Airdrieonians 1 Dunfermline 1
Saturday, 22nd Apr 2023cinch League One: Mochrie and Allan start in place of Hamilton and Todd. Craig Wighton (58) 0-1: Calum Gallagher (62) 1-1: Kyle Benedictus red card (63): Kevin O’Hara red card (71): Dave Mackay (73) red card:
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPB0967_0697.jpg)
This was the third last league fixture for both sides. Happily Dunfermline had tied up the title the previous Saturday but the home team needed two more points from their remaining matches to secure a Championship play-off place. No club in League One had a better home record than Airdrieonians while Dunfermline’s away record was better than any team in the league either at home or away.
An appendix operation in midweek meant Matty Todd was out of the team, Chris Hamilton dropped to the bench to make way for Paul Allan and Chris Mochrie. Airdrieonians also made two changes from the side that started against Falkirk the previous week Rhys McCabe and Charlie Telfer replaced Aaron Taylor-Sinclair and Gabby McGill.
There was a sizeable away support at the Excelsior and the starting eleven went over to applaud their supporters after the warm up. The newly acclaimed League One champions entered the field through an Airdrieonians guard of honour and it was the home team that kick off. Kane Ritchie-Hosler made a strong early run assisted by a flick on by Craig Wighton but when he slipped the ball left for Lewis McCann the Pars man was blocked out before he could execute a shot.
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPA2082_5624.jpg)
There was drama of the comedy kind on three minutes though when McCann blocked keeper Josh Rae’s clearance. The ball came back off the crossbar and the keeper recovered to thwart the Pars striker yet again. Airdrie forced two corners on the right in sixth minute, Craig Watson heading the second over the crossbar. Two minutes further on and Telfer came close at the left post, the crossbar keeping the home side out this time.
After an impressive run by Ewan Otoo winning possession and beating off three men before advancing upfield at pace, McCann was able to square to Allan but egged on by the crowd the midfielder’s shot was blocked. The Fifers were playing some nice football and the Diamonds were finding possession hard to come by. It was 20th minute when Ritchie-Hosler crossed from the right to enable Mochrie a crack at goal but his effort went straight into the keeper’s hands.
Next a good run off the ball by McCann saw him returned the ball from Ritchie-Hosler by unfortunately Rae held again.
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPA1915_2918.jpg)
The match got bogged down a little in midfield before Joe Chalmers sent Josh Edwards down the left and his cross looked promising but Airdrie managed to clear. That was followed up by another Otoo run that tried to set up McCann but again the defence held out.
It was not all one way traffic with the home side putting Dunfermline under enough pressure to require some desperate defending. Wighton headed away a corner from the left before in 30th minute Deniz Mehmet had to turn a fierce shot from Callum Gallagher around his left hand post. The corner was not totally cleared and Telfer fired an acute angled attempt from 20 yards out into the sidenetting.
Play stopped in 38 minutes when Allan was cut down 25 yards out from the opposition goal. The physios came on and happily Paul was okay to continue. From the resultant free kick Chalmers shot was deflected on to the roof of the net and Dunfermline had their first corner of the afternoon. Otoo was unlucky to direct Chalmers delivery narrowly over the bar.
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPA1780_0960.jpg)
An Edwards - Chalmers - Edwards move won a 43rd minute corner. This time Allan delivered from the left but again Airdrie cleared. The home side had the final chances in time added on. Allan was penalised for a foul on Gallagher and McCabe’s shot from the setpiece was deflected for a corner on the right from which Callum Fordyce headed over.
The first half stats would show 66% Dunfermline possession but Airdrie had restricted the efforts on goal to just three and only one on target.
Half time: Airdrieonians 0 Dunfermline 0
Robbie Mahon started the second half in place of Paul Allan but it was the Diamonds who first came close with Mehmet pulling off a great save to deny Callum Smith. The pressure was maintained and another Smith shot was deflected off Comrie for a corner from which Fordyce sent the ball over the bar.
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPB0488_2020.jpg)
Airdrie came close and the Champions had the post to thank for keeping out Gallagher’s header after Frizzell and Telfer had combined in the lead up. McCann then went down holding his left ankle that he had injured in the first half in a challenge with the goalkeeper. Kevin O’Hara came on for McCann and within three minutes Dunfermline were ahead. It was his striking partner WIGHTON however who grabbed the chance chipping the ball over the advancing keeper. The chance came when the bal, was played from Benedictus through Mochrie to Chalmers and he lopped the ball forward for the goalscorer to wrong foot Fordyce and net. 0-1.
