Alloa Athletic 0 Dunfermline 2
Saturday, 6th May 2023cinch League One: Kyle Benedictus and Lewis McCann start in place of Chris Hamilton and Chris Mochrie. Craig Wighton (64) 0-1: Paul McGowan (68) 0-2
Match day 36 took Dunfermline Athletic to play Alloa Athletic. The Pars were already crowned champions and the Wasps had already clinched a place in the Championship play-offs. The hosts had third place to play for in an attempt to overtake Airdrieonians.
Kyle Benedictus returned having served his one match suspension following his red card against Airdrieonians two weeks ago. Lewis McCann also came into the starting eleven with the two Chris - Hamilton and Mochrie - dropping to the bench.
Alloa Athletic made four changes, out went George Stanger, Stefan Scougall, Luke Strachan, Conor Sammon and in came Mark Durnan, Adam King, Cameron O`Donnell, and Quinn Coulson.
There was a sizeable travelling support inside the Indodrill Stadium all optimistic for a 28th Pars win of the season. Craig Wighton kicked off attacking the goal at the street end and it was he who has the first opportunity of the match lining well with Kane Ritchie-Hosler but final ball just not enough to hit the target.
Dunfermline enjoyed most of the early possession, spreading the ball around comfortably. In ninth minute Ewan Otoo picked out Joe Chalmers on the left but his cross was just too high for McCann to head home. Alloa’s first attempt in 13th minute was an on target shot from 25 yards out from the boot of Murray Mitchell but Deniz Mehmet dropped to his left to hold.
A Paul Allan cross from the right created a chance for Wighton at the far post but the defence did its job and Dunfermline’s 14th minute corner was the first of the game. Unfortunately former Par Mark Durnan got that away.
The Fifers were well on top but finding their opponents hard to break down so when Wighton burst through in 25th minute it was disappointing that Alloa’s 19 year old keeper got the touch to concede a corner on the right. Jay Hogarth held from the setpiece.
Otoo was forward to earn a 32nd minute corner but that was over hit and the pressure was off the Wasps again. At the other end Coulson sent a 30 yard effort wide right. Then a Murray shot hit off the back of Otoo for a 36 minute Alloa corner. O’Donnell’s delivery from the right looked good for Devine but the Pars kept him out and Durnan sent his follow up over the crossbar.
Alloa created another chance two minutes from the break with Durnan and Doyle combining on the right before the former smashed his shot over the bar. Despite Dunfermline’s dominance with 69% first half possession it was Alloa won led on shots 5 to 3 but its goals that matter.
Half time: Alloa Athletic 0 Dunfermline 0
The Fifers seemed to start the second 45 with great intent and Wighton had a good opportunity blocked after only 20 seconds. Paul McGowan sent a shot wide and then in 49 minutes McCann had a powerful shot from an angle on the left touched over the bar.
Ritchie-Hosler forced a 58th minute corner and when Chalmers sent the ball over from the right Hogarth pulled off a great save to keep out McCann’s header from point blank range. Allan fired wide right before he was subbed for Chris Mochrie.
Ritchie-Hosler then played an inviting through ball that saw McCann dispossess half time sub George Stanger but the striker shot wide left to everyone’s disappointment. Two minutes later however in finding the net Craig WIGHTON became only the sixth Pars player this century to score 20 goals in league and cup matches in a season.
It was Ritchie-Hosler’s pass into the right side of the Alloa box that McCann then hit at target, Hogarth turned away the shot but the striker followed up to net. 0-1
Just four minutes later McGOWAN scored the Pars second with a classy lob. Chalmers launched the ball from the centre circle in towards the right of the opposition box. The on-loan Dundee man let the ball bounce twice before hooking it into the far side of the net. 0-2
McCann broke up the left and almost squeezed the ball home at Hogarth’s near post. He was then subbed in 74 minutes by Nikolay Todorov with Kyle Macdonald replacing Kane Ritchie-Hosler at the same time. Robbie Mahon and Miller Fenton followed six minutes later with Joe Chalmers and Josh Edwards going off.
