Dunfermline 0 Kilmarnock 2
Saturday, 22nd Jul 2023Viaplay Cup Group F: Chris Hamilton and Andrew Tod start in place of Rhys Breen and Matty Todd. Fraser Murray (5) 0-1: Kyle Vassell (82) 0-2:
Dunfermline’s third match in the Viaplay Cup was against the group’s top seeds, Premiership side Kilmarnock. It was a match that would probably determine both teams’ chances of qualification.
James McPake was without Matty Todd, out after injuring his ankle in Tuesday night’s match against Annan Athletic. Seventeen year old Andrew Tod came in for Matty and Chris Hamilton returned having served a two match suspension meaning Rhys Breen found himself on the bench.
The visiting manager Derek McInnes was forced into making a change to his starting eleven as defender Jack Sanders served a suspension. He brought in their new signing Lewis Mayo and Liam Polworth dropped to the bench to accommodate Stuart Findlay. There were four players in the Kilmarnock side that had played at Dunfermline - as well as Mayo there was Fraser Murray, Daniel Armstrong and Kerr McInroy who had played in the black and white.
The visitors kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end and after a tentative start from both sides a run in from the left by Corrie Ndaba created the opening goal. It was only the fifth minute but the full back cut back for MURRAY to convert from close in. 0-1
There was another scare soon after when from the right Armstrong flashed the ball through the six yard box and out beyond the far post. A 14th minute free kick 30 yards out gave Dunfermline their first opportunity to exert any pressure on the Kilmarnock defence. Joe Chalmers left the ball for Andrew Tod to play it to Ewan Otoo but his clip into the box was cleared. Lewis McCann won the header when the ball was returned but the defence mopped up.
Killie packed the Pars six yard box for their 20th minute corner, there were sixteen players in it when Armstrong swung the ball over from the right but it went behind. Tod popped a speculative shot from 35 yards that keeper Will Dennis took comfortably. Kilmarnock were enjoying more of the play and restricting Dunfermline’s sorties up the park. Corners came consistently their way. In 27 minutes Sam Fisher prodded the ball behind to deny Kennedy a cross but thankfully Kyle Benedictus in a clearance.
Dunfermline then forced two corners in 29th minute, both were taken by Chalmers and when the second was defended out as far as Josh Edwards he chipped the ball back into the Killie box where Hamilton tried a looping header than dropped narrowly over the crossbar.
There was much disquiet when the match officials awarded Kilmarnock a corner on the right. Every Pars fan believed the decision should have gone the other way and when the corner was defended McCann was able to break away up the right. That was until when in full flight mode he was scythed down by Murray. A yellow card was shown to the offender and Hamilton collected the same for his protests to referee Euan Anderson.
Dunfermline came extremely close to an equaliser five minutes from the interval. Edwards was able to advance into the Killie box and flight a cross to the far post. Aaron Comrie dived in and somehow managed to head on to the crossbar and over the top.
There was one final chance in time added on when McCann played Otoo up the left and his cut back was struck on target by Tod but his effort was blocked. Dunfermline finished the half strongest possibly both on and off the field fired up by the yellow cards incident.
Half time: Dunfermline 0 Kilmarnock 1
Both managers withdrew their already yellow carded players before the restart. Paul Allan replaced Chris Hamilton and Kyle Magennis. The Pars had another great chance eight minutes into the second half when McCann from the left side picked out Tod in front of goal. The youngster spun and shot but his effort was deflected right where Comrie arrived but could only hit the sidenetting.
Lewis then showed tremendous speed to zip the ball around Mayo and collect on the left byeline but the Killie defender recovered to steal the ball. A 58th minute Kilmarnock corner from the boot of Kennedy was headed over by captain Brad Lyons before at the other end Dennis pulled off the save of the match to keep out Tod. Wighton played the Pars youngster into the Killie box and his right footed shot was heading for the bottom right before the keeper at full stretch parried the 63rd minute effort away.
The visitors made a triple substitution as the match entered its final quarter but still the Fifers pressed. Otoo made a surging run and tried a one two off Tod but the final ball was cut out. Dunfermline were putting in every effort to claw back a goal but got stung in the 82nd minute by sub Kyle VASSELL who accepted a pass to the left side of the Dunfermline box and from 12 yards smacked the ball home for 2-0.
Taylor Sutherland and then Rhys Breen were introduced and the home side forced a corner. McCann sent in a dangerous cross from the right and Breen drove a shot at the keeper from 30 yards. Killie hadn’t got it all their own way but their second goal had sealed the Fifers fate, it was the first home defeat since May 2022.
SUBS NOT USED: Miller Fenton, Liam Hoggan, Max Little (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Hamilton (38), McCann (78)
KILMARNOCK: Will Dennis: Lewis Mayo, Robbie Deas, Stuart Findlay, Corrie Ndaba: Daniel Armstrong (Marley Watkins 66), Matthew Kennedy, David Watson, Brad Lyons (Liam Polworth 67): Innes Cameron (Kyle Vassell 66), Fraser Murray (Kyle Magennis HT)
SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Quigg, Steven Warnock, Bobby Wales, Kerr McInroy, Aaron Brown, Kieran O`Hara (GK).
SCORERS: Murray (5), Vassell (82)
YELLOW CARD: Murray (38), Deas (78)
REFEREE: Euan Anderson
WEATHER: Overcast 16°C
ATTENDANCE 2784
NEXT MATCH: Viaplay Cup Group F (away) v Albion Rovers, Tuesday 25th July 2023, kick off 7.45pm at the Reigart Stadium, Coatbridge ML5 3RB
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Match Photos To Follow.