The 58th minute lead only lasted four minutes and it was a stormy five minutes as the Pars lost a goal and then their captain to a red card. The equaliser came from a corner on the right that GALLAGHER turned in at the far post. 1-1
Then within a minute Benedictus blocked Smith 20 yards out and was shown a straight red. Chris Hamilton came on as Craig Wighton was withdrawn before McCabe’s 65th minute free kick rounded the five man wall to be held by Mehmet low to his left. The heated atmosphere was further fuelled when O’Hara took out his man on the touchline in front of the tunnel. Another red card was shown by referee Greg Aitken and then to assistant manager Dave Mackay in the remonstrations after O’Hara’s dismissal.
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPA2985_1189.jpg)
Kyle Macdonald came on for Ritchie-Hosler and the nine men had their work cut out for them and the defending was deep as Airdrie piled forward. The away fans cheered every Mehmet save but possession was hard to keep. An 84th minute corner was wasted and the next wave of attacked headed clear.
Still the Diamonds threatened. With their keeper on the half way line they stuck another shot over the bar from an 87th minute corner from the left. Deniz Mehmet required the physios treatment as the match went into added time. Watson smashed a good chance over the bar. An 93rd minute effort went the same way, the match was seen out as a 1-1 draw and the Pars proud unbeaten run and away record goes on.
Yet another memorable visit to the Excelsior Stadium and the players and management celebrated in front of the travelling fans like it was a victory. A fine performance but what a second half.
SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Taylor-Sinclair, Gabby McGill, Euan Deveney, Salim Kouider-Aisser, Lewis McGregor, Joe Dixon, Lachie Byrd, David Hutton (GK)
SCORERS: Gallagher (62)
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Kyle Benedictus (c), Ewan Otoo, Josh Edwards: Kane Ritchie-Hosler (Kyle Macdonald 75), Paul Allan (Robbie Mahon HT), Joe Chalmers, Chris Mochrie: Lewis McCann (Kevin O’Hara 55), Craig Wighton (Chris Hamilton 65)
SUBS NOT USED: Nikolay Todorov, Miller Fenton, Taylor Sutherland, Max Little (GK).
SCORERS: Wighton (58)
YELLOW CARD: Hamilton (73)
RED CARD: Benedictus (63), O’Hara (71), Dave Mackay (73)
REFEREE: Greg Aitken
WEATHER: Dry 13°C
ATTENDANCE 1682
NEXT MATCH: cinch League One (home) v Clyde, Saturday 29th April 2023, kick off 3.00pm at The KDM Group East End Park
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Match Photos To Follow.
Preview Airdrieonians
Saturday, 22nd Apr 2023cinch League One (away) v Airdrieonians, Saturday 22nd April 2023, kick off 3.00pm at the Excelsior Stadium
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPA7544_4641.jpg)
The League One champions travel to the Excelsior Stadium on Saturday expecting another close game against the Diamonds. Airdrieonians lie third and just two points short of a guaranteed play-off place, although they possibly have enough already.
In league meetings Dunfermline and Airdrie, the Diamonds are marginally ahead of the Pars with 41 wins to Dunfermline`s 40, 33 matches have been drawn including the last one at East End Park in February this year.
Pars v Airdrie: The Full League Record
P W D L F A
At East End Park 59 23 21 15 92 87
At Airdrie 55 17 12 26 87 120
TOTALS 114 40 33 41 179 207
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Last Meeting at the Excelsior Stadium
League One, Saturday 11th February 2023
Airdrieonians 3-4 Dunfermline
Sat, 11th Feb 2023
Dunfermline had to score four times to win this match and did that after from being three goals down with 30 minutes remaining.
The Pars paid dearly for losing the ball in their own half and a ball over the top was ideal for McGILL to latch on to an opportunity that he sent past Mehmet from 15 yards out. 1-0
A double substitution in 32 minutes brought Robbie Mahon and Ewan Otoo on for Hamilton and Chalmers but Airdrie did not relent any. Frizzell completed a good move by teeing up Calum GALLAGHER in front of goal and he made no mistake in scoring the Diamonds second. There were 38 minutes on the clock and it was 2-0.
Four minutes into the second half Euan Deveney scrambled away down the left flank and punctuated that with a cross that came off the shoulder of the unlucky MAHON to enter the net at the near post. 3-0
Airdrie’s fortunes then changed with Callum Smith red carded ten minutes later. Wighton was denied a shot with the intervention of the former Par’s hand and a penalty kick allowed Kyle BENEDICTUS to step up and smack the ball home low right, 3-1.
In 66 minutes Mahon cut the ball back for TODD to crash home in off the left upright from 18 yards.
