Dunfermline 4 Dumbarton 0
Saturday, 28th Apr 2018Ladbrokes Championship: Callum Morris in place Jean-Yves M’Voto. Kallum Higginbotham (18) 1-0: Kallum Higginbotham (25) 2-0: Fraser Aird (45) 3-0: Ryan Williamson (66) 4-0:
This weekend Dunfermline Athletic celebrated 50 years since winning the Scottish Cup and there was hope going into this match that they could couple that with celebrating a play off place for the Premiership.
With one point from this home match against ninth placed Dumbarton enough to secure play off ties against Dundee United, manager Allan Johnston brought back Callum Morris in the absence of Jean-Yves M’Voto.
Dumbarton manager Stevie Aitken made five changes to his starting eleven allowing speculation his sights were set on their first play off game the following week. Out went Grant Gallagher, David Wilson, Tom Walsh, Danny Handling and Callum Gallagher. In came Iain Russell, Kyle Hutton, Aidan Wilson, Liam Burt and Kevin Nisbit.
1968 captain Roy Barry paraded the Scottish Cup as the teams came on to the pitch and it was the Pars who kicked off attacking the goal at the away end. After just 11 seconds Nicky Clark go5 in the first shot of the game, sending his low drive from 25 yards out narrowly wide left.
Andy Ryan was next to try a shot after Clark had headed the ball into his path but his fifth minute effort from the edge of the box was blocked out. Dumbarton’s first response was a Burt drive into the sidenetting three minutes later from an acute angle on the right.
As if the task would not be great enough for the Sons it was made a lot worse when their captain was shown a straight red in ninth minute. Ryan caused the problem wriggling his way through the middle. It looked like he had got safely past the last defender but was then tumbled. Referee Colin Steven looked at his stand side assistant and pulled out the red card for Craig Barr.
Dunfermline 4-0 Dumbarton
Sat, 28th Apr 2018
After treatment to Ryan, James Craigen rifled the 30 yard free kick on target but into arms of keeper Jamie Ewings. The ten men immediately had a good chance to go ahead when Nisbit made ground on the left side of the home box to cross an inviting ball into a dangerous area but none of the Dumbarton players got the vital touch.
Back at the other end Ryan was presented with a good opportunity at the far post but Ewing’s turned his effort on to the post and the ball was scrambled away. The Fifers were to open the scoring however in 18 minutes. The goal came from a deep cross from Fraser Aird on the left that evaded the defence and Kallum HIGGINBOTHAM smashed the ball home from ten yards out. 1-0
Seven minutes past in which Dumbarton were forced into a sub, Grant Gallagher for Iain Russell, before HIGGINBOTHAM doubled his tally. He was picked out on the left side of the Sons box and he found the net with a superb finish, 2-0.
Play was all towards the Dumbarton goal and Craigen fired a 30th minute shot over the crossbar from the edge of the box. Two minutes later a fine pass by Higginbotham sent Aird racing down the left and his cross fell nicely for Ryan in front of goal, but the luckless striker only found the keeper’s arms.
Lewis Martin made a good connection 35 yards out and his low stinger was deflected behind for a corner on the left. When Aird sent that over Higginbotham tried an overhead kick at the far post only to find the sidenetting. Another Aird cross was headed behind by Dougie Hill to earn the Pars a 41st minute corner on the right. That was defended but it was the left upright that denied Higginbotham a first half hat trick after releasing a fierce 40 yard effort.
Fraser AIRD scored Dunfermline’s third on the stroke of half time, cutting in from the left to find the net with a great shot from an acute angle on the left. 54% Dunfermline possession in the first half but 16 shots to the Sons one told the story of the first 45.
Half time: Dunfermline 3 Dumbarton 0
Jason Talbot replaced Lee Ashcroft before Dumbarton got the second half underway. Two minutes into the half an Aird delivery was met by Ryan but his header from eight yards out bounced outside the left post.
