Dunfermline 2 Queen of the South 5
Saturday, 9th Dec 2017Ladbrokes Championship: Clark returned in place of Higginbotham. Chris Kane (8) 0-1: Chris Kane (27) 0-2: Nicky Clark (47) 1-2: Stephen Dobbie (75) 1-3: Stephen Dobbie (80 pen.) 1-4: Declan McManus (85) 2-4: Stephen Dobbie (90+1) 2-5:
Stephen Dobbie hit a 16-minute hat-trick as Queen of the South moved third in the Championship with a convincing 5-2 win over Dunfermline.
Queen of the South were the visitors for the first home game in December. The Dumfries side arrived level on points with the Pars seeking their first win at East End Park since August 2016. They named an unchanged side from that held to a draw at home to Caley Thistle the previous week. Injury prevented former Pars captain Callum Fordyce returning to East End for the first time since his departure in the summer.
For his match against his former charges, Allan Johnston brought back top scorer Nicky Clark in place of Kallum Higginbotham. Lewis Martin retained his place in midfield where he did so well against Dundee United.
The visitors kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end and it was the Pars Sean Murdoch who was the first keeper called upon to make a save, easily holding an Andy Stirling drive from the edge of the box in four minutes.
Queen of the South were to open the scoring in eight minutes after a good pass from Stephen Dobbie to Andy Stirling was neatly back heeled into the path of Chris KANE and the on loan St Johnstone player had loads of time to pick his spot from the edge of the box. 0-1
Buoyed by the goal, QOS pushed up and Kyle Jacobs fed the overlapping Scott Mercer and the Pars defence had to deal with the difficult ball into their six yard box.
Next Joe Cardle was played through one on one in 14 minutes but his shot from the right was beaten away by keeper Alan Martin. Play stopped two minutes later for Clark to receive treatment on his ankle and he was able to return moments later.
Dobbie made a break up the left and when he switched the ball right Jason Talbot appeared to have three opponents to deal with. The defence survived but the home fans were showing signs of concern. That was compounded as a Dobbie drive earned a corner that was not particular convincingly dealt with.
Cardle chipped a cross over from inside the right side of the opposition penalty box but too high for Clark to get any direction on it. The midpoint of the first half passed and Martin made a telling tackle to stop another potentially dangerous break. Back at the other end another Cardle cross drop surprising Clark who could only deflect the chance wide right.
Chris KANE was to score his second goal of the match in 27 minutes. Dobbie twisted and turned more than once as he was marked by Ryan Williamson on the left edge of the box, waiting his opportunity to slide the ball in for the 23 year old to fire in at the near post. 0-2
On the half hour Talbot slipped as he tried to keep Stirling out but fortunately the former Par shot low and Murdoch held.
With ten minutes to half time Dean Shiels replaced Nat Wedderburn. A Williamson crack on a defended ball led to a corner that Cardle fired over and Callum Morris forced another on the opposite side. Jason Kerr head that clear and Kane broke.
There was a short spell where there were lots of successful Pars passes before a cross in was headed at the keeper by Clark. A move from Cardle to Shiels to Cardle but final ball for McManus cut out. McManus did get a shot in before the interval but it ran wide of the left post.
So having recorded 55% possession Athletic went in two down. The crowd made their disquiet known and no doubt the manager would do the same at half time.
Half time: Dunfermline 0 Queen of the South 2
Queens fired an early effort over Murdoch`s bar but after just 96 seconds of the half resuming a Williamson cross was stuck away at the near post by CLARK and the Pars were back in the game. 1-2
Dobbie penetrated on the right and his cross went tantalisingly across the face of goal and out beyond the far post.
Morris incurred a yellow card in conceding a free kick just 25 yards out but Dobbie drove that into the four man Pars defensive wall. A Queens corner two minutes later was headed away by Clark and sent McManus up the right flank. He overcame the efforts of Jordan Marshal to half him but having done the hard bit his final ball in towards Cardle on 18 yards was disappointed.
Dobbie produced another good low delivery from the right that escaped out beyond the far post in 58 minutes and next minute Talbot denied him another in sliding the ball out for a corner on the right. Clark again did the necessary getting first connection to Stirling`s cross.
After Talbot conceded a 62nd minute corner the visitors then made their hosts defend two more, Kerr seeing the best effort deflected behind. Kallum Higginbotham then came on for Lewis Martin with 65 minutes gone. There were then a couple of balls fired into Queens box by Cardle but they both evaded the jumping strikers.
Higginbotham laced a ball through for Williamson but after he successfully stopped the ball on the byeline he was unlucky for not getting the free kick as he was pinned against the advertising board by Marshall.
Disaster struck with quarter of an hour remaining. A quickly taken free kick from Ashcroft to Shiels led to the sub being disposed by Jacobs 35 yards out and Kane chased the loose ball. Murdoch came out and got his left foot to the ball ahead of the Queens player some 25 yards out but DOBBIE pounced on the loose ball and chipped it into the empty net before the defence could cover. 1-3
It certainly felt that was the contest over and to make matters worse Morris was adjudged to have clipped Dykes as he broke onto the right side of the Pars box and referee Willie Collum awarded the Doonhammers an 80th minute penalty. DOBBIE would make no mistake from the spot and the Fifers trailed 4-1.
Dunfermline did respond with a goal five minutes later. Shiels powered a low shot on target, Clark chased the ball right and cut back for McMANUS to head home. 2-4
The scoring was not over however since DOBBIE was to complete his hat trick in the first minute of added time with a simple goal that was passed around the defence to tee up the striker. 2-5
The visiting manager Gary Naysmith claimed that his side was different class as the Pars slumped to a humiliating defeat, their heaviest ever at home to the Dumfries club.
