U20s v Dundee United
Tuesday, 26th Jan 2016SPFL Development League: Orru (3 og) 0-1; Anier (4) 0-2; Horne (11) 1-2; Smith (45+1) 1-3; Crossan (51) 2-3: Anier (74) 2-4; Trialist (86) 2-5
- - Listen to Coach John Potters post match thoughts
DUNFERMLINE 2 DUNDEE UNITED 5
It was 17th v 16th at Spartans, Ainslie Park on a wet and windy Tuesday afternoon. The visitors were four points better off than the Pars with games in hand so it was an important match for the Fifers. With the first team game against Airdrieonians scheduled for Friday night, it was a young under 20s side that took on Dave Bowman's team.
Dunfermline kicked off into the wind and found themselves right up against it from the start. Losing two goals within four minutes of the start made things even more difficult. The first goal was an own goal when Jordan ORRU turned a cross from the left onto his own net. Then within a minute Henri ANIER found the net for United's second. 0-2
There was a sixth minute opportunity for James Thomas but he sent his shot across keeper and went wide. Reece Duncan cross was then dummied by Brandon Luke but took his own player by surprise.
United had a chance with a header but sent it straight to Gill.
Evan HORNE who had only change allegiances from United to the Pars in the previous week, scored from six yards after receiving a PJ Crossan cut back. 1-2
PJ had a chance of his own five minutes later but got robbed in the box by Cammy Ballantyne. Next a Robbie Crawford run down the right was finished with a good pass to Thomas but the keeper blocked the striker's shot.
In 19 minutes a deflected United shot was gathered by Gill and the young Pars keeper had a fine save from Anier. At the other end a great cross by Crawford was headed away by the United Trialist.
Duncan and Jassem Sukar clashed in a challenge on halfway and the Dundee United player was subsequently subbed by Allardyce. A 39th minute corner to United on the right was taken short but successfully cleared.
In 43 minutes Crossan displayed good skills but have made way inside the United box, should have passed before being dispossessed. Gill made a good save from 27 year old former Ajax striker, Darko Bodul and it looked like the Pars would go in trailing by just the one goal until wind assisted Brad SMITH's 28 yard strike.
Half time: Dunfermline 1 Dundee United 3
First chance of the second half went the way of Thomas but after receiving the pass from Horne he sent the effort over the bar. Two minutes later on 50 minutes McClair put over a decent cross but keeper Luis Zwick collected. Then Dunfermline got their reward when CROSSAN was supplied yet again by Horne and the 17 year old slotted it away low into the net.
Crawford despatched a shot from distance after a Horne corner in from the right was defended out to him. The visitors then had a good spell creating several chances and forcing four or five good saves out of Gill. Orru blocked a Charlie Telfer shot, Gill punched clear at a corner, Ballantyne sent the ball wide at another corner but in 73 minutes ANIER was to net his second and United's fourth to effectively end the contest.
Just to make the final quarter of an hour more interesting the Premier League team was reduced to ten men after Allardyce was shown a straight red card for a tackle on Crossan right on the edge of the box.
Thomas took the 77th minute free kick from the edge of box but Zwick made a good save. The the 21 year old German keeper then tipped over a Horne corner for another corner on the left but the pressure ended when referee Peter Stuart blew for a free kick to United in their own box.
The Pars keeper then saved from Murphy but with four minutes to go was beaten again when the towering TRIALIST headed in at a free kick. Dunfermline tried to strike back and Crossan was unlucky with a back flick on a Scott Sutherland cross. Horne had one final attempt from distance but was high over bar.
Dunfermline had played reasonably well on a day when the wind spoiled any chance of a spectacle.
SUBS NOT USED: Jack McClair, Josh Dunn (GK).
SCORERS: Horne (11), Crossan (51)
YELLOW CARD: Horne (22)
DUNDEE UNITED: Luis Zwick; Kyle Knoyle (Reghan Tumility 66), Jamie Robson, Cammy Ballantyne, Trialist, Jassem Sukar (Scott Allardyce 37), Charlie Telfer, Brad Smith, Henri Anier, Darko Bodul, Arran Murphy.
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Booth, Justin Johnson, Greg McNaughton, Aaron Duke, Logan Davie
SCORERS: Orru (og 3), Anier (4, 73), Smith (45+1), Trialist (86)
RED CARD: Allardyce (76)
REFEREE: Peter Stuart
WEATHER: Wet and Windy 12C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: SPFL Development League (away) v Inverness Caley Thistle, date, time and venue TBC
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