Dundee United 3 Dunfermline 0
Saturday, 9th Sep 2023SPFL Trust Trophy Third Round: Six changes for Pars. Louis Moult (18) 1-0: Aaron Comrie (og 34) 2-0: Declan Glass (37) 3-0:
Dunfermline returned to Tannadice four weeks after visiting on league business. On this occasion it was the Third Round of the SPFL Trust Trophy that resulted in the journey back to the City of Discovery.
With no fewer than nine players out from the previous Saturday team selection was going to be interesting. Kyle Benedictus, Rhys Breen and Kane Ritchie-Hosler had joined Craig Wighton, Matty Todd and Deniz Mehmet on the injured list and with Harrison Sharp cup tied, Sam Fisher suspended and Ben Summers absent on international duty with Scotland U21s. So the five changes to the starting eleven were Max Little, Miller Fenton, Paul Allan, Andrew Tod and Taylor Sutherland.
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin made three changes from the team that won 3-0 away to Ayr United. Into the home side came Ross Graham, Jordan Tillson and Kai Fotheringham.
It was a warm afternoon in Dundee but the sun was hidden by cloud as Dunfermline kicked off defending the goal in front of their own supporters. It was United however who had the first attempt at goal, debutant Tillson, on loan from Ross County, bending a shot from 25 yards out wide right.
Kai Fotheringham launched a ninth minute shot over Max Little’s crossbar and despite Dunfermline linking some nice passes together, United enjoyed the bulk of the possession. It was a Fotheringham cross that led to the opening goal, his cross into the six yard box being met by the head of Louis MOULT. 1-0
With United pushing forward Tod won possession on the halfway line and he sent Sutherland speeding in towards goal but three United players tracked him, he was still able to cut back to Michael O’Halloran who thumped an on target shot that felled Scott McMann. The match was halted for a water break in 25th minute.
Ewan Otoo drove forward in 29 minutes and played the ball off Tod for Sutherland to shoot from 20 yards. The effort was deflected out left for the Pats first corner of the day but United defended that. Fotheringham was next set up for another shot from the right, he hit it with power but beyond the far post.
The United no.18 was instrumental in creating the second United goal. His cross Aaron Comrie in a difficult position in front of goal and in his efforts to clear and avoid an opponent getting to the ball, turned the ball into his own net. 2-0
2-0 became 3-0 when Declan Glass carved a route into the Pars box and dispatched an unstoppable shot into the roof of the Fifers’ net.
Dunfermline tried hard to reduce the deficit before half time. O’Halloran twice made the right side of the United penalty box only to see his crosses cut out but a Comrie cross in 45th minute found Miller Fenton and his header back across goal was kept out by the right goalpost and Tod’s follow up sent the ball agonisingly wide. Moffat had the final attempt of the half, his net bound shot deflected out for a corner on the right that the Tangerines successfully kept out.
Half time: Dundee United 3 Dunfermline 0
United had an excellent chance just two minutes into the second half. Again it came from a Fotheringham cross and Tillman, under pressure from defenders, could not keep his effort on target.
A double substitution was made by James McPake in 53rd minute with Josh Edwards and Lewis McCann replacing Miller Fenton and Taylor Sutherland. Dunfermline had two shots in 60th minute. Comrie sent a left footed effort over the bar from the edge of the box and next Moffat fired a low shot narrowly outside the left post. Unfortunately that was the Blackpool loanee’s last involvement. Despite the physios attentions he could not continue and that heralded a debut for 17 year old Ewan McLeod.
Dundee United followed suit bringing on Owen Stirton for his debut along with Mathew Cudjoe. Glenn Middleton and Louis Moult left the field.
Lewis McCann raised the hopes of the 423 Pars fans bursting into the opposition box to fire a low shot that unluckily went narrowly wide right. Next the other Pars sub McLeod cleverly switched play to send Edwards on on the left, his cross travelled right through the six yard box without any takers.
Two Dunfermline corners were defended in 73 minutes and another two minutes later. United seemed content with their lead and they were allowing the visitors to play higher up the park. Otoo popped a shot nine minutes from the end that was too high and in 83 minutes a fine cross from Edwards found McCann nicely placed in front of goal but he just couldn’t convert the opportunity.
McLeod had a decent shot that just cleared the bar and from the right McCann sent the ball through the box. There was to be no way through to the United goal and it is Jim Goodwin’s men who are in Thursday’s Fourth Round draw.
SUBS NOT USED: Kieran Freeman, Kevin Holt, Ollie Denham, Bryan Mwangi, Ruairidh Adams (GK)
SCORERS: Moult (18), Comrie (og 34), Glass (37)
YELLOW CARD: Tillson (88)
DUNFERMLINE: Max Little: Aaron Comrie, Chris Hamilton (c), Ewan Otoo: Michael O’Halloran, Paul Allan, Andrew Tod, Joe Chalmers, Miller Fenton (Josh Edwards 53): Taylor Sutherland (Lewis McCann 53), Owen Moffat (Ewan McLeod 62).
SUBS NOT USED: Jake Sutherland, Liam Hoggan, Andy Collier (GK)
REFEREE: Craig Napier
WEATHER: Mainly Sunny 24°C
ATTENDANCE 2408
NEXT MATCH: cinch Championship (away) v Queen’s Park, Saturday 16th September 2023, kick off 3.00pm at Hampden Park
Views : 647
Match Photos To Follow.
Preview Dundee United
Saturday, 9th Sep 2023SPFL Trust Trophy Third Round (away) v Dundee United, Saturday 9th September 2023, kick off 3.00pm at Tannadice Park
Just three games back Dundee United and Dunfermline met at Tannadice Park. It ended all square with the home side grabbing victory away from the Pars when Matty Cudjoe netted an equaliser in the fifth minute of added time. The sides meet again this Saturday in the SPFL Trust Trophy with the prize a place in the last sixteen of the competition.
