Archives | Dunfermline 1 Cove Rangers 2

It was Cove Rangers first visit to KDM Group East End Park but this was a chance for Dunfermline to show in this final Premier Sports Cup match before the Championship season kicks off in seven days time, that they will be a force in the league. James McPake brought in Joe Chalmers, Craig Wighton and Michael O `˜Halloran meaning on to the subs bench went Ewan Otoo, Rhys Breen and Lewis McCann. Paul Hartley`s starting eleven showed three changes with Declan Glass and Milosz Ochmanski taking the places of Fraser Fyvie and Grady McGrath with Balint Demus replacing Nick Suman in the visitors` goal.

The visitors kicked off into bright sunshine attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end but first threat came from an O`Halloran run. Unfortunately the Pars player chose one to many to beat and was dispossessed as he approached the six yard box. Then in eight minutes David Wotherspoon played a 1-2 off Wighton on the edge of the Cove box. Wotherspoon`s shot was blocked but Kieran Ngwenya grabbed the opportunity from the rebound to fire a rocket of a shot narrowly over the Cove crossbar.

A long series of passes led to a Dunfermline corner when Comrie`s cross was deflected behind. Keeper Demus fisted away Chalmers 22nd minute inswinger from the right, Wotherspoon gathered but both his attempts to fire past Murray and Harrington were blocked. Cove weren`t exactly creating much danger but they were making a good job of preventing the home side get into shooting positions.

Sam Fisher was forced to call on the physio and unable to continue he was replaced by Rhys Breen on the half hour. O`Halloran won another corner on the right but Demus was impeded as he leapt for Chalmers cross and referee Calum Scott blew up play. At the other end Ochmanski`s cross was headed behind for a Cove corner but when that was sent in from the left Wotherspoon intercepted.

Demus failed to hold a Kane Ritchie-Hosler cross from the left but the defence scrambled that away. It was the final minute of the half before Demus was called upon to make a save. that came when Comrie`s ball in from the right was met by O`Halloran but his header was held by the 22 year old keeper. Wighton almost broke the deadlock in time added on but again Ballint kept the Fifers out.

Half Time: Dunfermline 0 Cove Rangers 0

Within two minutes of the restart O`Halloran was cut down as he made another run towards goal and Chalmers took responsibility for the free kick 25 yards out on the right side. Unfortunately the ball was taken by Demus before any attacker could get on to it. Next Wighton had a shot from close in but the keeper blocked.

Ritchie-Hosler was taken down to present the Pars with another chance from a setpiece 27 yards out in a central position. Taken quickly to O`Halloran his shot from the right side of the Cove box was again stopped by the keeper. A 56th minute Cove corner was successfully defended but there less luck with the free kick two minutes later. Declan Glass` tested Mehmet but the ball then dropped for Michael DOYLE to drill the through a number of players into the Pars net. 0-1

There was a triple substitution in response, Joe Chalmers, Michael O`Halloran and Craig Wighton making way for the introduction of Ewan Otoo, Taylor Sutherland and Lewis McCann. Cove defended even deeper as Dunfermline continued to seek a route through them. It was Mehmet however who made the next save holding a snapshot from Cove skipper Arron Darge.

In 73 minutes Hamilton intercepted a pass in the centre circle, advanced and slipped the ball right for McCann to shoot on target by Demus blocked. Next Breen clipped the ball into the left side of the Cove box but Demus prevented Sutherland`s finish. The Cove keeper held a Tod header after Ngwenya`s delivery had picked him out at the far post.

A Cove corner took the pressure off them but Mehmet held the cross and play continued towards the opposition goal. Tod was able to latch on to a chested down ball but belted his attempt over the bar. The clock was running away from Dunfermline as Cove made a substitution eight minutes from the end. Murray scooped away a Sutherland`s effort and Demus held a Ngwenya cross albeit at his second attempt.

With all the emphasis on attack Dunfermline were then caught on the counter with Myles GAFFNEY stretching away from his defender to crash the ball into the Pars net from the edge of the box. The 84th minute goal making it 0-2.

Four minutes later there was renewed hope when SUTHERLAND turned and dispatched a low shot into the bottom left, 1-2. Demus held a dangerous Ritchie-Hosler ball in from the right, Hamilton had his penalty appeal dismissed but there would be no more goals.

DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Sam Fisher (Rhys Breen 30), Kyle Benedictus (c), Kieran Ngwenya: Chris Hamilton: Kane Ritchie-Hosler, David Wotherspoon (Andrew Tod 65), Joe Chalmers (Ewan Otoo 61), Michael O`Halloran (Lewis McCann 61), Craig Wighton (Taylor Sutherland 61).
SUBS NOT USED: Sam Young, Liam Hoggan, Ewan McLeod
SCORR: Sutherland (88)

COVE RANGERS: Balint Demus: Finlay Murray, Connor Scully, William Gillingham, Michael Doyle: Ryan Harrington (Luke Strachan 67), Blair Yule (Mark Gallagher 82), Declan Glass, Milosz Ochmanski, Arron Darge (c), Myles Gaffney
SUBS NOT USED: Cole Donaldson, Mikey Milnes, Nick Suman (GK)
SCORERS: Doyle (58), Gaffney (84)
YELLOW CARD: Glass (54)

REFEREE: Calum Scott
ATTENDANCE: 1010
WEATHER: Cloudy 16°C

NEXT MATCH: (away) v Livingston, Saturday 3rd August 2024, kick off 3.00pm at the Set Fare Stadium.

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