Archives | Dunfermline 3 Livingston 0

Livingston came to KDM Group East End Park looking for a win and three points to take them just one behind league leaders Falkirk. Dunfermline`s incentive to stop them was a vital league win, three points to boost their points tally and keep them ahead of tenth placed Airdrieonians.

For this the first of two back to back home matches, James McPake made four changes from the side that started on Saturday at Falkirk. Kyle Benedictus returned to lead out the team, Chris Kane also made a return and David Wotherspoon and Dapo Mebude were promoted off the bench. That meant Ewan Otoo, Matty Todd, Craig Wighton and Kane Ritchie-Hosler found themselves on the subs bench. David Martindale`s Livingston starting eleven showed two changes from that which started against Raith Rovers. Danny Wilson sat out the match after his red card on Saturday and Teti Yengi was also missing meaning starts for Liam Sole and Daniel Finlayson.

After a minute`s silence to respect Pars legend Tommy Callaghan who died the previous Friday, it was Livingston who kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end. The early chance came their way but Sole turned the ball over the crossbar from close range. The home side`s first opportunity came in fourth minute when Wotherspoon played a free kick up the right for Mebude to cross into towards the six yard box but the defence beat away the danger. Only minutes later Lewis McCann swung a ball in from the right that again the defence intercepted to deny the well placed Kane.

The opening goal that the Pars had threatened was duly delivered in seventh minute. Kane evaded the offside trap to get in a powerful shot that keeper Jerome Prior stopped but KANE followed up to belt the ball home. 1-0

Boosted by the goal Dunfermline continued to play high up the park and Livingston were finding it difficult to get out of their own half. Mebude and Kane constantly looked as though they could break through the defence and Wotherspoon`s role in behind the front men made life uncomfortable for the visitors. Kieran Ngwenya made a run forward but was closed out in the Livi box only for Craig Clay to gather and send an inviting ball towards McCann on the right side of the opposition box. Unluckily for Lewis the cross was just too high.

As the travelling support began to get agitated by their sides lacklustre display Robbie Muirhead got in a 24th minute shot from the left that Tobi Oluwayemi had to hold. Referee Dan McFarlane was very unpopular with the away fans when he awarded a free kick 30 yards out after Kane had been held down. McCann smacked the setpiece against the Livi wall earning a corner off Michael Nottingham that was defended.

In 34 minutes Stevie May broke away down the left and sent a cross into the box that Sole got close to converting at the far post. Next minute Dunfermline got even closer. Yet another setplay taken short from Wotherspoon to Mebude resulted in a cross that Livi cleared by Craig Clay was well positioned to crash a low ball back in but his effort came back off the right goalpost.

The Livi keeper held a McCann header on the end of a Ngwenya cross but the first half ended with just the one goal to show for it, fortunately in the Fifers favour.

Half Time: Dunfermline 1 Livingston 0

As one would have anticipated Livingston came out in the second half showing greater desire. They earned a corner when Comrie was forced into heading over his own crossbar.

In 54th minute however their keeper Prior miskicked a clearance and then fouled Kane as he attempted to get round him. Most thought the Liv stopper`s offence was inside the box but the referee thought otherwise and awarded a free kick on the edge, left hand side only a couple of yards from the byeline. Wotherspoon played the ball to Ngwenya who arrived on the 18 yard line to smash the ball on target. He surprised both the opposition and the referee who had to dodge the shot as it was sent behind for a corner from the left.

This 56th minute corner delivered the Pars second goal of the night. Wotherspoon`s cross from the left was headed home by BENEDICTUS and the ball found the net through a crowded six yard box. 2-0

Matty Todd replaced Dapo Mebude in 61 minutes but Dunfermline continued seamlessly. A long clearance from Oluwayemi was excellent fodder for Kane to latch on to once the ball had grounded. He laced it wide for Wotherspoon and his dangerous cross was turned behind for a corner on the right. Wotherspoon`s 71st minute corner was met by KANE at the near post and his header made it 3-0.

James McPake made four substitutions in the final 15 minutes and there was some serious defending to be done with Oluwayemi engaged several times. As the minutes drained away however the result was out of question and Dunfermline saw the game out to collect three valuable points. The Pars remained in ninth place, one point behind Morton and four ahead of Airdrieonians.

DUNFERMLINE: Tobi Oluwayemi: Aaron Comrie, Sam Young, Kyle Benedictus (c)(Tommy Fogarty 83), Kieran Ngwenya: Chris Hamilton (Ewan Otoo 75), Craig Clay, David Wotherspoon: Lewis McCann (Josh Cooper 83), Chris Kane (Craig Wighton 83), Dapo Mebude (Matty Todd 61)
SUBS NOT USED: Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Joe Chalmers, Taylor Sutherland, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORERS: Kane (7, 71), Benedictus (56),
YELLOW CARDS: McCann (59), Hamilton (66)

LIVINGSTON: Jerome Prior: Daniel Finlayson (Andrew Shinnie 57), Ryan McGowan, Michael Nottingham, Matthew Clarke: Liam Sole (Andy Winter 57), Scott Pittman, Stephen Kelly, Jamie Brandon (c): Stevie May (Ricky Korboa 72), Robbie Muirhead (Lewis Smith 83)
SUBS NOT USED: Reece McAlear, Olly Green, Samson Lawal, Codi Stark, Marcelo Pitaluga (GK)
YELLOW CARD: May (28), Kelly (35), Sole (56)

REFEREE: Dan McFarlane
ATTENDANCE: 4810 inc 340 away fans
WEATHER: Fine 11C
Manager`s post match comments

WINNING 50/50 Number: 13212 for a prize of £452

NEXT MATCH: William Hill Championship (home) v Partick Thistle, Saturday 2nd November 2024, kick off 3.00pm at KDM Group East End Park

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