Mahon immediately placed his mark on the match firstly with a fine pass that sent Macdonald in on the right and then with a surging run that he ended with a dangerous ball in that Hogarth had to deal with.
The 2-0 final scoreline punctuated the final chapter of the Pars League One, thankfully short, story. The 24th league match undefeated, the 24th clean sheet of the season and a new points record for a League One season. With 21 goals scored against this team they set a new club record for number of goals conceded in a league season, beating a record (27) that has lasted 110 years. As the country enters its Carolean Era, Dunfermline Athletic embark on a new era looking forward to competing in the Championship yet again.
Well done to James McPake, Dave Mackay and their players, the season 2022-2023 has been one of successes, records and great memories. Here’s to the next!
SUBS NOT USED: Nathan Cannon, Willie Muir (GK).
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Kyle Benedictus (c), Ewan Otoo, Josh Edwards (Miller Fenton 80): Kane Ritchie-Hosler ( (Kyle Macdonald 74), Paul Allan(Chris Mochrie 69), Joe Chalmers (Robbie Mahon 80), Paul McGowan, Lewis McCann (Nikolay Todorov, 74), Craig Wighton.
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Hamilton, Taylor Sutherland, Max Little (GK)
SCORERS: Wighton (64), McGowan (68)
YELLOW CARD: Allan (51)
REFEREE: Calum Scott
WEATHER: Showery 14°C
ATTENDANCE 1608
NEXT MATCH: Pre season friendly (home) v St Pauli, Friday 23rd June 2023, kick off 7.30pm at the KDM Group East End Park
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Alloa Athletic 0-2 Dunfermline
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Paul McGowan post Alloa
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Match Photos To Follow.
Preview Alloa Athletic
Saturday, 6th May 2023cinch League One (away) v Alloa Athletic, Saturday 6th May 2023, kick off 3.00pm at the Indodrill Stadium.
The champions final League One match is away to Alloa Athletic. The Wasps have already qualified to play in the Championship play-offs but if they can better Airdrieonians result at FC Edinburgh they could finish third. Regardless, both clubs will be aware how well Queens Park, last season’s fourth placed team in League One did in the play-offs.
Dunfermline have promised not to let their season fizzle out and would like to set another record by avoiding defeat at the Indodrill Stadium.
Milestones v Alloa Athletic (away)
Last Victory | 08/10/22 | 3-0 | League One
Last Defeat | 30/04/21 | 1-2 | Championship
Best Victory | 11/02/48 | 6-0 | Division B (two)
Worst Defeat | 26/04/52 | 4-5 | Division B (two)
First League meeting | 18/02/22 | 0-2 | Division Two
This is the 72nd league match between the clubs and Dunfermline marginally hold the advantage with 26 to Alloa’s 25. 20 have been drawn. At home Alloa are ahead 15 to 11 with 10 drawn.
Last Time at Indrodrill Stadium
Alloa Athletic 0-3 Dunfermline
Sat, 8th Oct 2022
The opening goal that Dunfermline had threatened duly arrived on the half hour. Chalmers was the provider, receiving the ball from Edwards to deliver an inviting ball from deep down the left. Todorov rose for it but it cleared him only for Aaron COMRIE behind him at the back post to smash the ball home. 0-1
It has been a very good first half for the Pars with the greater possession and many more shots than their opponents. In the second minute of time added on it got even better. A Rhys Breen lob cleared Graham and TODD, who had been hugely impressive all game latched on to the ball and lobbed the advancing Hogarth from 20 yards out. 0-2
In 79 minutes Craig Wighton replaced Nikolay Todorov and within a minute WIGHTON was on the scoresheet. Breen challenged for a typical Edwards long throw in and the break fell to the substitute to net the Fifers’ third just 30 seconds after coming on. 0-3
ALLOA ATHLETIC: Jay Hogarth: George Stanger, Andy Graham (Kevin Cawley HT), David Devine: Scott Taggart, Jon Robertson, Stefan Scougall, Cameron O’Donnell: Ross McIver (Kieran Offord 63): Bradley Rodden (Murray Miller 63), Conor Sammon (Luke Donnelly HT)
SUBS NOT USED: Adam King, Daniel Church, Craig Howie, Steven Buchanan, Willie Muir (HK)
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus (c), Rhys Breen: Aaron Comrie, Chris Hamilton, Joe Chalmers, Josh Edwards: Chris Mochrie, Matthew Todd: Nikolay Todorov (Craig Wighton 79)
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Sam Young, Andrew Tod, Taylor Sutherland, Robbie Mahon, Max Little (GK)
Last 12 meetings against Alloa Athletic
Four Alloa wins, six Dunfermline wins with two drawn in the last twelve meetings.