Aird provided another high ball into the opposition box in 55 minutes but Clark could not get high enough to convert the chance. Ryan tried another that found Ewings before Joe Cardle came on as a 61st minute sub for Kallum Higginbotham who went off to a standing ovation.
Ryan popped a 65th minute shot wide but next minute there was a piece of history as Ryan WILLIAMSON scored his first senior goal in his 111th appearance for Dunfermline Athletic. It was a Cardle who made the chance edging his way across the penalty box with the crowd screaming for a shot. It did not come but he slipped the ball right for the better placed full back to direct the ball home. 4-0 and what a celebration!
Talbot tried to get a piece of the action with a shot that was always veering wide right. Cardle had a go but again his shot was blocked and sub Declan McManus pulled his shot across the face of goal as play was restricted to the Dumbarton half.
Ewing’s pulled off a good save turning a McManus shot around his left hand post and although Ryan got a shot in from the 83rd minute corner that was not to find the net. Four minutes later McManus’ netbound effort was kept out by Hill but really that did not matter.
The result had been without question since Higgy’s first half brace and all that remained to be decided was who against and where was the first play off was to be on Tuesday night.
Dundee United successfully saw off second placed Livingston 2-0 to clinch third spot and so it would be East End Park on Tuesday night against United. Congratulations to Allan Johnston and his team for making the SPFL Premiership play offs.
SUBS NOT USED: Dan Armstrong, Nat Wedderburn, Dean Shiels, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: Higginbotham (18, 25), Aird (45), Williamson (66).
DUMBARTON: Jamie Ewings: David Smith, Craig Barr (c), Aidan Wilson, Dougie Hill: Stuart Carswell, Kyle Hutton, Liam Burt (Danny Handling 75), Iain Russell (Grant Gallagher 23), Andy Stirling: Kevin Nisbet (Mark Stewart 61).
SUBS NOT USED: Callum Gallagher, David Wilson, Dimitris Froxylias, Scott Gallacher (GK).
RED CARD: Barr (9)
REFEREE: Colin Steven
WEATHER: Sunny 10C
ATTENDANCE 5506
NEXT MATCH:
Half time 50/50 winning ticket number is 42520 for the prize of £1000
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Dunfermline 4-0 Dumbarton
Sat, 28th Apr 2018
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Allan Johnston post Dumbarton
Sat, 28th Apr 2018
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Ryan Williamson and Kallum Higginbotham post Dumbarton
Sat, 28th Apr 2018
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Preview Dumbarton
Saturday, 28th Apr 2018Ladbrokes Championship: (home) Saturday 28th April 2018, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park
It comes to the last match of the Championship season with Dunfermline Athletic requiring one point from their final league match of the season to qualify for the Premiership Play offs. Months ago many would readily have accepted that challenge against the team in ninth position but as Allan Johnston constantly warns football is not as easy as that and every side in the Championship is capable of beating the other.
Dunfermline sit on 56 points and due to their superior goal difference, need one point to secure the play offs. Waiting to take advantage of any slip ups are Inverness Caley Thistle for whom a win at Cappielow would take them to 57 points.
Prior to last season, and since April 1996 the sides had only met on league business in season 2012-13 and the Pars have won 17 of the last 24 league meetings.
