Archives | Airdrieonians 1 Dunfermline 1

Match day eight brought together two teams that knew each other well having played eight times in the last two seasons. The Dunfermline side showed three changes from the one that started against Queens Park with Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Joe Chalmers and Craig Wighton coming in for Sam Young, David Wotherspoon and the injured Lewis McCann. Airdrieonians made two changes to their starting eleven at Livingston the previous Saturday, Cammy Bruce and Lewis McGregor moving to the bench to accommodate starts for Lewis McGrattan and Luke Bradley-Morgan.

Chalmers kicked off for the visitors attacking the goal in front of their own fans. The first chance fell to Airdrieonians but Dylan Macdonald`s third minute attempt fell wide left. The Pars replied with Wighton picking out a Todd on the right but his cross into the six yard area was cut out by Sam Graham. It was Todd in ninth minute who got in the Fifers shot, it was somewhat speculative and went well off target.

Chris Hamilton was rather harshly penalised for a challenge he won, referee Peter Stuart awarding a 16th minute free kick 25 yards to the home side on the right side. Adam Frizzell`s left footed delivery was headed away by Hamilton.

A strong run infield from the right touchline took Todd into shooting distance and his left footed attempt from 25 yards out was deflected off the blocking defender for a corner on the left. Chalmers cross was met by Kane six yards out but his header went wide. Then in 27 minutes Dunfermline were awarded a penalty. Play was switched from Chalmers to Wighton and the Pars number 9 threaded a superb pass for Comrie to run on to in the right side of the Diamonds box. Keeper Murray Johnson rushed out and spilled Comrie causing the referee to point to the penalty spot. Chris KANE assumed responsibility for the penalty and slotted it past Johnson who dived to his right, into the centre of the net to put the Pars ahead. 0-1

Within a minute of the ball landing in the Airdrie net McGrattan set up Frizzell for a potentially dangerous shot but Mehmet kept him out. That heralded a ten minute period where the Pars keeper and both Fogarty and Hamilton were kept pretty busy heading away threats. Ritchie-Hosler forced a 41st minute corner and when Chalmers ball arrived from the left Fogarty met it but his header cleared the crossbar.

Airdrie pushed for the equaliser before the break with MacDonald`s shot turned behind for corner from the right. There was a rush of players for the cross but when Wighton was floored the ref judged in the Fifers favour. Gavin Gallagher sent two attempts from outside the box narrowly wide of Mehmet`s right hand post.

Half time: Airdrieonians 0 Dunfermline 1

The second minute had hardly gone three minutes old when Aaron Reid had to go off and Ben Wilson became the first substitute of the game. Frizzell`s 56th minute corner was headed over Mehmet`s crossbar by Luke Badley-Morgan and while Dunfermline had got up into the final third their efforts did not create clear cut chances. The exception was a slick exchange from Kane to Todd set up a cross that only just evaded Ritchie-Hosler at the left goalpost.

Clay collected a yellow card as he clashed in a tackle on Gallagher but the 65th minute free kick was easily defended. Wighton and Kane then cleverly held on to possession in the Airdrie D with the former getting in a shot that Johnson held. Unfortunately the home side got back on level terms at the midpoint of the second half. A Frizzell cross from a quickly taken throw in was met at the left goalpost by Mason HANCOCK to head into the left side of the Dunfermline goal. 1-1

The management team made a double substitution in 72 minutes withdrawing Todd and Wighton to bring on Josh Cooper and, for his debut, Dapo Mebude. Ritchie-Hosler was switched to the right and immediately he crossed from the right for Cooper to head the ball on target but the keeper held. David Wotherspoon was next to enter the fray when Kane was forced off with a leg injury. Taylor Sutherland followed seven minutes later for Craig Clay.

Dunfermline survived an 89th minute free kick pumped into the far side of their six yard box when the offside flag was raised and then an opportunist`s effort by Frizzell that just fizzed over the crossbar. Into added time and a Wotherspoon free kick was swept outside the Diamonds goal. Mebude was hauled down by Graham 30 yards out to give Wotherspoon another crack at goal and this time the keeper had to pluck that out of the air as the ball headed for the top left.

Both sides would have loved three points but after five minutes of time added on the match ended all square. Airdrieonians and Dunfermline sit on five points, two behind Raith Rovers.

AIRDRIEONIANS: Murray Johnson: Craig Watson, Sam Graham, Luke Badley-Morgan, Mason Hancock: Dylan Macdonald, Gavin Gallagher (Rhys Armstrong 78), Murray Aiken, Adam Frizzell (c): Lewis McGrattan (Lewis McGregor 55), Aaron Reid (Ben Wilson 49).
SUBS NOT USED: Cammy Cooper, Cammy Bruce, Chris Mochrie, Kieran Wright (GK)
SCORER: Hancock (67)
YELLOW CARDS: Watson (40), Macdonald (50), Gallagher (66), Aiken (79)

DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Tommy Fogarty, Chris Hamilton (c), Ewan Otoo: Matty Todd (Josh Cooper 72), Craig Clay (Taylor Sutherland 84), Joe Chalmers, Kane Ritchie-Hosler: Craig Wighton (Dapo Mebude 72), Chris Kane (David Wotherspoon 77)
SUBS NOT USED: Sam Fisher, Sam Young, Michael O`Halloran, Lewis Briggs (GK).
SCORER: Kane (28 pen.)
YELLOW CARDS: Fogarty (61), Clay (65), Ritchie-Hosler (69), Dave Mackay (69)

REFEREE: Peter Stuart
ATTENDANCE: 1807
WEATHER: Overcast 15°C

NEXT MATCH: SPFL Trust Trophy (home) v Kelty Hearts, Saturday 12th October 224, kick off 1.00pm

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