Archives | Livingston 2 Dunfermline 0

Match Day One in the William Hill Championship and Dunfermline travelled to Livingston to face David Martindale`s Livingston team. The sides met just two Saturday`s back in the Premier Sports Cup and the Fifers hoped to revenge that 1-0 defeat by kicking off their league season with three points.

Dunfermline`s league campaign began with just four survivors starting who finished on the pitch at the end of previous season at Ayr `“ Sam Fisher, Chris Hamilton, Kane Ritchie-Hosler and Taylor Sutherland. From the team last time out against Cove Rangers James McPake brought in Taylor Sutherland, Lewis McCann and Ewan Otoo. That meant Craig Wighton, Michael O`˜ Halloran and Joe Chalmers dropped to the bench. Livingston made three changes from the eleven that faced Dunfermline two weeks prior, Olly Green, Cristian Montaño and Robbie Muirhead being replaced by Dan Finlayson and two 35 year olds Andrew Shinnie and 6`4` Michael Nottingham.

Both teams received a warm welcome on to a sunny pitch before they changed ends and the hosts kicked off attacking the goal at the shopping centre end. Dunfermline forced the first corner of the match but David Wotherspoon`s delivery from the left in third minute went unmet and out beyond the far post.

The home side`s first serious threat came in seven minutes when from the right Liam Sole found Scott Pittman 20 yards out and he switched it on for Shinnie to execute the shot from the left side of the Pars box that fortunately cleared Deniz Mehmet`s crossbar. Dunfermline responded with Hamilton finding Ritchie-Hosler on the right and McCann diverted his ball in only for keeper Shamal George to block and the ball was then turned just wide right of goal. The Fifers continued to push with pace and even though it was only fifteen minutes into the half, you could sense the home fans growing concerns.

A neat flick on a Comrie clearance by McCann sent Sutherland down the left channel in 18 minutes but Livi skipper Jamie Brandon made a telling job of winning possession back. Livi lived dangerously as Ritchie-Hosler caused mayhem deep down the right. Then when Brandon was shown a yellow card when he cut down Hamilton, McCann crashed a 25 yard free kick on target but into the arms of George.

McCann went flying up the left on the half hour, played the ball in for Otoo and then took the chance to shoot but he failed to connect right and George had an easy job in holding the striker`s 20 yard effort. Kieran Ngwenya pulled up with a groin problem and despite the physio`s attentions had to be subbed by Rhys Breen in 34 minutes.

A Finlayson cross was headed on target by Shinnie but straight into the arms of Mehmet. Comrie then created a great opportunity to open the scoring breaking out of his left defence position towards his more recognised right wing spot. He fed McCann who then threaded the ball back into Comrie`s path but his connection sent the ball over the bar.

A Kelly free kick 20 yards out provided Livi with a good chance. His effort cleared the defensive wall but was expertly touched over by Mehmet. Matthew Clarke`s corner created no real danger. In 43 minutes more good attacking play from Comrie yielded a shooting opportunity for Breen. His shot was on target but this time it was the Livingston keeper`s turn to show his quality as he heroically turned the ball away. A long throw in from McCann bounced through the home box and in added time Fisher made an important block at the other end.

It had been a much improved performance from the Fifers in the first half. The team showed much desire to get the ball up the park and chances were created. Unfortunately at the break it remained goalless.

Half Time: Livingston 0 Dunfermline 0

The home side`s attack was intense from the kick off and they scored in 48 minutes. The Pars defence failed to clear efforts from Shinnie, Yengi and Kelly, Scott PITTMAN stepped in to smash the ball into the Dunfermline net. 1-0

Buoyed by the lead Livi continued to threaten until play stopped for an injury to Liam Sole. He limped off and was replaced by Lewis Smith in 56 minutes. Dunfermline defended as Tete Yengi proved a problem and Mehmet pulled off a great save from a Kelly shot. Sam Fisher went down in 61 minutes with what looked like another facial injury. In his absence Kyle Benedictus made a telling block and in 63 minutes Joe Chalmers became the Pars second sub of the game. Minutes later Craig Wighton replaced Taylor Sutherland who had run after everything and everywhere all afternoon.

Livi sub Lewis Smith found Yengi up the right and his cross was met by Kelly but he was off target. Next chance KELLY put away clinically. Smith sped away from Breen and with Mehmet drawn out the lay off for the Livi no.10 teed up an easy finish. 2-0

A 78th minute free kick pinged over from the right touchline off the boot of Chalmers. Hamilton attacked the cross but his header landed on the roof of the net. The Fifers survived a scare in 84 minutes when Pittman sent Smith steaming down the right to execute a cross that Yengi met but directed narrowly wide right. The Livi striker blasted an 88th minute chance over the bar before at the other end a Ritchie-Hosler cross picked out McCann but George held his attempt. With Dunfermline pushing up it looked like Yengi would add to the tally but Mehmet made a brilliant block to deny the hosts a third.

Then in the third minute of added time McCann was taken down by Ryan McGowan and Wotherspoon assumed responsibility for the penalty kick. His effort hit the crossbar and so it ended 2-0.

The second half was nothing like the first. The Pars failed to recreate their crisp passing moves, nothing came off for them and Livingston were a completely different proposition in the second 45.

LIVINGSTON: Shamal George: Jamie Brandon (c) (Samson Lawal 84), Ryan McGowan, Michael Nottingham, Matthew Clarke, Scott Pittman, Stephen Kelly, Liam Sole (Lewis Smith 56), Tete Yengi, Daniel Finlayson, Andrew Shinnie (Reece McAleer 80).
SUBS NOT USED: Andy Winter, Ricky Korboa, Ben Jackson, Olly Green, Jerome Prior (GK).
SCORERS: Pittman (48), Kelly (70)
YELLOW CARD: Brandon (23)

DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Sam Fisher (Joe Chalmers 63), Kyle Benedictus (c), Aaron Comrie: Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Chris Hamilton, Ewan Otoo, Kieran Ngwenya (Rhys Breen 34): David Wotherspoon: Lewis McCann, Taylor Sutherland (Craig Wighton 66).
SUBS NOT USED: Michael O`Halloran, Andrew Tod, Sam Young, Liam Hoggan, Ewan McLeod, Liam Hoggan, Lewis Briggs (GK)

REFEREE: Craig Napier
ATTENDANCE: 1917
WEATHER: Cloudy 18°C

NEXT MATCH: (home) v Falkirk, Saturday 10th August 2024, 3.00pm kick off at KDM Group East End Park