Dunfermline 3 Inverness CT 3

Saturday, 6th Aug 2011

Pars second SPL game sees Martin Hardie back after missing the Annan match. Kirk (27) 1-0 Tansey (47) 1-1. Kirk (53) 2-1. Hayes (76) 2-2. (83) Tansey 2-3; Hardie (90) 3-3

MATCH PICTURES
Inverness were the visitors as the Pars went into their second SPL match of the season.  Jim McIntyre made one change from the side that faced Annan the previous Saturday - Martin Hardie coming in for Andy Dowie. The two youngsters Tom Aldred and Nick Ross dropped out of the visitors starting line up to make room for Aaron Doran and Chris Hogg. That left just two Scots in the Inverness team - Ryan Esson and Ross Tokely; the rest of the side comprised of an Austrian, two Frenchmen, three Irishmen, a Welshman and two Englishmen.

The Highland `settlers` then kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end. Andy Barrowman forced the first corner in third minute and from the right, Joe Cardle picked out an unmarked Gary Mason on the far side of the box. His shot was headed netbound by Barrowman but saw the effort cleared off the line in what was an early escape for Caley Thistle.

Roared on by the home support, the Pars kept up the pressure with another corner within two minutes.  Inverness survived that but were fortunate to see Barrowman run the ball out on the far side after being released by Cardle. The first danger to Gallacher`s clean sheet came on ten minutes when Doran made ground down the left to deliver a cross along the 18 yard line but Greg Tansey failed to connect well with the ball and rolled it into the keeper`s hands.

Ross Tokely earned the first yellow card of the afternoon in 13 minutes when he unceremoniously halted Cardle`s run on the corner of the box. Hardie swept the free kick over the bar despite the penalty box filling up with black and white shirts. Next Burns fed Cardle the ball on the edge of the Caley box but chose not to shoot and teed up Jason Thomson but his shot was beaten away by Esson.

In 19th minute Kirk and Cardle combined to allow Thomson a really good diagonal ball into the box but neither striker could accept the chance. Three minutes later a great opportunity for Cardle was blocked by the diving tackle of Hogg. The chance was beautifully carved out by Burns and Thomson and in the end Caley Thistle were fortunate to keep the Pars out.

Tansey tested Gallacher with a free kick from 25 yards while at the other end Paul Burns cut inside and drilled a good low effort outside the right goalpost. Then in 27 minutes Hardie lobbed up a ball and the bounce deceived both Burns and Tokely but Barrowman flicked it on into the Caley box where Andy KIRK smashed it past Esson for the Pars opener.

Thomson was yellow carded rather harshly before Cardle and McCann sprang the right side of the visitors defence but Esson held the cross. More pressure on the Caley goal was sustained with more cross balls and then a Hardie piledriver that was just off target.  French full back Kenny Gillet required the physio`s attention on 37 minutes after going down off the ball.  The 25 year old who played with Barnet last  season was stretchered off from the centre circle meaning David Proctor was the first substitute of the afternoon in 39 minutes.

Inverness pressed a bit before the break but from a corner and a couple of Hayes` crosses, no danger was created. It had been a good first half from the Pars, lots of lively play that generated chances. One goal and it might have been more but the Pars deserved their lead.

Half Time: Dunfermline 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 0

Terry Butcher`s half time team talk paid immediate dividends with Inverness grabbing the equaliser after just 68 seconds of the second half. From a throw in on the left the Pars midfield failed to close down Greg TANSEY and he sent the ball into the home net from 25 yards with the help of a cruel deflection off the back of Alex Keddie`s outstretched leg which removed any hope of Gallacher stopping the shot.

Dunfermline could have struck right back when Cardle was presented with ball from Doran on the right but Barrowman headed the cross on to the roof of the net. The Pars re-instated their lead though in 53 minutes when the Caley Thistle`s defence seemed to freeze. Thomson sent another ball over from the right and the crowd sighed as Cardle let the ball go under his foot. But Super Joe turned and delivered the perfect ball for KIRK to head into the Caley net from close in.  2-1.

Thomson and Cardle continued to pile in balls from the flanks and the Caley defence survived but unconvincingly. Tokely was forced to move to right back as Caley were forced to bring on 20 year old Tom Aldred for first half sub, David Proctor. Hogg gave away possession in 63 minutes but Cardle`s ball towards Barrowman was too big and Esson swept up.

