Reserves v Inverness CT
Thursday, 9th Mar 2000Reserve League East. Reserves edge nearer title
DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC 2 INVERNESS CT 1
With an unbeaten run stretching back to October, the Pars reserves need just two wins from their last five games to clinch the Reserve League East title. They managed to clear the first hurdle today, despite making it hard for themselves.
The Pars defence were caught sleeping five minutes into the game, allowing Martin Bavidge through on goal. He was denied only by an excellent save from David Hay.
The first attack for the visitors came after quarter of an hour when Anderson (just on for the injured Taylor) whipped in a cross only for David Graham`s shot to be saved by Rodgers.
The Pars defence looked solid for the most part, particularly Justin Skinner, restricting Caley to long range efforts, although Hay was definitely the busiest of the keepers during much of the first half.
With ten minutes remaining of the first half, Dunfermline began to pick up the pace and after Templeman fell in the box (no penalty said the referee) the Pars attack spent the rest of the half wasting chances - Nish was the biggest culprit but David Graham has to shoulder some of the blame also.
Pars started a little stronger in the second half, and some passing play ended with Nish heading straight at the goalkeeper from Boyle`s cross.
While the home defence looked solid enough, the midfield and attack seemed to be lacking any kind of drive or initiative. They were punished in the fifty-fifth minute. Reid was seen by the referee to have committed a foul inside the box and the centre half, already serving a suspension, picked up another yellow card for his trouble. Andrew Allan stepped up to take the penalty, but it was parried away by Hay.
When the rebound was returned to him Hay again managed a terrific stop, only for the ball to be parried away again. For the third time, the ball was hammered towards goal, only to ricochet between the ground and the cross bar. The fourth attempt was finally headed in by ALLAN past the unlucky Hay to give the visitors the lead.
Dunfermline huffed and puffed and struggled against a far side assistant who seemed to have his arm stuck in an upright position. Just as it was looking like a lost cause, the home team finally got the breakthrough.
With ten minutes remaining, Craig Martin picked up the ball on the right wing, ran into the box and sent a cross towards the Caley goal. Rodgers parried away but only as far as NISH who pounced on it three yards out to draw the Pars level.
Pars snatched the points in the last five minutes when David Graham robbed centre half Allan of the ball and dribbled round the outrushing keeper. GRAHAM seemed to have been forced too far wide, but managed to bang it home from a tight angle to give the Pars all the points.
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Nish (79), Graham (84)
YELLOW CARD: Reid (55)
INVERNESS CT: Rodgers: Hind, J MacDonald, Allan, Munro, Byres, Stewart (N. MacDonald 75), Duncan Shearer (Sim 70), Marin Bavidge, Kellacher, Dennis Wyness
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Allan
REFEREE:
WEATHER:
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: Reserve League match v Forfar (away)
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