U20s v St Johnstone

For the majority of the Pars squad this was their seventh game in two and a half weeks. That is a lot of games and they tired near the end.

MATCH PICTURES
Dunfermline faced St Johnstone in their third last match of their league season and their last before they take on Celtic in the SFA Youth Cup final.

The visitors took the lead in 20th minute when Chris KANE was at the back post to head home. Three minutes before the break St Johnstone were awarded a penalty and KANE stepped up to give keeper Sean Robertson no chance.

For the second half Darren Moffat came on for Jack Bruce who was clearly struggling with the protective mask to protect him following breaking his nose in the game against Ross County.

In 62 minutes Warren Paterson replaced Jordan Orru and although Scott Mercer had some useful runs and crosses Dunfermline were not to find the net. The result was made to look worse when Saints scored again in added time. It was KANE again completing his hat trick as he converted a Craig Thomson cross in from the left.

Coach John Potter was disappointed with the result talking after the game exclusively to the website he described how he saw the match:-

"We started the game alright but when we lost a goal we went and retreated a bit. It was a young team again and you couldn't blame them. There were a few good performances. I thought Declan O'Kane did well.

"In the second half we didn't look like scoring but it was still a good learning experience for them. The opposition team was a couple of years older than most of ours and coped with it better.

"The first goal was just us being a bit sloppy on our left with Jack Bruce and Finn Graham. Too many crosses were coming in and it was a good cross and a good goal. The second one was a penalty that I couldn't really see. The third was poor one on one defending.

"I am maybe being a bit harsh but I just think we had players out there who can do better than that. For the majority of them that was their seventh game in two and a half weeks. That is a lot of games and they tired near the end.

"They will get the weekend off before coming in to prepare for the cup final on Monday. That will be a media day for myself and Shaun Byrne. We are going to take all the players through to Hampden to see the changing rooms and the pitch to let them get used to the surroundings."

DUNFERMLINE: Sean Robertson Andy Ritchie, Lewis Martin, Jordan Orru (Warren Paterson 62), Jack Bruce (Darren Moffat HT); Declan O'Kane (c), Scott Mercer, Lewis Spence, Finn Graham; Scott Gray, Gavin Paterson
SUBS NOT USED: Stevie Howie (GK), Andrew McKenzie, Cammy McClair, James Thomas.

ST JOHNSTONE: Alexander Clark; Chris Tobin, Ross Still, Scott Gray, Greg Mitchell, Ali Gilchrist, Craig Thomson, Sean Meikle, Chris Kane, Dwayne Coultress, Scott Taylor McKenzie,
SUBS: Craig Reid (GK), Callum McConnell, Matthew McArthur, Anthony Higgins, Andrew Steeves
SCORER: Kane (20, 43, 91)

REFEREE: Gavin Thomson
WEATHER: Fine
MATCH PICTURES