Friday Night Friendly

Rosyth v Dun

MATCH PICTURES
The U20s came through a tough final pre season friendly against East Central League juniors, Rosyth on Friday night. It was a great work out for John Potter's team ahead of Tuesday night's opening SPL League fixture at home to Kilmarnock.

Dunfermline dominated the first half with Shaun Byrne bossing play in the centre of midfield. It was his ball in eighth minute that almost sent Blair Henderson through on goal and when the ball was defended out to the right, Ross Millen delivered a great return ball that Andy RITCHIE put away from the edge of the six yard box.

In 17 minutes a neat switch from Smith to Henderson allowed the captain to shoot narrowly outside the right goalpost. Four minutes later a mishit by Grant Munro let Rosyth in for a shot on target but diving to his left Ryan Goodfellow made a good save. At the midway stage of the first period Byrne displayed phenomenal skills to beat three men in the centre of the park before the fourth cut him down. Undetered he continued to seek possession in every movement.

It was a penetrating Declan O'Kane ball through that Henderson slipped to Scott GRAY in 28 minutes and the youngster gave the keeper no chance from the pacy shot.  Gray had another chance in the very next play but this time the ball was sent narrowly wide to the right of goal.

The home side had weathered a storm and forced Goodfellow to fist away a Rosyth attempt.  Andy Ritchie was taken out on the edge of the box and the free kick created more problems for Rosyth. Millen prodded the ball into the opposition box on the left and Ross Drummond sent a cross to the back post that Henderson headed downwards only to see a goal line clearance.

Just a minute from the interval Rosyth were awarded a free kick, 20 yards out to the left of goal. Skipper Ian GRIFFIN curled a low shot around the right side of the five man Pars defensive wall and sneaked the ball past Goodfellow at his left hand post.

Half Time: Rosyth 1 Dunfermline 2

Four minutes into the second half Byrne received the ball from a throw in on half way, threaded the ball through to O'Kane and he put Henderson in for a shot on target but Chris Hughes dived in to thwart the attempt. Just five minutes later a corner sent in from the left by half time sub Chris Hackland was glanced by Henerson but there was a defender on the right post who cleared again.

Rosyth began to get a better handle on the match.  Tam Graham headed narrowly wide in 64 minutes and the Pars switched to 4-4-2 to try and stop Rosyth winning the midfield.

Young headed two efforts at the keeper, Rosyth's Tam Hampson sent a chance wide left and in added time an even better chance was passed over when Pars sub got wide left to send the ball across the face of goal but none of the attacking force could get the vital touch.

This was last year's U19s with the addition of Declan O'Kane and Scott Gray coming up from the U17s.  They look a good unit and we will soon find out how good as the league season starts.

ROSYTH: Joe Houston (Bryan Kenny HT); Stevie Livingstone (Scott Logan 78), Andy Lawson, Gary Pearson (Andy Traub 66), Chris Hughes (Craig Mackay 66), Craig Bateson, Craig Paterson, Ian Griffin (c), Alan McDonough (Tam Hampson 83), Tam Graham, Tam Hampson (Dean Ogg 79)
SCORER:  Griffin (44)

DUNFERMLINE: Ryan Goodfellow (Steven Mayne HT); Ross Millen (Jordan Brown HT), Kerr Young, Grant Munro, Ross Drummond (Scott Mercer 76); Andy Ritchie (Jack Bruce 69), Shaun Byrne, Declan O'Kane (Fraser Moncrieff 61); Scott Gray (Chris Hackland HT), Blair Henderson, Allan Smith (Finn Graham 61)
SUB NOT USED: Lewis Martin
SCORERS: Ritchie (8), Gray (28)

WEATHER: Dry, Overcast 20C
ATTENDANCE: 354
MATCH PICTURES

NEXT MATCH: SPL U20 League (home) v Kilmarnock
Tuesday 7th August 2012, kick off 7.00pm at East End Park

U20s SPL League Fixtures