Preview Kilmarnock
Saturday, 22nd Jul 2023Viaplay Cup (home) v Kilmarnock, Saturday 22nd July 2023, kick off 3.00pm at The KDM Group East End Park
Next up in the Viaplay Cup is another home match at home to Premiership, Kilmarnock. These teams last met in the League Cup in October 2020 when the closed doors match at Rugby Park was a 3-0 victory for the Fifers with Fraser Murray bagging a pair. In October 2005 the Pars won an exciting match 4-3 in what was the only other meeting in this competition since season 1980-1981. In the 24 League Cup ties Dunfermline have won 9, Kilmarnock 10 and 5 have been drawn.
Milestones (home) v Kilmarnock
Last League Victory | 09/09/06 | 3-2 | SPL
Last League Defeat | 12/05/12 | 1-2 | SPL
Best League Victory | 06/10/51 | 5-2 | Div 2*
Worst League Defeat | 17/04/99 | 0-6 | SPL
Last Goalless Draw | 26/02/22 | 0-0 | Championship
First Meeting | 03/01/27 | 2-3 | Div 1*
*Pre league reconstruction
Last Time at East End Park
Championship, Saturday 26th February 2022
Dunfermline 0 Kilmarnock 0
It was disappointing to take just one point from this match. Dunfermline had the best chance of the game when Efe Ambrose, on his home debut, hit the crossbar in the second half.
DUNFERMLINE: Jakub Stolarczyk: Matty Todd, Coll Donaldson, Efe Ambrose, Josh Edwards: Dan Pybus, Joe Chalmers: Steven Lawless, Graham Dorrans (c) (Dom Thomas 70), Ryan Dow: Lewis McCann (Kevin O’Hara 58).
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Rhys Breen, Paul Allan, Reece Cole, Miller Fenton, Owain Fôn Williams (GK)
KILMARNOCK: Zach Hemming: Jack Sanders (Jason Naismith HT), Chris Stokes (c), Euan Murray, Calum Waters: Stephen McGinn (Dylan Tait 68): Chris Burke (Daniel MacKay 68), Blair Alston (Declan Glass 76), Rory McKenzie, Fraser Murray: Kyle Lafferty (Oli Shaw 87).
SUBS NOT USED: Charlie McArthur, Dean Campbell, Dan Armstrong, Sam Walker (GK)
Last Twelve Matches v Kilmarnock
Date . .H/A F-A . . Scorers
09/04/22 A 0-2 [0-1] Lafferty, [0-2] Shaw
26/02/22 H 0-0
12/02/22 A 1-2 [1-0] Lawless, [1-1] Lafferty, [1-2] Lafferty
16/10/21 H 2-2 [0-1] Hendry, [1-1] Thomas, [1-2] Shaw, [2-2] Comrie
13/10/20 [1-0] E Murray, [2-0] F Murray, [3-0] F Murray
12/05/12 H 1-2 [1-0] Willis, [1-1] Kelly, [1-2] Winchester
07/02/12 H 1-1 [0-1] Fowler, [1-1] Kirk
21/01/12 A 3-0 [1-0] Barrowman, [2-0] Cardle, [3-0] Buchanan
10/09/11 A 2-3 [1-0] J Thomson, [1-1] Heffernan, [1-2] Heffernan, [2-2] R Thomson, [2-3] Kroca
17/02/07 H 1-1 [0-1] Naismith, [1-1] Crawford
02/12/06 A 1-5 [0-1] Hay, [1-1] Crawford, [1-2] Di Giacomo, [1-3] Di Giacomo, [1-4] Nish, [1-5] Nish
09/09/06 H 3-2 [0-1] Invincible, [1-1] Young, [1-2] Wales, [2-2] Mason, [3-2] Crawford
League Record
DUNFERMLINE
League One Position: 1st
League Points: 81
Goal Difference: +42
League Record: P36 W23 D12 L1 GF63 GA21
Last Six Competitive Match Form: WWDWWD
KILMARNOCK
Premiership Position: 10th
League Points: 40
Goal Difference: -25
League Record: P38 W11 D7 L20 GF37 GA52
Last Six Competitive Match Form: LWLWWW
Last Six Results
DUNFERMLINE
Annan Athletic (H)
Raith Rovers (A) D 1p-1
Alloa Athletic (A) W 1-0
Hearts (H) D 1-1
St Johnstone (H) D 1-1
Cove Rangers (A) D 1-1
KILMARNOCK
Annan Athletic (H) W 3-0
Linfield (A) L 0-1
Glentoran (A) L 0-1
Ross County (H) W 3-1
Dundee United (A) W 3-0
St Johnstone (H) L 0-1
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE (v Annan Athletic): Deniz Mehmet: Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus (c), Rhys Breen: Aaron Comrie (Liam Hoggan 72), Ewan Otoo, Joe Chalmers (Paul Allan 57), Josh Edwards (Miller Fenton 72): Matty Todd (Andrew Tod 28), Craig Wighton, Lewis McCann (Taylor Sutherland 72).
SUBS NOT USED: Max Little (GK)
KILMARNOCK (v Annan Athletic): Will Dennis: Corrie Ndaba, Jack Sanders, Robbie Deas (Stuart Findlay 63), Liam Polworth (Kyle Magennis 63), Daniel Armstrong, Matthew Kennedy (Rory McKenzie 79), David Watson, Brad Lyons, Innes Cameron, Fraser Murray
SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Quigg, Steven Warnock, Bobby Wales, Aaron Brown, Kieran O`Hara, Kerr McInroy.
Referee will be Euan Anderson.
Other Group F fixture
Annan Athletic v Albion Rovers
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