Forfar Athletic 4 Dunfermline 0
Saturday, 5th Oct 2013SPFL League One: Athletic v Athletic. Same again team selected; McManus (2) 1-0; Malcolm (14) 2-0; Malin (74) 3-0; Hilson (81) 4-0.
MATCH PICTURES
Dunfermline`s first fixture in October took them to the land of Loons, guide dogs and bridies. A beautifull sunny day welcolmed the Pars to Station Park in the county town of Angus for the first time since January 1989 for a league fixture.
Not surprisingly Jim Jefferies fielded the same starting eleven that played in the 5-1 win over Ayr United the previous Saturday. Forfar Athletic gaffer, Dick Campbell was forced to make a change as a result of Gavin Swankie`s suspension for his last minute red at Arbroath last week. Gavin Malin, Gary Fusco, Stuart Malcolm and Paul McManus came in as Marvin Andrews and Omar Kader found themselves on the bench. Neil McCabe dropped out altogether.
Forfar kicked off and got off to a great start scoring after just 95 seconds. Chris Templeman fed the ball to Paul McMANUS who slotted home from ten yards out. 0-1
The pace was quick and the Pars produced some slick passes. Their first chance came after Shaun Byrne was cut down by Malin and Stephen Husband had a chance for one of his special free kicks from 26 yards out but unfortunately his drive flew past the right goalpost. A Ross Millen free kick from deep down the right was pumped into a crowded Forfar box but Templeman was up to deny Andy Geggan.
In 14th minute Geggan`s back pass nearly handed the hosts a second but when McManus was through on Ryan Scully, the keeper managed to touch the ball wide right. Defending corners again proved the Pars downfall for when the delivery was made MALCOLM was able to run in and head the ball home. 2-0
Dunfermline`s response was a wild shot from skipper Josh Falkingham, a Geggan header over the crossbar, Geggan header into the sidenetting on the left and another wild long range attempt this time from Ross Millen. A wonderful opportunity fell to the Pars on 22 minutes. A cross from the right was headed on for Geggan but he blasted the ball into the sidenetting.
At the midway point in the half Husband was given another pop from a free kick 30 yards out. It was not stopped by the defenders but Darren Hill dropped to his knees to save on the line. Chances kept coming and yet another escaped Geggan on 26 minutes. Three minutes after that Ryan Wallace chipped the ball to the far post where Hill challenged Byrne`s header. The ball went wide and the dazed Pars midfielder needed the attention of physio Kenny Murray before he could continue.
Forfar`s chances continued to be supplied by their opponents a poor clearance letting Dale Hilson in and then a header out of the box falling to Gary Fusco and he returned it for McManus and he was narrowly wide left when he squeezerd in a shot. Wallace headed a Millen cross over the Forfar bar in between.
Falkingham`s run and then cross earned a 40th minute corner and from that Callum Morris` header was cleared off the line at the right post and then Robert Thomson stabbed the loose ball wide of that same post. In time added on at the end of the first half a Falkingham cross was headed away by Malcolm from under his post and Alex Whittle smashed a good effort only inches over the crossbar.
The continuing failure to find the net must have troubled Jim Jefferies at the break since their attacking play had been very good.
Half Time: Forfar Athletic 2 Dunfermline 0
The interval did not take the momentum out of Dunfermline`s bombardment of the Loons goal and on 47 minutes their keeper was fortunate just to take enough sting out of Byrne`s close in effort to be able to turn and stop the ball finding the net at the right post.
It was all Dunfermline with Scully the sole figure in his half for spells. A Millen cross slipped through the Forfar box but Geggan was prevented from getting in a shot at the far post. Another Millen cross kept up the pressure before McManus almost scored on the break. Morris got back after Johnston and Husband had lost possession. Thomson headed wide when another cross came over.
Morris sent Whittle up the left and as he approached the penalty box he was taken down by Baxter to earn the Forfar full back a yellow card and the Pars a free kick. Millen lifted that into the crowded box but it was proving impossible to penetrate the home guard. Ryan Thomson replaced Robert Thomson on 63 minutes as Jim Jefferies tried something different.
It was Forfar who were to score the next goal however. Substitute Omar Kader had just come on for McManus when he broke up the right wing. He found Hilson who decided to shoot from 35 yards out. His high effort beat Scully but the ball rebounded off the crossbar for MALIN to crash into the Dunfermline goal. 3-0
Forfar inflicted more pain in 81 minutes when Scully could not hold Templeman`s shot and HILSON slid in a fourth goal. After that the former Pars striker nearly scored a fifth. He twisted and turned his way around Johnston to get in a shot that just went outside Scully`s right hand post.
No goals were to come Dunfermline`s way. They rarely troubled the opposing goalkeeper and although sub Allan Smith got a rare shot on target near the end that went straight to Hill.
An incredibly disappointing result against the team that started the day at the foot of the table. The Pars have now failed to win in their last five visits to Station Park.
MATCH PICTURES
SUBS NOT USED: Rab Douglas (GK), Craig Smith, Marvin Andrews
SCORERS: McManus (2), Malcolm (14), Malin (74), Hilson (81)
YELLOW CARD: Fusco (58), Baxter (62), Hilson (66)
DUNFERMLINE: Ryan Scully; Ross Millen, Luke Johnston, Callum Morris, Alex Whittle; Josh Falkingham (c), Shaun Byrne (Jordan Moore 80), Stephen Husband (Allan Smith 74), Andy Geggan; Ryan Wallace, Robert Thomson (Ryan Thomson 63).
