Archives | Dunfermline 2 Raith Rovers 0

Billed by some as a `˜Basement Battle`, it was tenth v ninth in this first Fife derby of the William Hill Championship season. Both sides were desperate for points after an indifferent start to their campaigns and this Friday night meeting was just the recipe for compelling combat.

Still without the services of captain Kyle Benedictus and influential Matty Todd, James McPake made x changes from the side that started against East Fife the previous Saturday. Tommy Fogarty was back after his week with the Northern Ireland U21s and Kieran Ngwenya and David Wotherspoon came back into the side. Sam Fisher, Josh Cooper and Joe Chalmers dropped to the subs bench.

Meanwhile in charge for just his second match, Raith Rovers manager Neill Collins made just one change to the side that conceded a two goal lead to lose at Ayr on Sunday. Former Par Euan Murray returned to their defence freeing up captain Ross Matthew to move into midfield. Lewis Gibson was the Rovers player moving on to their eight man bench.

The teams were welcomed on to the park by two very enthusiastic sets of supporters before lining up for the television cameras in front of the sponsors arch. The sides changed ends prior to a one minute for recently passed Sol Bamba. Wotherspoon kicked off and the ball was sent back for Tobi Oluwayemi to launch the ball away upfield. Chris Kane latched on to it in front of the noisy North West but it was a goal kick that transpired all within ten seconds.

In just third minute Fogarty picked out Ngwenya deep down the left and his cross was timely intercepted by the Rovers defence as Aaron Comrie stormed in for the connection. Aaron then had a shot blocked as the home side continued to press in the Raith final third. Wotherspoon`s fifth minute corner went flying through the six yard box but no one could get the necessary touch. All this gave the home support a great deal to shout and sing about and that would hopefully spur their side on.

Raith`s first threat came from a long throw in on the left but the Pars defence cleared their box effectively. The Kirkcaldy side`s keeper conceded a thrown in and from that a corner that Ngwenya met but was off target. Then in 15 minutes Chris Kane thought his header was in but someone it sneaked outside the left goalpost.

Kane was making his presence known so much so when he next broke through on goal Euan Murray hauled him down 20 yards out and the Rovers defender was shown a 16th minute red card. McCann`s free kick travelled past the same left goalpost again by a narrow margin. The match might have been hotly contested in the first quarter of an hour but it was well and truly on fire at this stage.

Kane Ritchie-Hosler`s 23rd minute run led to a superb cross for Kane in the box but the defence beat him to it. Otoo was next to have a blast but he was well off target. When Raith did manage to get forward Lewis Jamieson sent his cross cum shot wide left. Kevin Dabrowski made his first save of the match when Kane drilled a low effort on target in 36th minute. Next a McCann header dropped conveniently to the Raith keeper.

Ritchie-Hosler was putting a great deal of effort into the game but Raith were making sure that he didn`t damage them. It was Otoo`s 44th minute shot from a McCann lay off that was deflected behind for a corner. That saw McCann head back across the box where Fogarty`s challenge instigated a scramble as Raith cleared.

It was a half in which neither keeper was really tested. Dunfermline maybe should have made the one man advantage pay but after the sending off they created few chances.

Half time: Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 0

Lewis Vaughan started the second half for Raith in place of former Par Callum Smith. It was the Pars Lewis who nearly opened the scoring, his 49th minute rocket going wide from 25 yards out. Next from a Young pass Otoo forced a corner on the left and it was that which led to the opener. Wotherspoon`s short taken corner to Ritchie-Hosler fooled everyone including the referee who only just got out of the pass for OTOO lying deep. The Pars number 6 effort entered the net courtesy of a deflection of Hanlon. 1-0

Kane Ritchie-Hosler had to go off, so on the hour mark Josh Cooper became the first Pars sub of the game. The sub almost made the perfect start with his first touch taking him on a direct run on goal but his shot from the edge of the box soared over the bar. A long throw from McCann on the right was defended back to him and his cross only just escaped over the in-running Fogarty.

Things got really heated in 73 minutes when referee Craig Napier showed five yellow cards. Rovers Dylan Easton, Lewis Vaughan and Shaun Byrne, Dunfermline`s Josh Cooper and Chris Hamilton. The stoppage for the melee and substitutions from both sides appeared to disrupt the game but with ten minutes remaining the home support erupted when David WOTHERSPOON set off down the left, cut in and picked out his spot in the Raith goal. 2-0

Many of the 1700 plus Rovers fans departed and they would not see Comrie come close to the third as he tried to convert a McCann knock down from a 88th minute Joe Chalmers free kick. Five added minutes would follow which were seen out without any further incident.

DUNFERMLINE: Tobi Oluwayemi: Aaron Comrie, Tommy Fogarty, Sam Young, Kieran Ngwenya (Joe Chalmers 74): Kane Ritchie-Hosler (Josh Cooper 60), Chris Hamilton (c), David Wotherspoon, Ewan Otoo: Lewis McCann, Chris Kane (Craig Wighton 77).
SUBS NOT USED: Sam Fisher, Rhys Breen, Michael O`Halloran, Taylor Sutherland, Andrew Tod, Deniz Mehmet (GK).
SCORERS: Otoo (52), Wotherspoon (80)
YELLOW CARDS: Wotherspoon (62), Cooper (73), Hamilton (73)

RAITH ROVERS: Kevin Dabrowski: Liam Dick, Paul Hanlon, Euan Murray, Lewis Stevenson: Dylan Easton, Ross Matthews (c), Shaun Byrne, Josh Mullin (Jack Hamilton 79), Callum Smith (Lewis Vaughan HT), Lewis Jamieson (Lewis Gibson 62)
SUBS: Aidan Connolly, Kieran Freeman, Kai Montagu, Jake Nicholson, Andrew McNeil (GK).
YELLOW CARD: (66)
RED CARD: Murray (16)

REFEREE: Craig Napier
ATTENDANCE: 6993
WEATHER: 12°C Cloudy

NEXT MATCH: (away) William Hill Championship v Partick Thistle, Saturday 21st September 2024, kick off 3.00pm

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