Dunfermline 4 Forfar Athletic 0
Saturday, 26th Nov 2022Scottish Cup Third Round: starting debut for Kane Ritchie-Hosler. Craig Wighton (27) 1-0: Kane Ritchie-Hosler (33) 2-0: Josh Edwards (42) 3-0: Craig Wighton (71) 4-0:
This was a good all round performance against a team that has been struggling in their league. Four excellently taken goals ensured no slip up in the kind of cup tie that proved tricky elsewhere.
League Two club Forfar Athletic were the opposition for Dunfermline’s first Scottish Cup tie at home since January 2018. The Loons under the managerialship of Ray McKinnon arrived at East End Park as underdogs but nothing whatsoever to lose.
James McPake made one change from the side that won at Peterhead the previous weekend. Rangers loanee Kane Ritchie-Hosler made his starting debut with Nikolay Todorov taking his place on the bench. Meanwhile Forfar’s starting eleven showed two changes from that which drew 2-2 away to League Two leaders Dumbarton, with Mark Docherty and Nathan Flanagan making way for Darren Whyte and Josh Jack.
The visitors kicked off attacking the goal in front of the McCathie Stand and Dunfermline shaping up 3-4-3 with Ritchie-Hosker and Chris Mochrie either side of Craig Wighton. Within three minutes Dunfermline had two attempts from Matty Todd and then Ritchie-Hosler, both from the edge of the Forfar box and both blocked.
It was the twelfth minute before Forfar Athletic keeper Marc McCallum was called into serious action. Joe Chalmers was picked out overlapping on the left wing by Mochrie and his cross was met by Ritchie-Hosler but the keeper clutched the on target header.
Nine minutes later after Ritchie-Hosler was pulled down, McCallum was at full stretch to palm a Rhys Breen free kick from 28 yards out around his left hand post. Next a Josh Edwards long throw went wide right after hitting Breen’s back.
The home side would go ahead in 27th minute after Ritchie-Hosler found Aaron Comrie on the right side of the Forfar box and assisted by Tomas Brindley slipping, the Pars defender was able to pick out WIGHTON who was perfectly placed to direct the ball low into the bottom left of the Loons’ net. 1-0
Very soon after going ahead Dunfermline had another attempt with Todd heading a Chalmers cross over the crossbar. Goal number two came in 33 minutes from another long throw in from Edwards on the left. Sam Fisher and Breen got touches before the ball sat up for RITCHIE-HOSLER to smash the ball home. His first goal in senior football made it 2-0.
The two goal lead became three after a driving run from Ritchie-Hosler provided a great chance for EDWARDS arriving into the left side of the opposition half. McCallum could only half stop the shot and with three minutes to the break it was 3-0.
Half time: Dunfermline 3 Forfar Athletic 0
First serious threat on the scoreline came six minutes into the second half when another surging run by Ritchie-Hosler set up Wighton for a shot that McCallum blocked. Unfortunately that would the last of Ritchie-Hosler for this game as he had to be subbed by Nikolay Todorov two minutes later.
Todorov laid the ball back for Chalmers to try a 57th minute shot but that was blocked. There was a double substitution for Dunfermline midway through the half with Kyle Macdonald and Chris Hamilton replacing Matty Todd and Aaron Comrie.
It was sub Todorov who threatened next but when his 71st minute effort was blocked by the keeper and defender, WIGHTON was left with a delightful chip in to make it four. 4-0
Sitting on a potential hattrick Wighton broke through five minutes later but with the keeper out to narrow the target his shot went wide left. The keeper next beat away a rocket of a shot from Mochrie before the Dundee United man made way for sixteen year old Taylor Sutherland with eight minutes remaining.
Chalmers 84th minute corner from the left reached Breen but Munro booted the ball clear. It would ended 4-0 with Ray McKinnon accepting that Forfar were second best. Dunfermline Athletic’s first Scottish Cup victory at East End Park since December 2013 secured their place in the Fourth Round draw.
