Dundee 3 Dunfermline 2

Saturday, 27th Mar 2021

Scottish Championship: five changes - Watson, Wilson, F Murray, Thomas and Wighton start. Kevin O’Hara (3) 0-1: Craig Wighton (6) 0-2: Jason Cummings (35) 1-2: Danny Mullen (54) 2-2: Lee Ashcroft (56) 3-2:

This match started the day as fourth v third but as a consequence of the evening kick off for live television coverage on the BBC Scotland channel, it kicked off fifth v third. The afternoon results meant that Inverness Caley Thistle and Queen of the South joined Dunfermline and Dundee on 30 points, three behind second placed Raith Rovers.

The Pars were still without the services of Vytas Gašpuitis who was away on international duty with Lithuania. From the team that started at Cappielow on Tuesday night out went Matthew Todd, Steven Whittaker, Kerr McInroy, Lewis McCann: Declan McManus. In their places Stevie Crawford brought in Paul Watson, Iain Wilson, Fraser Murray, Dom Thomas and Craig Wighton. Ewan Henderson, an on loan signing made on the eve of the match was on the bench.

Dundee manager, James McPake, made two changes from the eleven that started against Alloa Athletic last time out. Sam Fisher and Danny Mullen dropped to the bench as Liam Fontaine and Osman Sow returned. Former Par loanee Jonathan Afolabi was on the bench just a day after scoring for the Republic of Ireland U21s against Wales in Wrexham.

The visitors kicked off defending the goal in front of where their fans would have been accommodated had it not been for the Covid-19 restrictions. In just 90 seconds Fraser Murray tried a low shot from outside the Dundee box that whizzed wide right. Kevin O’Hara almost got a touch on it but with his next chance O’HARA found the top left corner. The goal came from a Josh Edwards throw in when he combined with Wighton who cut in to deliver the vital assist.

Three more minutes passed before the Fifers doubled their lead. This time after O’Hara had blocked Liam Fontaine’s pass, Craig WIGHTON fought off former Pars captain, Lee Ashcroft on the edge of the box and chipped a shot over keeper, Adam Legzdins. 0-2

What a start but there were 84 minutes left. Dundee forced a couple of corners and from the second one Ashcroft headed narrowly wide of the right goalpost. Thomas created danger after the referee played advantage and his cross has to be headed over his own bar by Jordan Marshall. The corner was defended and it was Owain Fôn Williams who had to save next.

Paul McMullan was picked out on the right and despite Edwards challenge he got in a low shot at an angle that the big Welshman parried away. Max Anderson gathered the loose ball but his 22nd minute shot was blocked.

At the other end Thomas fired a low left footed shot from 20 out that the 34 year old Dundee keeper dropped to his left to hold. Next it was
Fôn Williams who was tested. On the half hour an Anderson shot was booted away by Euan Murray but it took a wicked rebound off Aaron Comrie and as the ball fell to Osman Sow, big Owain made two fantastic saves to deny him but Jason CUMMINGS headed in at the far post. 1-2

While Dunfermline had continued to create chances, Dundee had recovered well from their early setback. In 41 minutes two Pars corners were defended and when Dee broke they earned a free kick when the ball hit Watson’s hand. Fortunately the Fifers wall did its job stopping the attempt from the newly introduced sub Danny Mullen.

Right on 45 minutes tenacity from Paul McGowan created a cross from the left to the near post where Ashcroft headed wide left. The stats at the break would show 66% Dunfermline possession but Dundee had grown more and more threatening with ten shots to the Pars three.

Half time: Dundee 1 Dunfermline 2

First shot of the second half came from McMullan in 51 minutes but Edwards made a good block to stop it. Two minutes later Cummings broke through the middle and when he laid the ball off for Mullen his shot was deflected on to his crossbar by Fon Williams. No such luck when the next chance came from a 54th minute corner on the left. Fon Williams saved Ashcroft’s powerful header but MULLEN nipped in to net. 2-2

Dundee made it two goals in two minutes when ASHCROFT met another Paul McGowan corner from the left and his header found the Fifers goal just inside the right upright, 3-2. It could have been all square two minutes later when Thomas forced a cross from the left that Fraser Murray looked likely to head in until Marshall appeared to survive a push on the on loan Hibee.

There was a clearance off the Pars goal line when Fontaine met a McGowan corner before Paul Watson required the physio’s attention in 64 minutes. Unable to continue Ewan Henderson came on as his replacement with Lewis Mayo filling the centre back role.

In 69 minutes Fôn Williams saved from Mullen and then closed out Cummings at his left goalpost. With twenty minutes remaining there was a double substitution by Dunfermline, Scott Banks and Declan McManus replacing Dom Thomas and Kevin O ‘Hara.