SUBS NOT USED: Callum Smith, Jean-Yves M`Voto, Cammy Gill (GK).
SCORERS: Clark (47), McManus (85)
YELLOW CARD: Morris (53)
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH: Alan Martin: Jordan Marshall, Darren Brownlie, Jason Kerr, Scott Mercer: Andy Stirling (Shaun Rooney 84), John Rankin, Kyle Jacobs, Chris Kane, Steven Dobbie, Lyndon Dykes
SUBS NOT USED: James McFadden, Derek Lyle, Callum Tapping, Owen Bell, Connor Murray, Jack Leighfield (GK)
SCORERS: Kane (8, 27), Dobbie (75, 80 pen., 90+1))
REFEREE: Willie Collum
WEATHER: Fine 2⁰C
ATTENDANCE 4694
NEXT MATCH: Ladbrokes Championship (away) v St Mirren, Saturday 16th December 2017, kick off 3.00pm at the Paisley 2021 Stadium
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Preview Queen of the South
Saturday, 9th Dec 2017Ladbrokes Championship (home) v Queen of the South Saturday 9th December, 3.00 pm at East End Park.
It was third v fifth as the Pars faced Queen of the South at Palmerston Park in the final match of the first diet of scheduled fixtures in the Ladbrokes Championship. Their second meeting sees Queens travel to East End Park level on points with their fourth placed opponents, with only the Pars superior goal difference keeping them ahead.
Milestones Queen of the South (Home)
Last League Victory: 16/04/11: 6-1: First Division
Last League Defeat: 27/08/16: 0-1: Championship
Best League Victory:
30/12/72: 6-1: Div One (old)
16/04/11: 6-1 First Division
Worst League Defeat: 26/09/09: 1-4: First Division
Dunfermline have won six of the last twelve meetings, QOS have won three and three have been drawn. The Pars are undefeated in the last four matches between the sides.
Last Twelve League Matches v Queen of the South
Date H/A F-A WDL League
14/10/17: (H) 0-0 D Championship
06/05/17: (A) 1-0 W Championship
07/03/17: (H) 1-1 D Championship
17/12/16 (A) 2-2 D Championship
27/08/16: (H) 0-1 L Championship
16/04/11: (H) 6-1 W First Division
26/02/11: (A) 3-1 W First Division
11/12/10: (H) 1-0 W First Division
02/10/10: (A) 0-2 L First Division
27/03/10: (A) 0-2 L First Division
13/03/10: (H) 3-1 W First Division
01/12/09: (A) 2-1 W First Division
Last Meeting at East End Park
Ladbrokes Championship 7th March 2017
DUNFERMLINE 1 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 1
The Pars went ahead in 17 minutes when the ball came through to MOFFAT and evading a challenge, slotted the opener in. 1-0
However eleven minutes after going behind Queens pulled it back. A Rankin shot was blocked but THOMSON followed up to stick the ball in the bottom left from close in. 1-1
DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch: Andy Geggan (c), Callum Morris, Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Nat Wedderburn: Kallum Higginbotham ((Joe Cardle 63), John Herron, Paul McMullan (Michael Paton 76): Nicky Clark, Michael Moffat (Gavin Reilly 76).
SUBS NOT USED: Rhys McCabe, Callum Fordyce, Lewis Spence, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: Moffat (17)
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH: Lee Robinson: Scott Mercer, Chris Higgins, Darren Brownlie, Jamie Hamill: John Rankin, Joe Thomson (Owen Bell 88), Kyle Jacobs, Lyndon Dykes (Dale Hilson 83), Dom Thomas , Stephen Dobbie (Derek Lyle 83)
SUBS NOT USED: Andy Dowie, Conner Murray, Danny Carmichael, Jim Atkinson (GK)
Form last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Dundee United (A) L 1-2
Dumbarton (H) D 2-2
Morton (H) D 1-1
Queens Park (A) W 4-1
Falkirk (A) D 1-1
Inverness Caley (A) L 0-1
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH
Inverness Caley (H) D 0-0
Dumbarton (A) D 2-2
Livingston (H) L 0-3
Montrose (H) W 2-1
Montrose (A) D 0-0
The New Saints (A) D 0-0
Recent Form
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 4th
League Points: 23
League Record: P15 W6 D5 L4 GF30 GA17
Goal Difference: +13
Last Six League Match Form: WLDDDL
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH
League Position: 6th
League Points: 23
League Record: P15 W6 D5 L4 GF23 GA19
Goal Difference: +4
Last Six League Match Form: WWWLDD
Queen of the South have only lost twice away from home this season - against Dundee United and St Mirren.
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Dundee United): Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c), Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Nat Wedderburn, Lewis Martin. Kallum Higginbotham (Fraser Aird 55), Michael Paton, Joe Cardle: Declan McManus.
SUBS NOT USED: Callum Smith, Dean Shiels, Jean-Yves M`Voto, Cammy Gill (GK).
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH (v Inverness Caley Thistle): Alan Martin: Jordan Marshall, Darren Brownlie, Jason Kerr, Scott Mercer: Andy Stirling (James McFadden 68), John Rankin, Kyle Jacobs, Chris Kane (Derek Lyle 76), Steven Dobbie (Shaun Rooney 88), Lyndon Dykes
SUBS NOT USED: Jack Leighfield, Callum Tapping, Owen Bell, Jesse Akabuine.
Referee will be Willie Collum.
Other Championship fixtures on Saturday
Brechin City v St Mirren
Dumbarton v Livingston
Inverness Caley v Falkirk
Morton v Dundee United
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