Dunfermline Athletic

Archives | Dunfermline 1 Arbroath 0

Dunfermline took on Arbroath in the first leg of the Premiership play-off Quarter Final on a cool April evening at KDM Group East End Park. Dunfermline were in the play-offs following their fourth place finish in the Championship just one point behind Arbroath in third.

These two teams met just four days ago in the final William Hill Championship fixture but because they finish fourth and third they were pitched against each other in the first play-off. Dunfermline manager Neil Lennon used the luxury of being able to field a totally different starting eleven. Arbroath retained seven of their starting eleven but brought back Aidan McAdams, Findlay Marshall, Ryan Dow and Gavin Reilly.

There was a loud and encouraging home support to welcome out the teams. The home side kicked off, Charlie Gilmour finding touch midway inside the visitors half. It was a positive start though by the Pars with Matty Todd creating the first danger with a darting rundown the right and they would score an early goal in just seventh minute when Andrew Tod playing Chris KANE into the Arbroath box for the experienced striker to net. 1-0

Dunfermline continued to do all the attacking with Tod winning possession and threatened with a weighted pass in towards goal but just too much for Callumn Morrison to catch. Another useful Todd cross was taken by McAdams before play was halted in 20th minute after Kieran Ngwenya was injured as he defended a Thomas O`Brien free kick launched from half way to the far side of the Pars box. The physios did their work and the defender was able to resume.

Arbroath got themselves further up the park with good link up play between Flynn and Dow but when Harry Cochrane lined himself up to shoot Alfons Amade robbed possession and delivered a pass that sent Morrison towards goal but unfortunately his effort went straight to the all green kitted keeper. In 26 minutes there was a let off for the Red Lichties. Ngwenya got himself on the end of a Todd corner from the left and it took a wonderful reactions save from goalkeeper McAdams to keep the ball out.

Jack Wilkie flighted over a free kick from the left touchline but Aston Oxborough fisted away the ball. A Dow cross minutes later was more dangerous but fortunately neither Reilly or Marshall could get the necessary touch. It took a fine save from McAdams in 35th minute to keep Arbroath just one behind. Amade played a great pass to Tod, he took on the defence and created an opportunity to crash the ball on target only for the keeper to match his quality.

The visitors still maintained a threat and two minutes from the break reminded everyone with a Marshall `“ Dow combination that sent the ball into the Pars box only for MacIntyre to fail to convert. The final attack of the half also came from Marshall but his cross in from the right was easily cleared. Dunfermline had the better of the first 45 minutes but they went in just one ahead, primarily due to their goalkeeper`s heroics.

Half Time: Dunfermline 1 Arbroath 0

The second half started lively. Within 25 seconds a Dow cross from the left set up MacIntyre with a shot that he sent wide from 16 yards. At the other end Todd drilled a cross in that might have yielded more and then Cochrane launched a shot that hit the back of Ngwenya. All this in the first four minutes.

Things looked really promising when Fraser`s pass sent Tod into the left side of the opposition box, his 56th minute cut back was inviting but Amade`s chance cleared the crossbar. Kane`s hurried shot from a Fraser pass went the same way. Marshall embarked on a danger filled surging run that was terminated with a challenge that earned Amade a yellow card. Fortunately the resultant free kick from 25 yards out was driven into the Dunfermline wall.

There followed some solid defending as Arbroath won possession in the final third before Dunfermline piled pressure on their opponents. Two corners were forced on the right, the first from a Todd free kick from which Scott Stewart narrowly missed setting up Kane as he turned the ball behind. Then Tod swung a pass across field to pick up Todd and another corner had to be defended.

Robbie Fraser was shown yellow for tugging back MacIntyre as he attempted to make ground into the box along the left byeline. Chilokoa-Mullen headed away from the setpiece and Dunfermline made a double substitution introducing John Tod and Josh Cooper for Alfons Amade and Callumn Morrison in a move that edged Abdulai into a midfield role.

The clock was running down and Dunfermline were out of luck when a Todd pass found Kane on the edge of the box but back to goal he teed up Gilmour back he could not get a shot away. There were four minutes remaining when Tod then showed urgency with an impressive run and shot that really tested McAdams.

The four minutes of added time saw both sides pushing for a goal but there was to be no more scoring. The Fifers took their one goal lead to the second leg at Gayfield on Friday night.

DUNFERMLINE: Aston Oxborough: Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Nurudeen Abdulai, Kieran Ngwenya: Matty Todd, Charlie Gilmour, Alfons Amade (John Tod 81), Robbie Fraser: Andrew Tod, Chris Kane (Tashan Oakley-Boothe 88), Callumn Morrison (Josh Cooper 81).
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Benedictus, Chris Hamilton, Shea Kearney, Keith Bray, Lucas Fyfe, BIlly Terrell (GK)
SCORER: Kane (7)
YELLOW CARDS: Amade (67), Fraser (79)

ARBROATH: Aidan McAdams: Scott Stewart, Thomas O`Brien (c), Craig Watson, Jack Wilkie: Jacob MacIntyre, Ryan Flynn Findlay Marshall, Harry Cochrane, Gavin Reilly, Ryan Dow (Scott Robinson 72)
SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Muirhead, Victor Enem, Tom Beadling, David Gold, Colin Hamilton, Dapo Mebude, Jordan Pettigrew (GK)
YELLOW CARDS: Flynn (63), Dow (66), O`Brien (71)

REFEREE: Ryan Lee
ATTENDANCE: 5079 (inc 375 away fans)
WEATHER: Cloudy 7°C

NEXT MATCH: William Hill Premiership Play Off (away) v Arbroath, Friday 9th May 2026, kick off 7.30pm


Highlights | Dunfermline 1 Arbroath 0



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