Archives | Dunfermline 1 Alloa Athletic 0

SPFL Trust Trophy quarter final

This quarter final tie would decide who played Livingston or Morton in the semi final of the SPFL Trust Trophy. Dunfermline`s selection for this game was the eleven that started the second half against Queen`s Park last time out. That meant Matty Todd, Chris Hamilton and Joe Chalmers came in for Tommy Fogarty, Craig Clay and David Wotherspoon.

Alloa had their Challenge Cup goalkeeper, 28 year old Nigerian Tochukwu Ogayi back between the sticks and Kane Thomson started in place of the suspended Calum Waters. Lewis McCann was first to have an attempt at goal, racing on to a Todd pass to force a one handed save from Ogayi. The Pars won the first corner of the evening three minutes later when Chalmers shot bulleted off Miko Virtanen. Todd delivered from the left but Kyle Benedictus` 8th minute header narrowly cleared the crossbar.

The Wasps won a corner of their own in 11 minutes but Scott Taggart connection nestled safely into the hands of Tobi Oluwayemi. Next Kieran Ngwenya provided the cross for Todd to shoot but his effort was deflected behind for a corner that was defended. Ngwenya was next to place the ball on the wrong side of the upright when he was well placed to receive Dapo Mebude`s delivery from the right.

On the half hour former Par Stefan Scougall saw yellow for a foul on Mebude and another Chalmers free kick was then fed short to Kane Ritchie-Hosler but his cross went out off the crossbar. Chances continued to pour in Dunfermline`s direction. Ngwenya broke and exchanged passes with McCann before the left back`s shot was blocked. McCann then had a shot that suffered the same fate and Todd a headed effort that was turned behind off the post by Ogayi.

The Alloa keeper stopped another fierce McCann shot but in 37 minutes but McCANN broke the deadlock evading the offside trap to race away and score. The move started with keeper Oluwayemi rolling the ball out to Otoo who then found Ngwenya on the left. He played the ball through for the striker and this time the keeper could do nothing as the ball dropped into the bottom right of the Alloa goal. 1-0

It had been a first half of Dunfermline dominance but at the interval there was just that one goal in it.

Half Time: Dunfermline 1 Alloa Athletic 0

Alloa earned two corners early in the second half but play was soon re-entrenched in the Alloa half. Crosses were played into the Wasps box by Mebude, Ritchie-Hosler and Ngwenya, Todd had a 20 yarder saved by Ogayi and after robbing Taggart, Mebude`s 59th minute shot was deflected on to the crossbar. Ritchie-Hosler accelerated away from Thomson, his marker, to ping a great ball in for McCann that he just could not make contact with. Ewan Otoo got forward and smashed the ball over the Alloa bar.

Luke Rankin got the break of the ball as he forced his way in for a 66th minute attempt that Oluwayemi had to save. Then a double substitution for the home side saw Craig Wighton and Josh Cooper introduced for Dapo Mebude and Matty Todd. McCann took advantage of a mistake in the Alloa defence to break through on goal but he sent the ball across the face of goal and wide left.

Cooper was next presented with a perfect ball in from Ritchie-Hosler but he directed his header wide of the near post. When Otoo was taken down 22 yards out Cooper blasted the free kick out off the right goalpost.

Ngwenya had an 84th blast that Ogayi saved, next minute Taylor Sutherland`s effort went the same way, 86th minute Comrie launched a shot that was blocked. With still just one goal in it Alloa keeper Ogayi was up for an 88th minute corner that Oluwayemi cleared.

Dunfermline had in excess of 20 attempts on the Alloa goal but could not penetrate the visiting defence. Still one goal proved enough to see the Fifers through to play Livingston in the semi final to be held in the last week in January.

DUNFERMLINE: Tobi Oluwayemi: Aaron Comrie, Kyle Benedictus (c), Ewan Otoo, Kieran Ngwenya: Kane Ritchie-Hosler (Sam Fisher 79), Chris Hamilton, Joe Chalmers, Matty Todd (Josh Cooper 67), Dapo Mebude (Craig Wighton 67), Lewis McCann (Taylor Sutherland 79)
SUBS NOT USED: David Wotherspoon, Tommy Fogarty, Craig Clay, Sam Young, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORER: McCann (37)

ALLOA ATHLETIC: Tochukwu Ogayi: Scott Taggart (c), David McKay, Morgyn Neill, Kane Thomson: Steven Buchanan, Miko Virtanen, Stefan Scougall, Cameron O`Donnell: Luke Donnelly, Luke Rankin.
SUBS: Kevin Cawley, Steven Hetherington, Scott Honeyman, Andy Graham, Conor Sammon, Shay Nevans,, Luke Watkins, Peter Morrison (GK).
YELLOW CARD: McKay (25), Scougall (30, O`Donnell (41)

REFEREE: Duncan Williams
ATTENDANCE: 1400 (inc 132 away fans)
WEATHER: Drizzle 7°C

NEXT MATCH: William Hill Championship (home) v Airdrieonians, Saturday 16th November 2024, kick off 3.00pm at KDM Group East End Park.

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