The only time the sides have met in the Challenge Cup was in November 2016 when United won 1-0 at East End Park.
In the 167 league and cup meetings Dunfermline have 55 wins, United 70 with 42 matches drawn.
Milestones Dundee United (away)
Last Victory:
04/08/18: 3-2: Championship
Last Defeat:
26/10/19: 0-2: Championship
Best League Victories:
29/01/66: 4-0: Div 1*
22/08/62: 4-0: Div 1*
28/02/48: 4-0: Div B*
Worst League Defeat
: 29/04/61: 0-5: Div 1*
*Pre league reconstruction
Last Meeting at Tannadice
Saturday 12th August 2023, Championship
Dundee United 1 Dunfermline 1
The opener came in 61 minutes and up until ten seconds from the end it looked as though it was going to be the winner. Craig WIGHTON was able to rise to meet an Edwards delivery, his header from 12 yards out floating into the far side of the United net. Cue a great celebration in front of the Pars fans. 0-1
It looked like the Fifers had pulled off what would have been just their second win at Tannadice since 2011 but in fifth minute of time added on the Tangerine Terrors found the equaliser. They mounted a final push and when the ball came in from the left CUDJOE was able to smash a left footed shot from 25 yard into the right side of the Pars net. 1-1
A really disappointing end for the 896 Pars fans and all the players, it would felt like a defeat.
DUNDEE UNITED: Jack Walton; Kieran Freeman (Archie Meekison 32), Declan Gallagher, Kevin Holt, Scott McMann; Craig Sibbald, Liam Grimshaw: Mathew Cudjoe, Tony Watt (c) (Declan Glass 75), Glenn Middleton (Kai Fotheringham 70), Louis Moult
SUBS NOT USED: Ross Graham, Logan Chalmers, Rory MacLeod, Ollie Denham, Flynn Duffy, Jack Newman (GK)
DUNFERMLINE: Harrison Sharp: Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus, Ewan Otoo: Chris Hamilton: Aaron Comrie, Paul Allan (Andrew Tod 57), Joe Chalmers, Josh Edwards: Craig Wighton, Michael O’Halloran (Ben Summers 57)
SUBS NOT USED: Miller Fenton, Taylor Sutherland, Max Little (GK)
The last dozen league games between the two sides have seen United win six, Pars two with four games ending up all square.
Last Twelve Matches v Dundee United
Date | H/A | F-A | WDL | Competition
12/08/23 | A | 1-1 | D | Championship
29/02/20 | H | 2-0 | W | Championship
26/10/19 | A | 0-2 | L | Championship
24/08/19 | H | 0-2 | L | Championship
26/03/19 | H | 0-1 | L | Championship
12/01/19 | A | 0-1 | L | Championship
27/10/18 | H | 0-2 | L | Championship
04/08/18 | A | 3-2 | W | Championship
05/05/18 | A | 1-2 | L | Premiership Play off
01/05/18 | H | 0-0 | D | Premiership Play off
24/03/18 | A | 1-1 | D | Championship
13/01/18 | H | 0-0 | D | Championship
Recent Form
League Record
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 7th
League Points: 5
Goal Difference: 0
League Record: P4 W1 D2 L1 GF4 GA4
Last Six Match Form: LWWDLD
DUNDEE UNITED
League Position: 1st
League Points: 10
Goal Difference: +9
League Record: P4 W3 D1 L0 GF10 GA1
Last Six Match Form: WWWDWW
Last Six Results
DUNFERMLINE
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) D 1-1
Raith Rovers (H) L 0-1
Dundee United (A) D 1-1
Airdrieonians (H) W 2-1
Albion Rovers (A) W 3-0
Kilmarnock (H) L 0-2
DUNDEE UNITED
Airdrieonians (H) W 2-0
Ayr United (A) W 3-0
Dunfermline (H) D 1-1
Arbroath (A) W 4-0
Carlisle (A) W 2-0
Falkirk (A) W 1-0
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE (v Inverness Caley Thistle): Harrison Sharp: Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus (Paul Allan 70), Ewan Otoo: Chris Hamilton: Aaron Comrie (Kane Ritchie-Hosler 60), Ben Summers ( Andrew Tod 84), Joe Chalmers, Josh Edwards: Michael O’Halloran (Owen Moffat 60), Lewis McCann
SUBS NOT USED: Rhys Breen, Miller Fenton, Taylor Sutherland, Max Little (GK)
DUNDEE UNITED (v Airdrieonians): Jack Walton; Kieran Freeman, Declan Gallagher, Kevin Holt, Scott McMann; Liam Grimshaw: Mathew Cudjoe (Archie Meekison 62), Tony Watt (c) (Kai Fotheringham 62), Declan Glass (Scott Constable 89), Glenn Middleton, Louis Moult
SUBS NOT USED: Ross Graham, Rory MacLeod, Ollie Denham, Flynn Duffy, B Mwangi, Jack Newman (GK)
Other SPFL Trust Trophy fixtures
Coleraine v Hamilton Academical
Raith Rovers v Cliftonville
Bala Town v Queens Park
Hibernian B v The New Saints
Edinburgh City v East Kilbride
Annan Athletic v Peterhead
Cove Rangers v Montrose
East Fife v Albion Rovers
Rangers B v Alloa Athletic
Dumbarton v Kelty Hearts
University of Stirling v Airdrieonians
Greenock Morton v Elgin City
Arbroath v Inverness Caley Thistle
Partick Thistle v Queen of the South
Ayr United v Falkirk
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