Archives | Dumbarton 0 Dunfermline 4

Dunfermline delivered a commanding performance to secure a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Dumbarton in their second Group E fixture of the Premier Sports Cup. The Pars dominated proceedings from start to finish, with goals from Josh Cooper (2), Chris Kane, and Andrew Tod. Deniz Mehmet made his 100th appearance for the club and will have few easier shut outs.

Dunfermline`s second match of the Premier Sports Cup took them to the Marbill Coaches Stadium the new name of the home of Dumbarton Football Club. It was the Pars first visit there since meeting in the same competition in October 2020.

Manager Neil Lennon made just one change to his line up Alfons Amade moving to the bench to allow room for sixteen year old Lucas Fyfe (pictured above) to make his debut.

Dumbarton had defeated Stirling Albion 1-0 in their group opener the previous Tuesday night, but they made four changes to their starting eleven that included former Pars players Ryan Blair and Mark Durnan. Cammy Clark started in place of Adam Livingstone, Tom Falconer and Ally Roy dropped to the bench with Kai Kirkpatrick and Leighton McIntosh starting. Ollie Ecrepont was preferred to Shay Kelly in goal.

Tashan Oakley-Boothe got the tie underway with his side attacking the goal at the river end. First corner of the match was conceded in eight minutes as Chris Kane headed a home free kick over the bar. A second corner followed and Blair`s delivery from the right was punched away by Deniz Mehmet. Dumbarton sent the ball in from the left and Mehmet did well to keep out a McIntosh effort from close in. Then still in just 10th minute Mehmet was forced a save another good attempt by McIntosh after Morgyn Neill had met a corner from the left to set up the chance.

Then in 13 minutes, Dunfermline scored with their first shot of the afternoon. Twenty five yards out Josh COOPER was able to receive a Charlie Gilmour pass, compose himself and place the ball just inside the right post. 0-1

The Sons then had to withstand five minutes of sustained attack. An Ewan Otto cross had just too much altitude for Fyfe to convert and when the ball fell to Kane Ritchie-Hosler he sent his effort over the bar. A Chris Kane shot from 25 yards out was deflected for a corner and from that John Tod headed Cooper`s corner over the Dumbarton crossbar. Otoo forced a corner after he was picked out on the left by Ritchie-Hosler but the setplay went wrong when Cooper`s short ball to Oakley-Boothe was returned out of play.

Dunfermline were making life impossible for the home side controlling play with confident possession and crisp passing. Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen fired a 25th minute shot narrowly wide from 25 yards out. Against a defensive back five it was going to need a special move to penetrate and Ritchie-Hosler almost achieved the break working himself into the top of the penalty box with a 1-2 off Kane, but his shot was not enough to find the net.

There was respite for the home defence when Charlie Gilmour fouled Tony Wallace to give the Sons a free kick 28 yards out. Blair blasted that into the four man Pars wall. Back at the other end a Durnan challenge on Cooper afforded the Pars goalscorer a crack at goal from a setplay 22 yards out. Unfortunately that had the same result as the Sons` fifth man cleared.

The special effort required came in the final minute of the first half with a splendid goal from KANE. It was the former Saints man who sent the ball out left for Otoo, and after making ground the left wing-back cut back into the box, Cooper left the ball cleverly for the Pars striker to accept the opportunity and send another ball past Ecremont into the bottom left of his goal. 0-2

Half Time: Dumbarton 0 Dunfermline 2

For the second half Andrew Tod was introduced for Lucas Fyfe and so the Tod brothers became the first to play together since Jackson and Louis Longridge in the 2018-2019 season. It was the sub who got the first chance of the half running through in the right to make the yellow-kitted keeper pull off a fine save to deny Dunfermline a third goal. The keeper also held when Chilokoa-Mullen`s header met Cooper`s 53rd minute corner.

The third goal was superbly taken in 55 minutes. Receiving the pass from Gilmour on the centre spot, Cooper made the break through the middle to poke the ball forward for Andrew TOD. The nineteen year old took a touch playing the ball from his right on to his left to round the keeper and finish in great style. 0-3

In 58 minutes Neil Lennon made a double substitution withdrawing Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Kane Ritchie-Hosler to bring on Shea Kearney and Alfons Amade. Within a minute the two subs were involved in creating a fourth Fifers goal. Amade and A Tod worked the ball wide for Kearney on the right. The Irishman`s cross was perfect for COOPER to meet and convert from eight yards out. 0-4

Kane had a good effort saved by Ecremont diving to his right before the striker was rested and Keith Bray came on for his Dunfermline debut. Kearney forced a 82nd minute corner on the right that Bray crossed for Chilokoa-Mullen but his header went wide left.

Even more so than the first, Dunfermline dominated the second half, they looked dangerous with every sortie forward and the goals scored take that stat back into positive. All of which might be important in determining the best placed second placed teams.

DUMBARTON: Ollie Ecrepont: Cammy Clark, Mark Durnan, Morgyn Neill (Aron Lyness 74), Gordon Walker: Ryan Blair (Carrick McEvoy 65), Scott Tomlinson (Tom Falconer 65), Tony Wallace (Ally Roy 56), Kai Kirkpatrick, Scott Honeyman (Chris Johnston 65), Leighton McIntosh
SUBS NOT USED: Theo McCormick, Trialist, Dean Rhappozzoh, Shay Kelly (GK).
YELLOW CARDS: Walker (34), Kirkpatrick (72), Falconer (89)

DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Kyle Benedictus (c), John Tod: Kane Ritchie-Hosler (Shea Kearney 58), Charlie Gilmour (Chris Hamilton 63), Tashan Oakley-Boothe (Alfons Amade 58), Ewan Otoo: Josh Cooper, Chris Kane (Keith Bray 70), Lucas Fyfe (Andrew Tod HT)
SUBS NOT USED: Kieran Ngwenya, Matty Todd, Rory Macleod, Thomas Margetts (GK)
SCORERS: Cooper (13, 59), Kane (45), A Tod (55)
YELLOW CARD: A Tod (76)

REFEREE: George Calder
ATTENDANCE: 1026
WEATHER: Changeable 21°C

NEXT MATCH (home) Premier Sports Cup v Hamilton Academical, Tuesday 22nd July 2025, kick off 7.45pm at KDM Group East End Park

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