There were nine minutes remaining when Benedictus found himself on the right, his pass picked out Mahon who squared for TODD to shoot home with the aid of a deflection, from 25 yards out. 3-3
Then in 86 minutes the incredible comeback was complete. It was Wighton who made ground down the left and his cross was expertly turned away from the keeper and in by TODOROV. 3-4
AIRDRIEONIANS: Josh Rae: Cammy Ballantyne, Aaron Taylor-Sinclair, Callum Fordyce (c), Euan Deveney, Rhys McCabe, Adam Frizzell (Justin Devenny, 67), Charlie Telfer (Ben Stanway 77), Callum Smith, Gabby McGill (Lewis McGregor 77), Calum Gallagher (Lachie Byrd 79).
SUBS NOT USED: Salim Kouider-Aïssa, Dean McMaster, Craig Watson, Bright Prince, David Hutton (GK).
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Kyle Benedictus (c), Rhys Breen (Kevin O’Hara 64): Kyle Macdonald (Chris Mochrie HT), Chris Hamilton (Ewan Otoo 32), Joe Chalmers (Robbie Mahon 32), Josh Edwards: Matthew Todd: Craig Wighton, Lewis McCann (Nikolay Todorov 79).
SUBS NOT USED: Miller Fenton, Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Andrew Tod, Max Little (GK).
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPA6759_0939.jpg)
Last twelve meetings
Prior to this season the most recent meetings were in the 2015-2016 season. Airdrieonians have won five, Dunfermline three and four have been drawn.
2022/2023
League One Dunfermline 1-1 Airdrieonians 18/02/23
League One Airdrieonians 3-4 Dunfermline 11/02/23
League One Dunfermline 1-1 Airdrieonians 27/08/22
2015/2016
First Division Airdrieonians 3-0 Dunfermline 23/04/16
First Division Dunfermline 0-1 Airdrieonians 29/01/16
First Division Airdrieonians 0-2 Dunfermline 14/11/15
First Division Dunfermline 1-1 Airdrieonians 26/09/15
2014/2015
First Division Airdrieonians 3-2 Dunfermline 02/05/15
First Division Dunfermline 2-2 Airdrieonians 17/01/15
First Division Airdrieonians 3-1 Dunfermline 13/12/14
First Division Dunfermline 3-0 Airdrieonians 23/08/14
2013/2014
First Division Airdrie United 2-0 Dunfermline 05/04/14
Recent Form
Dunfermline’s win over Queen of the South extended their unbeaten league run to twenty one games and they have lost only once in the league away from home this season.
Airdrieonians have won five and drawn one of their last six matches. They have scored 26 goals in the their eight home league games in 2023.
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPA7301_3328.jpg)
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Queen of the South (H) W 5-0
Peterhead (A) W 2-0
Falkirk (A) D 2-2
Kelty Hearts (H) D 0-0
Montrose (A) W 3-1
FC Edinburgh (H) D 0-0
AIRDRIEONIANS
Falkirk (A) D 2-2
Montrose (H) W 3-0
Alloa Athletic (A) W 1-0
Clyde (A) W 5-1
Peterhead (H) W 7-0
Kelty Hearts (H) W 6-1
League Record
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 1st
League Points: 74
Goal Difference: +39
Away League Record: P16 W12 D3 L1 GF30 GA
10
Last Six Match Form: DWDDWW
AIRDRIEONIANS
League Position: 3rd
League Points: 56
Goal Difference: +30
Home League Record: P16 W10 D2 L4 GF48 GA23
Last Six Match Form: WWWWWD
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPA7564_8459.jpg)
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Kyle Benedictus (c), Ewan Otoo, Josh Edwards: Chris Hamilton (Paul McGowan 58): Joe Chalmers (Paul Allan 66), Kane Ritchie-Hosler (Robbie Mahon 73): Matty Todd (Chris Mochrie 58): Lewis McCann (Kevin O’Hara 66), Craig Wighton.
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Nikolay Todorov, Miller Fenton, Max Little (GK).
AIRDRIEONIANS (v Falkirk): Josh Rae: Craig Watson (Euan Deveney 90), Callum Fordyce, Aaron Taylor-Sinclair (Rhys McCabe HT): Cammy Ballantyne, Adam Frizzell, Dean McMaster, Justin Deveney (Ben Stanway 74), Gabby McGill, Calum Gallagher (Charlie Telfer 87), Callum Smith
SUBS NOT USED: Salim Kouider-Aisser, Lewis McGregor, Joe Dixon, Lachie Byrd, David Hutton (GK)
![](https://backup.dafc.co.uk/files/CBPB6328_9368.jpg)
Other League One Fixtures
Alloa Athletic v Falkirk
FC Edinburgh v Kelty Hearts
Peterhead v Clyde
Queen of the South v Montrose
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