Archives | Falkirk 1 Dunfermline 0

Bairns v Pars, the Auld Enemies meet again. It was a springlike day at The Falkirk Stadium with fresh hope in the travelling support that after a fairly unproductive winter, the early shoots of a turnaround in their side`s fortunes were beginning to emerge. The Fifers made one change to their starting eleven with Head Coach Michael Tidser electing to start his top goalscorer, Chris Kane, in place of Connor Young. The Pars subs bench saw the return of Owen Hampson and Deniz Mehmet.

Falkirk made four changes from the side that convincingly defeated Airdrieonians in midweek. Into the home line up came captain Coll Donaldson, Scott Arfield, Ethan Ross and Barney Stewart. They took the places of Luke Graham, Alfredo Ageyman, Miller Thomson and Gary Oliver all of whom were on the bench along with Ross MacIver back from injury.

The visitors kicked off through Lewis McCann attacking the goal at the Falkirk end. First opportunity came when Tashan Oakley-Boothe flighted a third minute free kick into the Falkirk box. Kyle Benedictus headed the ball down but Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen could not get control of the ball and the defence cleared. Falkirk reacted getting up the park and opened the scoring from a throw in on the right. Arfield slipped the ball to Ethan Ross whose 6th minute shot was deflected. Henderson touched the ball back to set up Brad SPENCER who took a touch before crashing the ball low into the bottom right from 16 yards out. 1-0

It looked like Dunfermline had made the perfect response as Kane bundled the ball into the Falkirk net two minutes. Ewan Otoo`s left footed delivery a free kick on the right was headed down for Kane but referee Calum Scott deemed a hand had been illegally used. The noise in the stadium grew even higher and the tempo did as well. Calvin Miller sent a dangerous ball through the Pars box from the right and another Otoo free kick was held by Nicky Hogarth.

Falkirk left back Sean Mackie collected the first yellow card of the day after two chunky challenges in a minute, firstly on Archie Stevens and then on Lewis McCann. So in 18th minute Otoo was faced with a third free kick from a similar part of the park and this time tried an exchange with Chilokoa-Mullen before his attempt to cross from deep down the right was blocked.

Next Comrie did well to win possession down the right side and his cross flashed across goal with Kane narrowly missing out on converting. Falkirk broke with Ross speeding upfield before releasing the ball to Keelan Adams to his right but the defenders shot was turned into the sidenetting. Dunfermline survived the two corners that followed and then two attempts in 32 and 33 minutes. Firstly Miller set up Ross for a shot that Tobi Oluwayemi beat away, second Ross set up Arfield but he smashed his effort well wide left.

Two stoppages five minutes in between, for Andre Raymond to receive treatment from the physio took the sting out of the game and the St Johnstone loanee had to be subbed in 42nd minute by Kieran Ngwenya. A Liam Henderson cross through the six yard box presented more danger but fortunately the chance was not taken. Next a Ross cross from the other side was equally threatening but again with the same result.

In the third minute of time added on Oakley-Boothe sent a good delivery into the Falkirk box from a free kick, Benedictus powered his header just outside the right upright.

It had been end to end entertainment for the neutral and although Dunfermline had performed well they had struggled to find much to trouble their hosts in the final third.

Half Time: Falkirk 1 Dunfermline 0

Falkirk created a good chance in 51 minutes, Miller speeding away down the right to centre for Spencer to launch a shot narrowly wide right from 20 yards out. Oluwayemi next held a header from Tom Lang as he connected with a free kick. Falkirk were certainly fired up for the first ten minutes of second half and Dunfermline successfully defended a corner before Michael Tidser made a double substitution. Ewan Otoo and Archie Stevens were withdrawn to introduce Omar Taylor-Clarke and Connor Young with the away support voicing some disappointment at the decision.

As the game past the 65th minute mark Dunfermline had more possession but we`re still finding it difficult to penetrate the home defence. Benedictus and Chilokoa-Mullen exchanged passes several times before Bene drove up the park to pick out Ngwenya who then brought Kane into play and he manufactured a cross that Hogarth got to first.

Falkirk brought on Aiden Nesbitt and Gary Oliver in 69th minute and play switched back to the Dunfermline half. Ngwenya made a telling block to deny Miller. It was 81st minute when Oliver conceded a free kick 30 yards out left side. McCann tried a shot but the ball cleared the far post.

The Pars were trying hard to get the goal that would earn them a point but they had to contend with a Falkirk team eagerly seeking their second to secure all three. An Adams cross was booted away by Benedictus before play was back up in front of the travelling support. McCann launched a long thrown into the opposition box and then a cross that was blocked.

The home fans were annoyed when Miller failed to make the best of an 87th minute break and with the time running away he was replaced by Alfredo Agyeman. Dunfermline were kept deep inside their own half as the former Kelty man clung on to possession near the right corner flag. In second minute of added time McCann got the break of the ball to blast a shot on target but unluckily it got blocked. That turned out to be the last opportunity to retrieve something from the day and the home side saw out the additional five minutes for victory.

FALKIRK: Nicky Hogarth: Keelan Adams, Tom Lang, Coll Donaldson (c), Sean Mackie: Brad Spencer (c), Liam Henderson (Finn Yates 77): Ethan Ross (Miller Thomson 77), Scott Arfield (Aiden Nesbitt 69), Calvin Miller (Alfredo Agyeman 89): Barney Stewart (Gary Oliver 69)
SUBS NOT USED: Leon McCann, Luke Graham, Ross MacIver, Ross Munro (GK)
SCORER: Spencer (6)
YELLOW CARD: Mackie (18), Henderson (75)

DUNFERMLINE: Tobi Oluwayemi: Aaron Comrie, Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Kyle Benedictus (c), Andre Raymond (Kieran Ngwenya 42): Tashan Oakley-Boothe, Ewan Otoo (Omar Taylor-Clarke 56): Archie Stevens (Connor Young 56), Ephraim Yeboah, Lewis McCann: Chris Kane.
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Hamilton, Joe Chalmers, Tommy Fogarty, David Wotherspoon, Owen Hampson, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Yeboah (50)

REFEREE: Calum Scott
ATTENDANCE: 7106 (inc 1307 away fans)
WEATHER: Partly Cloudy 14°C

NEXT MATCH: (away) v Raith Rovers, Friday 14th March 2025, kick off 7.45pm at Stark`s Park

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