SUBS NOT USED: Faissal El Bakhtaoui, Ryan Ferguson, Kerr Young, Ryan Goodfellow (GK)
REFEREE: Alan Muir
WEATHER: Sunny 16°C
ATTENDANCE 968
NEXT MATCH: (home) SPFL League One v East Fife
Saturday 19th October 2013, kick off 3.00pm
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Preview Forfar Athletic
Wednesday, 2nd Oct 2013Saturday 5th
MATCH INFORMATION
Dunfermline Athletic travel to meet Forfar Athletic at Station Park on Saturday, their first time back since the 3-1 defeat in the First Division Play offs last season. Last time the emotions had Forfar on a high having made it to the play offs and the Pars in contrast, deeply disappointed that they had slipped up in their last league match of the season when they had failed to beat the already relegated Airdrie United at home. The defeat at Forfar was followed by a dramatic 6-1 win after extra time back in Fife, the memory of which the Loons will be keen to extinguish.
This time Forfar sit bottom of the table after losing 3-0 to Arbroath last Saturday and the Pars travel north on the back of a confidence building 5-1 demolition of Ayr United.
| Milestones Forfar Athletic (away) | |||
| Last Victory |
12/09/95 |
2-0 |
Challenge Cup |
| Last Defeat |
1-3 |
First Div Play Off | |
| Best Victory |
|
6-0 |
Div Two* |
| Worst Defeat |
|
2-4 |
Div Two* |
| *Pre league reconstruction | |||
There have been 59 previous league fixtures between the clubs, this is the first since season 1988-89 when the Pars won two and Forfar one of the three games. In total Dunfermline have won 37 league encounters to Forfar`s 15 and seven matches have been drawn. The Pars kicked last season off at Station Park at the end of July and went out of the Alba Challenge Cup that day due to a 3-2 defeat. Then when the Play Off semi final took them back the Loons inflicted a 3-1 defeat.
Following their 1-0 last league win in 1988-89, Dunfermline`s last success over Forfar Athletic at Station Park was in the Challenge Cup in season 1995-96. Goals from Andy Tod and Greg Shaw saw the Pars through and immediately after that game Manager Bert Paton signed David Bingham from the Angus Club for a fee of £100,000. That broke Forfar`s previous transfer fee record of £57,00 that Raith Rovers paid to them for Craig Brewster.
The Dunfermline team that beat Forfar in 1995:- Guido van de Kamp, Paul Fenwick (Andy Tod), Derek Fleming (Paul Kinnaird), Norrie McCathie, Craig Robertson, Paul Smith, Allan Moore, Jackie McNamara, Greg Shaw, Stewart Petrie, Mark Millar (Ivo den Bieman).
| Forfar Athletic | Dunfermline |
| Current League Position | |
| 10 | 2 |
| League Form last six results | |
| LLLWLL | WWDWWL |
| League Points | |
| 4 | 16 |
| Goal Difference | |
| -6 | +8 |
| League Record | |
| P7, W1, D1, L5 | P7, W5, D1, L1 |
This match yet again pitches former Pars manager Dick Campbell in against his old club and he has former Pars players there in Iain Campbell (28) and Chris Templeman (33).
League Form
| League Form this season | ||||||
| Forfar Athletic |
|
Dunfermline | ||||
| Arbroath (A) | L | 0-3 | Ayr United (H) |
W |
||
| Rangers (H) | L | 0-1 | Airdrieonians (H) | W | 2-1 | |
| East Fife (A) | W | 3-1 | Brechin City (A) | D | 1-1 | |
| Stenhousemuir (H) | L | 1-2 | Stranraer (H) | W | 3-1 | |
| Brechin City (A) | L | 1-2 | Stenhousemuir (A) | W | 5-4 | |
| Ayr United (A) | L | 0-2 | Arbroath (H) | L | 2-3 | |
Dunfermline are unbeaten in their last five league games while Forfar have managed just one win at East Fife and a 3-3 draw against Airdrieonians at home on the opening day of the league season. That result followed their famous 1-0 Scottish Communities League Cup win over Rangers and a Challenge Cup victory at home against East Fife.
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Ayr United): Ryan Scully; Ross Millen, Luke Johnston, Callum Morris, Alex Whittle (Kerr Young 66); Josh Falkingham (c), Shaun Byrne, Stephen Husband (Fayssal El Bakhtaoui 72), Andy Geggan (Ryan Thomson 80); Ryan Wallace, Robert Thomson.
SUBS NOT USED: Jordan Moore, Allan Smith, Ryan Ferguson, Ryan Goodfellow (GK)
FORFAR ATHLETIC: (v Arbroath): Darren Hill, Daren Dods, Mark Baxter, Neil McCabe (Gavin Malin 45), Marvin Andrews, Omar Kader (Paul McManus 63), James Dale (Craig Smith 56), Iain Campbell, Dale Hilson, Chris Templeman, Gavin Swankie
SUBS NOT USED: Rab Douglas (GK), Ross Campbell, Gary Fusco, Stuart Malcolm
Referee will be Alan Muir.
Come on ye Pars!
MATCH INFORMATION
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