Banks delivered a dangerous ball from the left and then it was a cross from Henderson in 77 minutes that McManus clashed with Legzdins that referee Bobby Madden blew up. Fôn Williams was called upon again to stop a decent Cummings shot and there were a couple of moves where Edwards tried hard to penetrate the Dee defence.

Adam Legzdins tipped a Fraser Murray free kick over his bar and then Henderson produced a great cross from the right that Ashcroft cleared. Keeping up the pressure Banks then controlled the ball to place a shot at goal but he was wide left. Quickly Banks got in another shot that was blocked, fell to Henderson to shoot and then deflected into the goalkeeper’s hands.

Try as they did Dunfermline just could not find the equaliser and dropped to fourth place as a result, their lowest league placing of the season so far.

DUNDEE: Adam Legzdins: Christie Elliott, Lee Ashcroft, Liam Fontaine, Jordan Marshall: Paul McGowan, Declan McDaid, Paul McMullan, Max Anderson (Shaun Byrne 87), Osman Sow (Danny Mullen 39), Jason Cummings (Jonathan Afolabi 90).
SUBS NOT USED: Cammy Kerr, Lyall Cameron, Sam Fisher, Calum Ferrie (GK).
SCORERS: Cummings (30), Mullen (54), Ashcroft (56)
YELLOW CARD: Marshall (79), Anderson (83)

DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson (Ewan Henderson 66), Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Fraser Murray, Lewis Mayo, Iain Wilson, Dom Thomas (Scott Banks 70): Kevin O’Hara (Declan McManus 70), Craig Wighton.
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Lewis McCann, Kerr McInroy, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: O’Hara (3), Wighton (6)

REFEREE: Bobby Madden
WEATHER: Cold 8°C
ATTENDANCE

NEXT MATCH: Scottish Championship (away) v Raith Rovers, Tuesday 30th March 2021, kick off 7.05pm. Live on BBC Scotland channel.

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Preview Dundee

Saturday, 27th Mar 2021

Scottish Championship (away) v Dundee, Saturday 27th March 2021, 7.20pm kick off at the Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park. Live on BBC Scotland channel.

It will be third v fourth when Dunfermline travel to Dundee seeking their first league win at Dens Park since October 2004. The competition for play off places extends to more than half the teams in the league and with a schedule of back to back away games against Dundee and Raith Rovers to be followed by a home match against Hearts the remaining Pars league fixtures take the look of cup finals.

Dunfermline’s last win at the Kilmac Stadium was 1-0 in Betfred Cup in July 2018. Dundee has hosted 55 league matches against Dunfermline, 27 have been home wins, 16 drawn and 12 away wins.

Milestones Dundee (Away)

Last Victory | 22/07/18 | 1-0 | Betfred Cup
Last Defeat | 14/12/19 | 3-4 | Championship
Best Victory | 24/11/73 | 5-1 | Div One*
Worst Defeat | 22/03/47 | 0-10 | Div B*
Last Goalless Draw | 13/09/08 | First Division
First League Meeting | 25/09/1926 | 1-1 | Div One*
*Pre league reconstruction

Last time at Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park
Scottish Championship, Saturday 19th December 2020
Dundee 3 Dunfermline 3

Stevie Crawford post Morton
Sat, 12th Dec 2020

Dunfermline made an impressive comeback to draw after going three goals down. Charlie ADAM opened the scoring in 35 minutes, showing all the experience of his 35 years to accept a pass in the centre circle and make ground before smashing the ball past Fôn Williams from 30 yards out. 1-0.

Five minutes into the second half the Pars gave away a silly free kick out on the right side and from that Dundee would score their second. Adam took the setpiece 25 yards out and SOW nipped in to the near post to glance a header past Fôn Williams. The 30 year old’s first goal of the season made it 2-0.

As the midpoint of the second half came it looked like the Pars were working their way back into the game but on 70 minutes FONTAINE with a left footed effort from 15 yards out found the net from Marshall’s corner from the left. 3-0

From a 78th minute corner Paul WATSON’s header looped into the left side of the Dundee goal. 3-1

Just four minutes later Ashcroft took down sub Lewis McCann and McMANUS stepped up to plant the penalty in the bottom right. 3-2 and eight minutes to play.

Sub Max Anderson took out Turner and the Pars would scored from the subsequent free kick in the third minute of added time. McMANUS smacked the ball into the top right from 25 yards out and it was 3-3.

