Archives | Dunfermline 4 Girondins Bordeaux 0

The first leg of this Fairs Cup tie was played at East End Park. The Pars were in fine form having won three and drawn one of their first four league games and were full of confidence.

They knew that they had the skill and European experience to overcome their less-experienced opponents, but it had to be proved on the pitch. The French side, for their part, were a fine attacking side in a domestic competition but in five previous European campaigns had fallen in either the first or second rounds. They therefore knew that if they were to be successful they would have to shut-out Dunfermline in the first leg and then try and attack in the second leg when they would have home advantage.

The Pars side was not as strong as it had been the previous season when they reached the Semi-Final of the Cup Winners Cup, Roy Barry was sidelined with a cartilage injury and Jim Fraser was recovering from a broken leg which he had sustained in the opening league cup match at Pittodrie. John McGarty and Doug Baillie were drafted in at the centre of defence. Dunfermline Athletic, knowing that goals were all-important, attacked from the start.

The visitors formed a formidable defence in front of their keeper and attempted to contain the waves of attacking moves. Their defensive plan was based, in no small aprt, on physical contact and they were determined to subdue the Pars` attack.

In the 23rd minute there was a tussle between Baillie and the Girondin centre forward Ruiter, this resulted in the Brazilian receiving a lecture from referee Burns.
Four minutes later Dunfermline took the lead with a goal from Bert PATON following a move involving Lunn, Edwards and Barrie Mitchell.

This goal settled the Pars and they continued to attack. A further ten minutes had elapsed when George McLean was barged off the ball in the box. The English referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty. McLean, who was making his European debut for the Pars, took the kick himself but could only watch as struck the outside of the right hand post.

Spurred on by a near 12000 crowd the Athletic restarted the second half in search of more goals. The French side were hard pressed to stem the Pars` attack and were resorting to increasing phsyical intimidation. In the eleventh minute of the second half Betta was cautioned for a wild tackle on Edwards. Two minutes later further trouble ensued when left winger Petyt was ordered off for a foul on John Lunn. With Bordeaux down to ten men they could no longer hold out and Barrie MITCHELL extended Dunfermline`s lead following a pass from Edwards.

The French right-half Burdino was next into the referee`s notebook when he fouled Willie Callaghan. When he committed a similar offence on Edwards he left the referee with no option but to send him off. With fifteen minutes left Bert PATON fired in a twenty yard shot that eluded keeper Montes and crashed into the net off the underside of the bar.

Dunfermline`s final goal in a 4-0 win was scored by Pat GARDNER in the dying minutes after good work on the right by Paton and Callaghan.