Milestones Dumbarton (Home)
Last League Victory: 06/08/16 4-3 Championship
Last League Defeat: 23/03/13 3-4 First Division
Best League Victory: 02/01/54 6-1 Division 2
Worst League Defeat : 1982-83 0-6 Division 1
First League Meeting: 1912/13 3-0 Division 2
Last Goalless Draw: 1981-82: 0-0 Division 1
Last 12 Matches v Dumbarton
Date H/A F-A Result Competition
06/01/18: (A) 1-0 W Championship
25/11/17: (H) 2-2 D Championship
26/08/17: (A) 4-0 W Championship
04/03/17: (H) 5-1 W Championship
29/10/16: (A) 2-2 D Championship
06/08/16: (H) 4-3 W Championship
23/03/13: (H) 3-4 L Division One
05/01/13: (A) 1-0 W Division One
24/11/12: (H) 4-0 W Division One
15/09/12: (A) 2-0 W Division One
01/08/09: (A) 5-0 W League Cup
20/04/96: (H) 4-1 W Division One
Last time at East End Park
Ladbrokes Championship Sat 25 November 2017
Dunfermline 2 Dumbarton 2
Then in the fifth minute of the secondhalf, Dumbarton went ahead. TOM WALSH gathered the ball 25 yards out and sent it into the bottom right of the Pars goal 0-1
It was skipper Callum MORRIS who was to find the net five minutes later with a shot from the centre of the Dumbarton box, scoring as a result of a delivery in from a setpiece on the left. 1-1:
Dimitris FROXYLIAS was the first Dumbarton sub in 66 minutes and it took the Cypriot just two minutes to find the net. He made his chance from the right side curling in a wonderful strike from 25 yards out. 1-2
The clock was running away from Dunfermline but in 89th minute the ball was forced into the right side of the box and Cardle and Smith were well positioned to strike. The 18 year old striker thrashed the ball in on the angle, the keeper blocked, Cardle couldn`t get a connection but Williamson crossed for Nicky CLARK to head home. 2-2
DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c), Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Kallum Higginbotham (Joe Cardle 55), Nat Wedderburn, Dean Shiels (Michael Paton 55), Fraser Aird (Declan McManus 71): Callum Smith, Nicky Clark.
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Jean-Yves M`Voto, Cammy Gill (GK)
DUMBARTON: Scott Gallagher: Sam Wardrop, Craig Barr, Andy Dowie (c), Chris McLaughlin: Calum Gallagher (Christian Nade 74), Kyle Hutton, Stuart Carswell, Tom Walsh (Chris Johnston 84), Mark Stewart, Greg Morrison (Dmitris Froxylias 66).
SUBS NOT USED: Dougie Hill, Alastair Roy, Kyle Prior, Jamie Ewings (GK).
Form last six matches
Dunfermline are unbeaten in their last nine matches. Dumbarton have lost eight of their last nine league matches. Prior to their home win against Dundee United on 7 April, and omitting the two results against Brechin City, their previous league win was at St Mirren on 2 December.
DUNFERMLINE
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) 2-2
Brechin City (H) 4-0
Falkirk (A) W 2-1
Livingston (H) W 1-0
Queen of the South (H) W 3-1
Dundee United (A) D 1-1
DUMBARTON
Falkirk (H) L 2-5
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) 0-1
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) 1-5
Morton (A) L 2-3
Dundee United (H) W 3-2
Dundee United (A) L 0-2
Recent Form
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 4th
League Points: 55
League Record: P34 W15 D10 L9 GF54 GA33
Goal Difference: +21
Last Six League Match Form: WDWWWW
DUMBARTON
League Position: 9th
League Points: 30
League Record: P35 W7 D9 L19 GF27 GA59
Goal Difference: -32
Last Six League Match Form: WLLLLL
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE: (v Inverness Caley Thistle) Lee Robinson: Ryan Williamson, Jean-Yves M’Voto, Lee Ashcroft, Lewis Martin: Kallum Higginbotham(Declan McManus 66), James Vincent, James Craigen (Callum Morris 90), Fraser Aird (Joe Cardle 60): Andy Ryan, Nicky Clark (c).
SUBS NOT USED: Dan Armstrong, Nat Wedderburn, Jason Talbot, Cammy Gill (GK)
DUMBARTON (v Falkirk): Jamie Ewings: Dougie Hill, Craig Barr, David Smith, Grant Gallagher, Stuart Carswell, David Wilson (Kyle Hutton 60), Tom Walsh, Danny Handling (Liam Burt 61), Andy Stirling, Callum Gallagher (Iain Russell 71)
SUBS NOT USED: Dimitris Froxylias, Mark Stewart, Kevin Nisbet, Scott Gallacher (GK).
Other Championship Fixtures
Brechin City v Queen of the South
Dundee United v Livingston
Falkirk v St Mirren
Morton v Inverness Caley Thistle
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