A Tokely cross in 65 minutes won Thistle a corner but Doran sent the shot at Gallacher. Mason got too strong a touch on the edge of the box as Kirk nudged the ball down to him and then Cardle tried a shot that was wide and high when his strikers were looking for the cross.

Controversy reigned midway through the second half when Caley had the ball in the Pars net. Foran flicked Ross`s cross towards the far side of Gallacher`s net but Gregory Tade`s assistance on the netbound ball was deemed offside by the Main Stand side linesman.  Caley did get their equaliser on 76 minutes when Jonny HAYES reacted quickly to Gallacher`s failure to hold a low Jones drive from 25 yards.

Both sides went for the winner with Burns off target with a header and then Foran sending sub Nick Ross away down the right with a chance that he pelted narrowly wide to the left of goal.  A really good chance dropped for Steven McDougall when the Caley Thistle defence again looked dubious but Esson pulled off a great save.

Hardie`s tug on Tansey handed Inverness a free kick 27 yards out left of centre but the Pars charged down Tansey`s attempt. The ball remained in the Pars half and Richie Foran delivered the ball in from the left for TANSEY to head past Gallacher from close in.  David Graham came on for Gary Mason with five minutes to go and the home side tried to salvage something from the game.

A Thomson cross was taken by Esson before any black and white shirt could get to the ball.  But then in 90th minute Hardie was hauled over 30 yards out by Hogg and he assumed the responsibilty for the free kick.  A HARDIE special sent the ball into the top left of the Caley net to grab back a vital SPL point for Macca`s men.

Quite a rollercoaster of a match which had the Inverness side holding their head in their hands at the final whistle. The attendance was disappointing and those who stayed away missed a real six goal thriller.

DUNFERMLINE: Paul Gallacher, Jason Thomson, John Potter, Alex Keddie, Austin McCann (c); Paul Burns, Martin Hardie, Gary Mason (David Graham 85), Joe Cardle; Andy Kirk (Steven McDougall 75), Andy Barrowman..
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Smith (GK), Ryan Thomson, Paul Willis, Andy Dowie, Kerr Young.
SCORERS: Kirk (27, 53), Hardie (90)
YELLOW CARD: Thomson (29), Barrowman (79)

INVERNESS: Ryan Esson, Tom Piermayr, Ross Tokely, Chris Hogg, Kenny Gillet (David Proctor 39 (Tom Aldred 60)); Johnny Hayes, Greg Tansey, Owain Tudor Jones, Aaron Doran (Nick Ross 74); Richie Foran (c), Gregory Tade.
SUBS NOT USED: Andrew Shinnie, Shane Sutherland, Gavin Morrison, Jonny Tuffey (GK).
SCORERS: Tansey (47, 83), Hayes (76)
YELLOW CARD: Tokely (13), Jones (48), Tansey (90)

REFEREE: Stephen Finnie
WEATHER: Bright 19°C
ATTENDANCE 3378

NEXT MATCH: (away) SPL v ST Johnstone
Saturday 13th August 2011, kick off 3.00pm

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Preview Inverness Caley Thistle

Wednesday, 3rd Aug 2011

Two teams seeking first goals and first wins of this SPL season

The Pars second SPL game of the season will be at home to Inverness Caley Thistle on Saturday.  The sides last met two seasons ago when the Highlanders notched two wins and two draws.

League Record v Inverness CT (Home)
Pld	W	D	L	F	A
10	2	5	3	8	6

It is 10 games back now since Dunfermline last defeated Inverness Caley at East End Park that was nearly twelve years ago in December 1999.  Since then Caley successes in Fife include a CIS Insurance Cup tie played on 9th October 2001.  That night Jimmy Calderwood`s Pars side went out on penalties despite a 63rd minute Steven Hampshire equaliser getting the Pars back on track at 1-1. 

Milestones v  Inverness CT (Home)
Last League Victory	18/12/99	1-0	Sc Div 1
Last League Defeat	08/08/09	0-1	Sc Div 1
Best League Victory	07/08/99	4-0	Sc Div 1
Worst League Defeat	13/08/05 06/05/06 08/08/09	0-1 0-1 0-1	SPL SPL Sc Div 1

In the last dozen meetings between the teams Dunfermline have won only once, with four drawn and seven lost.  Jim McIntyre was the last Dunfermline player to score against them in the game that saw the Pars relegated in 2007. The only win - Stephen Kenny`s first league win - was on 17th Match 2007.