SUBS NOT USED: Sam Young, Andrew Tod, Liam Hoggan, Max Little (GK)
SCORERS: Wighton (27, 71), Ritchie-Hosler (33), Edwards (42)
YELLOW CARD: Edwards (29)
FORFAR ATHLETIC: Marc McCallum: Bobby Dailly, Darren Whyte (Yusuf Hussain 68), Andy Munro, Tomas Brindley (Nathan Flanagan 40): Roberto Nditi, Kyle Hutton, Craig Slater (c) (Mark Docherty 68), Stefan McClusky: Joshua Jack (Ben Armour HT), Matthew Aitken (Jaden Ferguson 85)
SUBS NOT USED: Craig Thomson, Kevin Hanratty, Tarek Abed, Iain Ross
YELLOW CARD: Jack (6), Munro (44), Flanagan (77)
REFEREE: Iain Snedden
WEATHER: Fine 11°C
ATTENDANCE 1880
NEXT MATCH: cinch League One (home) v Queen of the South, Saturday 3rd December 2022, 3.00pm kick off at The KDM Group East End Park
50/50 Half Time Draw: Prize amount - £640, Ticket number - 23794
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Match Photos To Follow.
Preview Forfar Athletic
Saturday, 26th Nov 2022Scottish Cup Third Round, Saturday 26th November 3.00pm kick off at The KDM Group East End Park
Scottish Cup third round opponents on Saturday will be League Two side, Forfar Athletic. This will be the Loons first visit to The KDM Group East End Park since April 2016 and it’s the first time that the sides have met in the Scottish Cup since season 1991/92. Thirty years ago it took a 3-1 home win in a replay to see the Premier League Pars through to face Hearts.
In the Scottish Cup Forfar and Dunfermline have been drawn together four times, one match was drawn and Dunfermline have won four. The sides met in a pre season friendly in July this year. Three goals in each half gave Dunfermline a resounding win in a game played on the newly laid Station Park surface. Kevin O`Hara notched two with the other goals shared around four of his team mates.
Milestones Forfar Athletic (home)
Last Victory 24/10/15 4-0 League One
Last Defeat 25/04/15 1-3 League One
Best Victory 08/09/51 7-2 Div Two*
Worst Defeat 10/03/51 2-4 Div Two*
*Pre league reconstruction
The Pars have won four of the last five meetings but had only won one of the previous eight matches.
Last twelve matches v Forfar Athletic
09/04/16 | D | Dunfermline 2-2 Forfar Athletic | League One
26/12/15 | W | Forfar Athletic 2-4 Dunfermline | League One
24/10/15 | W | Dunfermline 4-0 Forfar Athletic | League One
05/09/15 | W | Forfar Athletic 0-4 Dunfermline | League One
18/08/15 | W | Forfar Athletic 0-3 Dunfermline | Petrofac Cup
25/04/15 | L | Dunfermline 1-3 Forfar Athletic | League One
21/02/15 | L | Dunfermline 0-1 Forfar Athletic | League One
18/10/14 | D | Dunfermline 0-0 Forfar Athletic | League One
16/08/14 | L | Forfar Athletic 2-0 Dunfermline | League One
12/04/14 | D | Dunfermline 0-0 Forfar Athletic | League One
15/02/14 | W | Forfar Athletic 2-4 Dunfermline | League One
07/12/13 | D | Dunfermline 1-1 Forfar Athletic | League One
Last Meeting at East End Park
League One, Saturday 9th April 2016
Dunfermline 2 Forfar Athletic 2
Forfar Athletic went ahead from a 13th minute free kick that SWANKIE drove low from 25 yards through the Pars wall to find the far right of the net. 0-1 Sean Murdoch had little chance of keeping it out but there would be arguments about whether or not Omar Kader was falling before coming into contact with Robinson in the first place.
The Pars hit on the half hour benefitting from a full back being out of position. Wallace sent a fine ball through into the path of MOFFAT who running into the box from the left, netted in style for a 30th minute equaliser. 1-1
Martin looked like he had done really well to intercept a Forfar cross in from the left but RYAN pounced on the loose ball and drilled it into the Pars net to restore their lead just five minutes into the second half. 1-2
In 56 minutes Williamson was played into the box by Wallace and his cut back seemed ideal for Moffat lingering on six yards but he somehow managed to turn the ball over the crossbar. Quite a let off!
