Dunfermline 4 Forfar Athletic 0

Scottish 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.

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