Dunfermline 4 Peterhead 0

cinch League One: Chris Mochrie starts in place of Lewis McCann. Craig Wighton (17) 1-0: Matty Todd (36) 2-0: Josh Edwards (76) 3-0: Kevin O’Hara (89) 4-0:

Dunfermline welcomed Peterhead as The KDM Group’s East End Park’s first foots. It was top of the table versus bottom of the table but Dunfermline had to be wary of the opponents who managed to score twice and take a point from their visit earlier in the season.

Manager James McPake made one change from the side that travelled to Meadowbank the previous Saturday to register a 1-0 away win over closest rivals, FC Edinburgh. Chris Mochrie started in place of Lewis McCann.

Peterhead now under the managership of former Aberdeen defended David Robertson named a starting eleven that also showed one change from their previous match with 18 year old Layton Bisland on loan from Dundee United coming in for Jordan Brown.

Craig Wighton got the match underway with Dunfermline attacking the goal at the Cowdenbeath end. James McPake retained the same shape as against FC Edinburgh with Aaron Comrie continuing on the left side of a back three.

There were early crosses into the Peterhead box, one from Josh Edwards and the other from Kyle Macdonald but nothing to deploy the keepers at either end. On 12 minutes a Kieran Shanks pass was too strong for Daniel Fosu in front of goal to control.

Edwards won first corner of the afternoon in 14 minutes and from that Kyle Benedictus delivered the first shot of the game but cleared the crossbar from 20 yards out. The opening goal came three minutes later, after Comrie and Edwards involvement a simple Mochrie cross from the left picked out WIGHTON who slotted away from 15 yards out. 1-0

Midway through the half Matty Todd embarked on a forceful run that saw him in on the left side of the Peterhead box. He was challenged by Fosu and tumbled only to be, rather harshly, shown a yellow card by referee Chris Graham.

The Fifers looked very comfortable without threatening Tom Ritchie’s goal. A Macdonald pass was cleverly touched into centre of the box but a defender snuffed the chance out ahead of Mochrie. A long ball from Chalmers almost caught out the defence as Wighton tried another timely effort. Then on 36 minutes a second Dunfermline goal. Another Macdonald cross was aimed for Todd and Edwards 25 yards out and it was TODD in 36 minutes who took the chance to bulge the net. 2-0

Fisher picked out Edwards just five minutes later and from the edge of the box, he drove a shot narrowly wide left.

It has been a first half of Dunfermline dominance in terms of possession and the visitors had managed no shots and no corners.

Half Time: Dunfermline 2 Peterhead 0

The second half was only 90 seconds old when Fosu fizzed a ball from an angle on the right over Deniz Mehmet’s crossbar. Todd had a strong run up the left before sending the ball across the box and in 50th minute Todd produced a great ball to play Wighton in on goal but from the left he hit the sidenetting.

Just two minutes later Edwards showed dazzling close control to turn defenders on the box before crashing a shot on target that Ritchie turned behind. In 58 minute it really should have been 3-0. A super fast break by Mochrie up the right, was followed by an exquisite cross, Wighton left it for Todd on the edge of the box. He appeared to take time to pick his spot but to the huge disappointment of everyone that ended up being just outside the left goalpost.

Peterhead were really under the cosh as the match entered its final half hour with Edwards and Todd trying hard to create more danger. Fosu earned the visitors a 66th minute corner and from that Jack Wilkie’s effort was deflected wide for another off Macdonald.

The assault on the visitors goal then resumed with Wighton playing Edwards through into space on the left but his cut back unluckily failed to reach Mochrie in front of goal. Goal number three came in 76 minutes, appropriately and deservedly scored by Pars number 3. It came from another tantalising run from Mochrie who had really persecuted the Peterhead defence and his pass was perfect for EDWARDS. 3-0

Before the restart Dunfermline made three substitutions followed by another two three minutes later. Before his substitution Edwards had driven another shot on target that was blocked only for Macdonald to net but be disallowed and a Macdonald cross was headed on target by Kevin O’Hara with his first involvement.

Substitute Robbie Mahon fired an 89th minute shot that hit Ritchie but failed to stop it and O’HARA made sure on the line. 4-0 Kevin’s first goal of the season was confirmed with Mahon happy to give it to the striker.

The four goals and three points maintained a seven point lead over now second placed Falkirk.

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