away stand erupted and there were wild scenes as the Pars fans poured on to the walkway behind the advertising boards.
Gary Oliver and Craig McGuffie replaced Finn Yeats and Kai Kennedy three minutes after the goal and Falkirk forced corners at which Liam Henderson headed narrowly over the crossbar.
There was little doubt that Dunfermline deserved their lead but Falkirk battled for an equaliser. Nikolay Todorov replaced Craig Wighton 13 minutes from the end of the 90 and now with the Pars fans in full voice it was a case of seeing the match out.
Hamilton saw yellow as he cut out Alegría 20 yards out and from the free kick two corners from the left followed, Fisher incredibly brave in clearing the first over his own crossbar. Falkirk pressed but McGuffie hit his shot wide left as the minutes ran down.
Another Falkirk corner in 85th minute was wasted but play was deep inside the Dunfermline half as Rhys Breen came on to take the place of Chris Mochrie.
As the match entered added time Benedictus went down with cramp but in 90+1 Macdonald got the break to send Todd in on the left side but Hogarth saved his attempt. There had been several stoppages in the second half and there would be many added. In the end Mehmet turned a fifth minute shot around his right hand post. There was time for it but not the one that was conceded from it.
Fantastic scenes of celebration as fans, management and players enjoyed the moment.The result opened up a seven point gap between the sides.
SUBS NOT USED: Steven Hetherington, Seb Ross, Blair Sneddon, Ola Lawal, Paddy Martin (GK).
YELLOW CARD: Burrell (52)
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus (c), Josh Edwards, Chris Hamilton, Kyle Macdonald, Joe Chalmers, Chris Mochrie (Rhys Breen 87), Matthew Todd: Craig Wighton (Nikolay Todorov 77).
SUBS NOT USED: Paul Allan, Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Sam Young, Andrew Tod, Robbie Mahon, Taylor Sutherland, Max Little (GK)
SCORERS: Wighton (60)
YELLOW CARD: Hamilton (80)
REFEREE: Alan Newlands
WEATHER: Changeable 10°C
ATTENDANCE 7279
NEXT MATCH: cinch League One (home) v Clyde, Saturday 12th November 2022, kick off 3.00pm at The KDM Group East End Park
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Preview Falkirk
Friday, 4th Nov 2022cinch League One: (away) v Falkirk, Saturday 5th November 2022, kick off 3.00pm at The Falkirk Stadium
Dunfermline Athletic return to The Falkirk Stadium for the first time since December 2018 hoping for a repeat of their handsome 4-2 win. That day it was a Championship fixture and you have to go back to November 1978 to find these two teams last meeting in the third tier of league football.
In the previous 103 league meetings Dunfermline have won 35 times, Falkirk 45 and 23 matches have been drawn.
Milestones Falkirk (Away)
Last Victory | 29/012/18 | 4-2 | Championship
Last Defeat | 05/10/17 | 0-2 | Irn Bru Cup
Best Victory | 01/01/65 | 4-0 | First Division*
Worst Defeat | 17/10/36 | 4-6 | First Division*
Last Goalless Draw | 15/04/06 | Premier League
First Meeting | 09/10/26 | 0-2 | Division One*
*Pre league reconstruction
Last meeting at the Falkirk Stadium
Saturday 29th December 2018
Falkirk 2 Dunfermline 4
The 1463 Pars fans were shocked as the home side scored in just 95 seconds. Rudden teed up Joe McKEE on the left side of the box to stroke the ball past the advancing Lee Robinson. 1-0 Falkirk.
The Fifers pressed and in 13th minute Tom Beadling’s header sent HIPPOLYTE in on goal. The defence tried to stop him and looked like they might have, but Myles twisted round again and poked the goal past Mitchell. 1-1
The Pars were to turn it all around and go ahead just four more minutes into the game. Higginbotham delivered a free kick from the left approx 30 yards out, his diagonal pass was not cleared as it travelled through the penalty box and Tom BEADLING popped up at the far post to stab the ball in at the right post. 1-2
Six minutes into the second half after slick play between Higginbotham and Longridge on the left side in line with the edge of the Falkirk box, Higgy emerged with the ball and as he reached the box fed the ball in for BEADLING in a central position to pick his spot. 1-3
Midway through the half Dunfermline would go further ahead prompting their fans to chant about how easy it was. James VINCENT certainly made it look easy accepting the ball from Keena on the right side of the box and firing clinically across goal to find the net just inside the left goalpost. 1-4
Falkirk hit back in 74 minutes as defender HARRISON found the net but it turned out to be a consolation.