Last 12 League Matches v Inverness CT
Date	H/A	F-A	Scorers
17/04/10	A	0-2	[0-1] Rooney, [0-2] Foran
19/12/09	H	0-0	.
17/10/09	A	1-1	[0-1] Proctor, [1-1] Kirk
08/08/09	H	0-1	[0-1] Cox
12/05/07	A	1-2	[1-0] McIntyre, [1-1] Hastings, [1-2] McAllister
17/03/07	A	3-1	[0-1] Paatelainen, [1-1] Glass, [2-1] McIntyre, [3-1] Glass
23/12/06	H	0-0	[0-0]
30/09/06	A	0-1	[0-1] Tokely
06/05/06	H	0-1	[0-1] Morgan
08/02/06	H	2-2	[1-0] Hunt, [2-0] Burchill, [2-1] Dargo (p), [2-2] Wyness
05/11/06	A	1-2	[0-1] Black, [0-2] Proctor, [1-2] Makel
13/08/05	H	0-1	[0-1] Fox

Both sides will want three points from this game.  The Pars have one point from their solitary SPL match against St Mirren while Inverness Caley Thistle have not taken any points from the six they have so far contested.  Terry Butcher`s side went down 3-0 against Motherwell on the first day of the season before losing 1-0 to a stoppage time Garry O`Connor goal against Hibs - despite plenty of chances being created by the Highlanders.

Three penalty claims were also dismissed by the referee in the defeat to Hibs, but Butcher has said that scoring their first competitive goals of the new campaign will be the main objective.

Form last six home / away
Dunfermline  (home)				Inverness Caley Th  (away)
St Mirren	D	0-0		Motherwell	L	0-3
Falkirk	W	3-0		Hamilton	W	2-1
Raith Rovers	W	2-1		Aberdeen	L	1-0
Queen of the South	W	6-1		St Johnstone	W	3-0
Partick Thistle	D	0-0		Kilmarnock	D	1-1
Stirling Albion	W	4-1		Dundee United	L	0-1

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Annan Athletic): Paul Gallacher, Jason Thomson, John Potter, Alex Keddie, Austin McCann (c); Paul Burns (Steven McDougall 80), Andy Dowie, Gary Mason (Ryan Thomson, 71), Joe Cardle; Andy Kirk (Liam Buchanan 66), Andy Barrowman..
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Smith (GK), Paddy Boyle.

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE (v Hibs): Ryan Esson, Ross Tokely, Kenny Gillet, Tom Aldred, Johnny Hayes, Owain Tudor Jones, Greg Tansey, Tom Piermayr, Nick Ross (Aaron Doran 58), Richie Foran, Gregory Tade (Shane Sutherland 69)
SUBS NOT USED: Graeme Shinnie, Andrew Shinnie, David Proctor, Gavin Morrison, Jonny Tuffey (GK).

Referee will be Stephen Finnie.

Caley Thistle have brought in eight new players including Gregory Tade, Aaron Doran and Chris Hogg. Their manager Terry Butcher said this week:-

"In pre-season we were scoring lots of goals and playing some terrific form and we have carried that into the SPL. We have not done anything different, the only difference is our results.

"We said at half-time in the Hibs game that we would improve as the game went on and we did. We dominated and looked like getting the winner before we were hit by the sucker-punch.

"We also had three really strong penalty decisions that didn`t go our way, which really was quite remarkable. We haven`t had the luck in the last two games, but you can talk about that all you want - the thing is we haven`t put the ball in the net when we`ve had the chance to do so.

"We`re in a really positive frame of mind again. We`re just going to continue what we`re doing and I know the results will come. We`re looking forward to going back to Dunfermline. When we played there in the First Division two years ago we were fortunate to get a late win thanks to a goal from Lee Cox - very much like Hibs last week.

"We also drew there that season, I remember that game for personal reasons. It was the day before my son`s wedding in Manchester and Maurice was driving me through blizzards and we drew 0-0.

"There`s always a great crowd down there and it`s a fantastic club, with Jim McIntyre and Gerry McCabe doing a great job.

"Like ourselves, they have come up from the First Division and they have that unity about them. They have added a few new faces, but largely they are a squad who know one another very well and they have that winning mentality.

"However, we have our own agenda to stick to. We have been playing well and we`ll be going there with confidence."

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