Two minutes later it was Wallace who was presented with a shooting chance but from 20 yards he too found the McCathie Stand. Then on the hour a 35 yard free kick was struck powerfully on target by McCabe, Hill did well to halt the ball but in doing so set up the alert MOFFAT for a tap in. His 15th goal of the season made it 2-2
DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch (c); Ryan Williamson (Craig Reid 84), Brad McKay, Lewis Martin, Jason Talbot; Michael Paton, Rhys McCabe, Scott Robinson (Josh Falkingham 79), Conner Duthie, Ryan Wallace, Michael Moffat
SUBS NOT USED: Joe Cardle, Andy Geggan, David Hopkirk, Faissal El Bakhtaoui, David Hutton (GK).
FORFAR ATHLETIC: Darren Hill, Scott Martin, Thomas O`Brien, Gareth Rodger, Bryan Hodge; Omar Kader, Scott Smith, Gavin Swankie (c), Danny Denholm; Steven Craig (Euan Spark 67), Andy Ryan
SUBS NOT USED: Michael Dunlop, Kerr Hay, Derek Young, James Yates, Frankie Devine, Jason King (GK).
Recent Form
Forfar Athletic have won 5 of their 21 matches in all competitions this season. They have won two, lost two and drawn two of their last six matches. Away from home Forfar have won three of their last five on the road.
Dunfermline have won four of their last six league matches, lost one and drawn one. The Pars are undefeated in their eleven home matches this season.
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Peterhead (A) W 2-0
Celtic B (H) W 2-1
Clyde (H) D 2-2
Falkirk (A) W 1-0
Kelty Hearts (H) W 2-1
Montrose (A) L 0-2
FORFAR ATHLETIC
Dumbarton (A) D 2-2
Bonnyrigg Rose (A) D 1-1
Annan Athletic (H) L 1-4
Stranraer (A) L 0-1
Kilwinning Rangers (A) W 3-1
Elgin City (A) W 1-0
League Record
DUNFERMLINE
League One Position: 1st
League Points: 35
Goal Difference: +15
Home League Record: P8 W4 D4 L0 GF11 GA7
Last Six Match Form: WLWWDW
FORFAR ATHLETIC
League Two Position: 10th
League Points: 13
Goal Difference: -9
Away League Record: P7 W2 D1 L4 GF6 GA8
Last Six Match Form: WWLLDD
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Peterhead): Deniz Mehmet: Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus (c), Rhys Breen: Aaron Comrie, Joe Chalmers, Chris Mochrie, Matthew Todd (Chris Hamilton 87), Josh Edwards: Craig Wighton (Kane Ritchie-Hosler 77), Niklolay Todorov.
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Sam Young, Andrew Tod, Taylor Sutherland, Max Little (GK)
FORFAR ATHLETIC (v Dumbarton): Marc McCallum: Bobby Dailly, Andy Munro, Kyle Hutton, Roberto Nditi, Mark Docherty (Joshua Jack 90+5), Craig Slater, Tomas Brindley, Nathan Flanagan (Craig Thomson 76), Stefan McClusky (Kevin Hanratty 90+2), Matthew Aitken.
SUBS NOT USED: Darren Whyte, Jayden Ferguson, Yusuf Hussain, Ben Armour, Tarek Gebrial Abed, Jay Kennedy (GK)
Other Scottish Cup Third Round ties
Formartine United v Stenhousemuir
Montrose v Darvel
Drumchapel United v FC Edinburgh
Peterhead v Queens Park
Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Elgin City
Wick Academy v Falkirk
Hamilton Academical v East Kilbride
Partick Thistle v Kelty Hearts
Fraserburgh v Arbroath
Raith Rovers v Auchinleck Talbot
Open Goal Broomhall v Alloa Athletic
Albion Rovers v University of Stirling
Ayr United v Pollok
Cove Rangers v Dunipace
Dundee v Airdrieonians
Greenock Morton v Queen of the South
Linlithgow Rose v Sauchie Juniors
Inverness Caley Thistle v Stirling Albion
Clyde v Dumbarton
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