FALKIRK: David Mitchell: Jordan McGhee, Scott Harrison, Aaron Muirhead, Tommy Robson, Patrick Brough (Cieran Dunne 72), Joe McKee, Ruben Sammut (Andrew Irving 54), Prince Buaben (Jason Jarvis 88): Zak Rudden, Denton Lewis.
SUBS NOT USED: Tom Dallison, Mark Russell, Marcus Haber, Leo Fasan (GK)
DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: James Craigen, Lee Ashcroft (c), Danny Devine, Jackson Longridge: Tom Beadling (Robbie Muirhead 79), Joe Thomson, James Vincent: Myles Hippolyte (Malaury Martin 87), Aidan Keena (Faissal El Bakhtaoui 72), Kallum Higginbotham.
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Williamson, Lewis McCann, Mark Durnan, Cammy Gill (GK)
Last 12 Matches v Falkirk
Dunfermline have won six of the last twelve meetings, Falkirk four and two have been drawn including the most recent at East End Park in September.
17/09/22 | (H) | 1-1 | D | League One
09/10/00 | (H) | 2-0 | W | League Cup
13/04/19 | (H) | 0-1 | L | Championship
29/12/18 | (A) | 4-2 | W | Championship
10/11/18 | (H) | 0-2 | L | Championship
06/04/18 | (A) | 2-0 | W | Championship
07/04/18 | (A) | 2-1 | W | Championship
02/01/18 | (H) | 2-0 | W | Championship
04/11/17 | (A) | 1-1 | D | Championship
05/10/17 | (A) | 0-2 | L | Irn Bru Cup
19/08/17 | (H) | 3-1 | W | Championship
22/04/17 | H) | 1-2 | L | Championship
Recent Form
When these teams first met this season a Kyle Benedictus penalty ten minutes into the second half countered Calumn Morrison’s first half opener and the sides had to settle for a point apiece in this typically hot contest.
In the six games since the sides played out that draw Dunfermline have won four, drawn one and lost one, as have Falkirk. They are both joint leaders of the last six form league along with FC Edinburgh.
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Kelty Hearts (H) W 2-1
Montrose (A) L 0-2
Clyde (A) W 2-0
FC Edinburgh (H) W 1-0
Alloa Athletic (A) W 3-0
Peterhead (H) D 2-2
FALKIRK
Queen of the South (A) W 1-3
Kelty Hearts (H) L 2-3
Alloa Athletic (H) W 3-1
Montrose (A) D 1-1
Peterhead (A) W 4-0
Clyde (H) W 2-0
League Record
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 1st
League Points: 28
Goal Difference: +12
Away League Record: P6 W4 D1 L1 GF10 GA2
Last Six Match Form: DWWWLW
FALKIRK
League position: 3rd
League points: 24
Goal Difference: +10
Home League Record: P6 W4 D1 L1 GF13 GA6
Last Six Match Form: WWDWLW
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE (v Kelty Hearts): Deniz Mehmet: Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus (c), Rhys Breen (Chris Hamilton HT): Aaron Comrie, Joe Chalmers, Josh Edwards: Chris Mochrie, Matthew Todd: Craig Wighton, Nikolay Todorov (Kyle Macdonald 70).
SUBS NOT USED: Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Sam Young, Andrew Tod, Robbie Mahon, Max Little (GK)
FALKIRK (v Queen of the South): Nicky Hogarth: Leon McCann, Brad McKay, Coll Donaldson, Liam Henderson, Finn Yeats (Steven Hetherington 80), Stephen McGinn (c), Aidan Nesbitt (Gary Oliver 80), Calumn Morrison (Craig McGuffie 75), Kai Kennedy, Rumarn Burrell (Juan Alegría 69).
SUBS NOT USED: Seb Ross, Blair Sneddon, Lawal Oluwasegan, Paddy Martin (GK).
Other cinch League One Fixtures
Clyde v Airdrieonians
FC Edinburgh v Queen of the South
Kelty Hearts v Alloa Athletic
Montrose v Peterhead
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