No Fear for a Replay

Fans could be forgiven for thinking that, for all the Pars played well, their best chance of making it to the semi final of this year's Scottish Cup might have gone.

Fans could be forgiven for thinking that, for all the Pars played well, their best chance of making it to the semi final of this year's Scottish Cup might have gone.  After all, Aberdeen is the SPL team and will be on their home soil where they have a good record for the replay.  But perhaps it's not as simple as that. 

Saturday's match day programme "The Game" revealed the results of research, and here are ten good reasons why Dunfermline should have no fears going into the replay.  These ties all have one thing in common - Dunfermline won the replay away from East End Park after drawing the first match. So in reverse order?

10^th: First Round v Clyde 1976/77(1-1, 3-0)

The match at East End Park petered out to a goalless draw, leaving everyone thinking Clyde would take the replay which was due to be played at Shawfield just four days before Christmas.  However, playing their best football of the season, Dunfermline defeated Clyde 3-0 with goals from Walter Borthwick, Roddy Georgeson and Kenny Watson.

9^th: First Round v St Johnstone 1959/60 (1-1, 4-1)

St Johnstone had been the better side in the first match played in a snowstorm at East EndPark.  In the replay at Muirton Park, Dunfermline played much better but Saints got an important opener just before half time.In the second half, Dunfermline came storming back to score four times through Dickson, Smith, Miller and Benvie.

8^th: Third Round v Ayr United 1987/88 (1-1, 2-0)

Dunfermline were struggling in their first season in the Premier Division and were quite fortunate to even draw the first match at East End Park against their lower league opponents.  At the time Ayr were top of the Second Division and a huge crowd of 11,712 turned up to Somerset Park. The upset, however, never arrived, and the Pars went through with a polished performance and goals from Ross Jack and Trevor Smith from the penalty spot.

7^th: Second Round v Third Lanark 1964/65 (1-1, 2-2, 4-2)

Dunfermline's chaotic fixture list almost led to their Cup exit but the famous Pars cup-fighting spirit saw them through a tough sequence of matches - the first, and only time that Dunfermline have required to play a second replay in the Cup.  In the first game, Dunfermline were one up through Alex Ferguson but keeper Jim Herriot was sent off and Thirds equalised from the penalty spot.  The replay at East End Park four days later was also a draw, even after extra time. The 2-2 result meant that it had to be played again on neutral territory so Tynecastle was picked.  Despite being behind twice, the Pars fought through to win 4-2.  Then, as it was in those days, they played Athletico Bilbao in European competition just two days later!

6^th: Semi Final v Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2003/04 (1-1, 3-2)

Darren Young's opening Pars goal

Dunfermline were relieved to be paired with First Division leaders Inverness, but this game was far from easy for the Pars.  Caley took the lead only for Craig Brewster to equalise and send the game to a replay which, for reasons only known to those in charge, was played at Pittodrie, more than 100 miles from either club!  Despite the small crowd, it was a cracking game with Caley again taking the lead.  Goals for Darren Young and Brewster saw the Pars take the lead but it was Barry Nicholson's superb 79th minute solo effort that sealed a memorable win.

5^th: Fourth Round v Hibernian, 2002/03 (1-1, 2-0)

In 2003, Hibs and Dunfermline were both fighting it out to get into the top six so when the teams drew their fourth round tie 1-1 at East End Park, the Hibees were made strong favourites - not least because Dunfermline had scarcely won a game there ever, and certainly none before in a Scottish Cup tie.  But Jimmy Calderwood's team had been growing in confidence and second half goals from Stevie Crawford and Scott Wilson did the trick.

4^th:Semi Final v St Johnstone 1967/68 (1-1, 2-1)

Dunfermline were strong favourites to win this one but St Johnstone were on the up and had a group of talented players who would prove more than a match for Dunfermline.  Saints took an early lead and dominated a game that the Pars were fortunate to get back into courtesy of Pat Gardner's fortunate equaliser.  The replay was more of the same with the Saints midfield, led by Alex MacDonald, dominating.It was he who scored the opener, only for Bert Paton to equalise seven minutes later.Deep into injury time, Ian Lister got the winner that put the Pars through to their third final in seven years.

3^rd: Semi Final v St Mirren 1960/61 (0-0, 1-0)

Another semi final replay but this time the Pars were the underdogs.It didn't matter because Jock Stein's men took the game to their more experienced opponents and despite playing with ten men for virtually the whole of the second half, kept their goal intact to fight another day.  In the replay Dunfermline again were the better side and were rewarded with a trip to their first ever Final after a Stewart own goal sealed the win.

2^nd: Semi Final v Hibernian 2006/07 (0-0, 1-0)

Dunfermline's Cup form was infinitely better than the stuff they were producing in the league.  Although wins against Rangers and Hearts had given them a deserved semi final place, Hibs were still strong favourites.As it turned out Hibs had the majority of possession, Dunfermline had plenty of chances too.  Most pundits, however, felt that Dunfermline had had their chance and Hibs would finish it off in the replay.  No so. In a game that could have gone either way, the decisive moment came in the 87th minute when Chris Hogg brought down Pars on-loan Liverpudlian Adam Hammill inside the box.  Jim McIntyre took the famous spot kick and the Pars had reached their fifth final.

1^st: Final v Celtic 1960/61 (0-0, 2-0)

Undoubtedly the greatest replay victory in Dunfermline Athletic's history. The Pars had surprised everybody by reaching their first Final but they were not expected to be a match for Celtic.  Dunfermline put up a magnificent defence in the first game to keep Celtic at bay, then in the replay went one better.Under the cosh from the start, Eddie Connachan was in inspired mood in Dunfermline's goal.  Davie Thomson scored the opener in 67 minutes and Charlie Dickson fittingly clinched the Cup with just two minutes to go.

So there you have it - ten brilliant occasions when Dunfermline sealed a Cup win in a replay away from East EndPark.  There have been others, and of course there have also been times when Dunfermline has been at the wrong end of Cup replay results.  But we can take heart from these heroes of the past and go to Aberdeen thinking that a positive result is very possible.

Let's hope the Pars fans can witness success again at Pittodrie