DUNDEE: Jack Hamilton: Christie Elliott, Liam Fontaine, Lee Ashcroft, Jordan Marshall: Jordan McGhee, Shaun Byrne, Paul McGowan (Jordan Foster 87), Charlie Adam (c) (Max Anderson 73): Osman Sow (Jonathan Afolabi 66), Danny Mullen
SUBS NOT USED: Declan McDaid, Cameron Kerr, Finlay Robertson, Calum Ferrie (GK)

DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Lewis Mayo, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Steven Whittaker (Lewis McCann 77): Ryan Dow, Kerr McInroy (Iain Wilson HT), Kyle Turner, Dom Thomas (Kevin O’Hara 54): Declan McManus
SUBS NOT USED: Matty Bowman, Miller Fenton, Lucas Berry, Cammy Gill (GK)

Out the last twelve matches between the teams, Dunfermline have won five. Dundee have won two with five drawn but the Fifers have only won one of the last twelve meetings at Dens Park.

Last Twelve Matches v Dundee
Date. | H/A | F-A | Scorers
19/12/20 | A |3-3 | [0-1] Adam, [0-2] Sow, [0-3] Fontaine, [1-3] Watson, [2-3] McManus (pen.), [3-3] McManus.
24/01/20 | H |2-0 | [1-0] Dow, [2-0] Nisbet
14/12/19 | A |3-4 | [0-1] Devine (o.g.), [1-1] Dow, [1-2] Hemmings, [1-3] McGowan, [1-4] Johnson, [2-4] Nisbet, [3-4] Martin
02/08/19 | H | 2-2 | [1-0] Dow, [2-0] Nisbet, [2-1] Johnson (pen.), [2 -2] Johnson (pen).
22/07/18 | A | 1-0 | [1-0] J Longridge
25/08/15 | H | 3-1 | [1-0] El Bakhtaoui, [1-1] Hemmings, [2-1] Cardle, [3-1] El Bakhtaoui
22/03/11 | A | 1-1 | [1-0] Burke, [1-1] Hyde
15/01/11 | H | 0-0
23/10/10 | A | 2-2 | [1-0] Gibson (pen), [2-0] Gibson (pen), [2-1] Griffiths, [2-2] Higgins
11/09/10 | H | 3-1 | [1-0] Gibson (pen.), [2-0] Bell, [2-1] Harkins, [3-1] Clarke
30/03/10 | H | 2-1 | [1-0] Gibson, [2-0] Bell, [2-1] Harkins
17/01/10 | A | 2-3 | [0-1] Griffiths, [1-1] Graham, [1-2] McMenamin, [2-2] Kirk, [2-3] Griffiths

Last Six Matches
Both sides results have been up and down with Dundee one win better off in the last six matches.

DUNFERMLINE
Morton (A) D 0-0
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) L 0-1
Morton (H) W 1-0
Queen of the South (A) L 0-1
Alloa Athletic (H) W 2-1
Arbroath (A) L 0-2

DUNDEE
Alloa Athletic (A) W 3-0
Ayr United (H) L 1-3
Arbroath (H) W 2-0
Hearts (A) L 1-2
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) W 2-1
Morton (A) D 2-2

Current League Stats

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 3rd
League Points: 30
Goal Difference: +7
League Record: P19 W8 D6 L5 GF27 GA20
Last Six Match Form: LWLWLD

DUNDEE
League Position: 4th
League Points: 30
Goal Difference: +2
League Record: P20 W8 D6 L6 GF37 GA35
Last Six Match Form: DWLWLW

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Morton): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Lewis Mayo, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Matthew Todd (Fraser Murray 58), Steven Whittaker (Dom Thomas 75), Kerr McInroy (Iain Wilson 64), Lewis McCann: Declan McManus (Craig Wighton 101), Kevin O’Hara.
SUBS NOT USED: Paul Allan, Scott Banks, Cammy Gill (GK)

DUNDEE (v Alloa Athletic): Adam Legzdins: Lee Ashcroft, Christie Elliott, Jordan, Marshall, Sam Fisher, Paul McGowan (Shaun Byrne 70), Declan McDaid, Paul McMullan, Max Anderson, Danny Mullen (Jonathan Afolabi 84), Jason Cummings (Charlie Adam 77)
SUBS NOT USED: Cammy Kerr, Lyall Cameron, Luke Strachan, Jack Hamilton (GK).

The referee will be Bobby Madden, his first Dunfermline match since the Scottish Cup tie at Raith in January 2019 but he was in charge the last time Dunfermline won at Dens Park.

Other Championship Fixtures

Alloa Athletic v Ayr United
Hearts v Queen of the South
Inverness Caley Thistle v Arbroath
Raith Rovers v Morton

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