U19s v Heriot Watt

Hat-trick for Steven Leslie and double for birthday boy Ben Martin at Riccarton.

HERIOT WATT 1  DUNFERMLINE 5

Dunfermline Under 19s made up for their 2-1 defeat to Civil Service in midweek with an emphatic victory over Heriot Watt at Riccarton on Sunday afternoon.

Pars keeper Ryan Goodfellow had tipped a Heriot Watt shot around his left hand post before Dunfermline took their first chance of the afternoon in just four minutes. It was Ben MARTIN celebrating his 17th birthday, with a driven goal from the left side of the box.

Three minutes later Kerr Young had his shot at an Aaron Scott corner deflected for another and then from the next Martin had his shot saved by the keeper. After a superb John MacDonald run up the right that split open the home defence, his cross was ideal for McWhirter but Leslie took a stab at it and the ball was taken away. That proved costly since the students hit on the break and slotted the equaliser past the exposed Goodfellow in 19 minutes.

Opportunities came thick and fast for Dunfermline however. McWhirter flashed an inviting ball across the face of goal just in front of Steven Leslie and then Scott`s shot from 25 yards hit the left post before Leslie tried a `Hand of God` finish that did not fool the referee.

A fine run up the left wing by left back Grant Munro where he beat three men before setting up LESLIE for his first of the afternoon in 40 minutes.

Before the break MARTIN extended that lead to two, playing the ball off Leslie on 20 yards before finding the net for a personal double.

Half Time: Heriot Watt 1 Dunfermline 3

Dunfermline didn`t relent in the second half with McWhirter working his way into the goalmouth only to be frustrated by the keeper at the near post. MacDonald headed a Dickson cross wide. Martin put through Leslie but the woodwork again denied the Pars and MacDonald`s follow up ended up in the arms of the keeper.

On the hour the visitors scored again this time Young setting up LESLIE for another. The striker failed to head in a great MacDonald cross and hit the crossbar before completing his hat-trick with a fantastic display of perseverance.  LESLIE twisted clear of his defender to stick away a 76th minute third. 

His co-striker Fraser Moncrieff was also a birthday boy - just 16 - but with Leslie on such form he was never going to get a goal to celebrate with.

Aaron Sommerville was called upon to make an impressive double save but in the end the Pars coasted to a comfortable win.