Queen`s Park 0 Dunfermline 1

It is the ambition of all Scottish clubs to make it to Hampden Park but that usually means to the semi final and final of major cup competitions. Dunfermline`s journey there on the second Saturday in April was in search of a different kind of success. Queen`s Park were the home team as the seventh placed side hosted ninth placed Dunfermline. Victory for either side would deliver relative ease from the threat of relegation or Championship play-offs.

Neil Lennon was able to bring back Chris Kane to lead the attack. That was the only change with Ephraim Yeboah dropping to the bench which saw the return of Kane Ritchie-Hosler and David Wotherspoon. Queen`s Park Steven Maclean made three changes to his starting eleven `“ Adam Devine, Jadan Raymond, Reece Evans were out, Sean Welsh, Kyle Hurst and Will Tizzard started.

It was a bright Spring day, a pristine playing surface with the sprinklers in evidence ahead of kick off setting the stage for what was a very important football match. Both teams emerged led out by the match officials. The home side posed for a team photo before the captains met on the centre circle and the home side kicked off attacking the goal at the Celtic end of the National Stadium.

First threat came from Dunfermline after keeper Calum Ferrie had miskicked and Lewis McCann was prevented from capitalising when Ben Jackson stuck the ball behind for the third minute corner. A clever routine short from Matty Todd for Ewan Otoo to return to the corner taker cued a dangerous cross that was intercepted before it could reach the awaiting black shirts. The ball was not cleared and Otoo was able to draw the first save of the afternoon out of Ferrie.

Queen`s Park replied with three corners in the first ten minutes and Tobi Oluwayemi had to fist away twice as the defences were tested. A painful foul on McCann handed Otoo a setplay on the right just 12 yards out. Played short to Todd the cross was headed away but Louis Longridge under pressure conceded a corner. That changed nothing but a neat move by Andre Raymond leaving Hurst in his slipstream set up a cross that Ferrie had to hold. Todd pinged a chance over the bar from 20 yards out as the Fifers raised the hopes of their fans.

From a 17th minute free kick on the edge of the centre circle Oluwayemi pumped the ball into towards the Queen`s six yard box where Benedictus and Fogarty were denied. Raymond rattled a shot that Ferrie clutched. Aaron Comrie`s tenacity won him possession deep inside the Queens half. He laid the ball off to Todd who switched it left for Otoo to shoot but his well connected shot in 26th minute travelled out beyond the right upright.

It was all Dunfermline and the Spiders` faithful were audibly becoming most uncomfortable. A Comrie pass sent Todd to the right byeline and his cut back was perfect for Kane to meet 12 yards out but he crashed the ball on to the right post. When Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen was cut down in 31 minutes, Todd was able to shoot from 20 yards out. He hit the net but unfortunately the sidenetting.

Queen`s Park reminded everyone there were two sides on the pitch when Longridge`s 36th minute free kick was headed narrowly wide by the inrunning Jackson. After Hurst embarked on a crossfield run he set up Aidan McGinlay for a shot from the edge of the Pars box that the keeper held comfortably.

Stalemate at the interval after a first 45 where the visitors had many more shots than the home side. All to play for in the second half.

Half time: Queen`s Park 0 Dunfermline 0

The second half started with the Fifers continuing their attacking play and Queen`s Park playing their part well in suppressing and frustrating them. A Todd free kick narrowly evaded a Chilokoa-Mullen connection and then in 57 minutes a Kane effort was deflected wide for a corner on the left that Fogarty just about got on the end of.

A Todd pass to Raymond saw an attempted cross but that was deflected for a corner on the left. Benedictus met the cross but was unable to prevent Queen`s clearing. The ball did drop for Raymond to launch a shot from 30 yards out but Ferrie gathered easily. Play was entrenched in the home side`s half but penetrating that defence was proving to be an impossible task. An Otoo free kick was aimed at the far post but Ferrie punched clear.

Midway through the half David Wotherspoon replaced Andre Raymond but it was the Spiders` sub Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia who nearly broke the deadlock with Benedictus stepping in to prevent him converting a cross from the left. Then in 69 minutes there was a tremendous Hampden roar from the travelling support as Chris KANE smashed in a great goal. A fine pass from Clay picked out McCann, his cross from the right was parried by the keeper only to fall nicely for the Pars top goalscorer who dispatched a left footed shot into the home net. 0-1

Play halted in 76 minutes for treatment to Craig Clay and three Dunfermline substitutes were introduced. Clay, McCann and Todd came off, Chris Hamilton, Josh Cooper and Ephraim Yeboah entered the game. Queen`s as could be expected made spirited attempts to find an equaliser but Dunfermline limited the chances. In 87 minutes Josh Scott flighted a ball to the far post that Hickey-Fugaccia narrowly failed to find the net with his header.

Yeboah eased the pressure earning a free kick up at the left corner flag. The clock ran down as Victor Wanyama replaced Chris Kane in the first minute of added time. It was the former Spurs man who won the ball to tee up Wotherspoon for a ball to Hamilton that he truly melted towards goal from 25 yards out. Ferrie pulled off a great save to keep his side in the game. There was one final chance for the Spiders but thankfully the defence survived. With six minutes added the clock was run down effectively to earn the Pars the important three points.

Dunfermline move up to eighth place level on points with Queen`s Park but with a superior goal difference. Hamilton`s win over Partick Thistle meant that they sit two points above the Pars.

QUEEN`S PARK: Calum Ferrie (c): Leon King (Adam Devine 75), Ben Jackson, Will Tizzard, Adam Montgomery: Louis Longridge (Seb Drozd 75), Sean Welsh, Aidan McGinlay (Josh Scott 55): Kyle Hurst (Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia 67), Jack Turner Zak Rudden
SUBS NOT USED: Reece Evans, Ryan Duncan, Roddy McGregor, Timam Scott, Michael McGovern (GK).
YELLOW CARDS: Steven Maclean (56), Drozd (88), Montgomery (90+5)

DUNFERMLINE: Tobi Oluwayemi: Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Kyle Benedictus (c), Tommy Fogarty, Andre Raymond (David Wotherspoon 67), Aaron Comrie, Craig Clay (Chris Hamilton 78), Ewan Otoo: Matty Todd (Josh Cooper 78), Chris Kane (Victor Wanyama 90+1), Lewis McCann (Ephraim Yeboah 78)
SUBS NOT USED: Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Archie Stevens, Andrew Tod, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORER: Kane (69)
YELLOW CARDS: Raymond (42), Chilokoa-Mullen (83), Otoo (86), Cooper (88)

REFEREE: David Dickinson
ATTENDANCE: 1705
WEATHER: Fine 17°C

NEXT MATCH: (home) v Partick Thistle, Saturday 19th April 2025, 3.00pm kick off at KDM Group East End Park

TO BE UPDATED
Dunfermline: Tobi Oluwayemi: Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Kyle Benedictus (c), Tommy Fogarty, Andre Raymond (David Wotherspoon 67), Aaron Comrie, Craig Clay (Chris Hamilton 78), Ewan Otoo: Matty Todd (Josh Cooper 78), Chris Kane (Victor Wanyama 90+1), Lewis McCann (Ephraim Yeboah 78),

Dunfermline Subs:
Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Archie Stevens, Andrew Tod, Deniz Mehmet (GK),

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