04/03/23 | Dunfermline 2 Alloa Athletic 0 | League One
08/10/22 | Alloa Athletic 0 Dunfermline 3 | League One
30/07/22 | Dunfermline 1 Alloa Athletic 0 | League One
23/07/22 | Dunfermline 1 Alloa Athletic 1 | Premier Sports Cup
30/04/21 | Alloa Athletic 1 Dunfermline 0 | Championship
20/02/21 | Dunfermline 2 Alloa Athletic 1 | Championship
24/10/20 | Alloa Athletic 1 Dunfermline 4 | Championship
28/12/19 | Dunfermline 1 Alloa Athletic 3 | Championship
09/11/19 | Alloa Athletic 2 Dunfermline 1 | Championship
28/09/19 | Dunfermline 1 Alloa Athletic 1 | Championship
07/09/19 | Dunfermline 1 Alloa Athletic 2 | Tunnock’s CW Cup
09/03/19 | Alloa Athletic 0 Dunfermline 1 | Championship
Recent Form
Alloa have won six of their last ten matches but strangely they have lost their last three at home. Their other defeat was at the KDM Group East End Park at the beginning of March. Hitting four past Montrose last Saturday at Links Park serves as a warning perhaps.
Dunfermline’s win over Clyde extended their unbeaten league run to twenty three games and they have lost only once in the league away from home this season. The Pars have also won six of their last ten matches but their four failures were draws.
Last Six Matches
DUNFERMLINE
Clyde (H) W 2-1
Airdrieonians (A) D 1-1
Queen of the South (H) W 5-0
Peterhead (A) W 2-0
Falkirk (A) D 2-2
Kelty Hearts (H) D 0-0
ALLOA ATHLETIC
Montrose (A) W 4-0
Falkirk (H) L 1-4
Kelty Hearts (A) W 1-0
Queen of the South (H) L 1-2
Airdrieonians (H) L 0-1
Peterhead (A) W 2-0
League Record
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 1st
League Points: 78
Goal Difference: +40
Away League Record: P17 W12 D4 L1 GF GA
Last Six Match Form: DDWWDW
ALLOA ATHLETIC
League Position: 4th
League Points: 57
Goal Difference: +11
Home League Record: P17 W10 D2 L5 GF31 GA21
Last Six Match Form: WLLWLW
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE(v Clyde): Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Chris Hamilton (c), Ewan Otoo, Josh Edwards (Miller Fenton 80): Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Paul Allan (Lewis McCann 65), Joe Chalmers, Chris Mochrie (Kyle Macdonald 72): Paul McGowan (Nikolay Todorov 65), Craig Wighton (Robbie Mahon 72).
SUBS NOT USED: Max Little (GK).
ALLOA ATHLETIC (v Montrose): Jay Hogarth: George Stanger, Andy Graham, David Devine (Mark Durnan HT), Michael Doyle, Murray Miller (Luke Rankin 87), Stefan Scougall (Adam King 74), Luke Strachan (Cameron O`Donnell 74), Kevin Cawley, Conor Sammon, Ross MacIver (Quinn Coulson 74).
SUBS NOT USED: Luke Donnelly, Steven Buchanan, Owain Clark, Nathan Cannon
Dunfermline will have Kyle Benedictus available but Kevin O’Hara serves the second of his two match ban against his old club. Matty Todd and Rhys Breen are also out injured.
Other cinch League One fixtures
Clyde v Montrose
FC Edinburgh v Airdrieonians
Peterhead v Falkirk
Queen of the South v Kelty Hearts
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