Jack Turner (66), Dom Thomas (75), Mackenzie Carse (90+3)
Dunfermline Athletic
0
Queen’s Park
Jack Turner (66), Dom Thomas (75), Mackenzie Carse (90+3)
3
KDM Group East End Park
4433
15:00
Preview
Match Report
Lineup
Media
It was eighth v ninth in this previously twice postponed cinch Championship match. For many the sight of Queen’s Park at KDM Group East End Park will haunt the memory of 7th May 2022 when an 89th minute Simon Murray goal sent Dunfermline clattering out of the Championship as they lost the play-off semi final to the Glasgow club that had finished fourth in League One.
Everyone connected with the Pars would take great delight from a fine home win. We are constantly reminded that there are no easy games in this league and the last time Queen’s Park played a league game away to Dunfermline it ended a goalless draw on 8th March 1986.
Milestones Queens Park (Home)
Last Victory: 08/10/16 | 2-1 | Challenge Cup Cup Last Defeat: 07/05/22 | 0-1 | Championship Play-Off Best Victory: 20/09/72 | 5-1 | Division Two* Worst Defeat: 22/12/49 | 1-6 | Division Two* Last Goalless Draw: 08/03/86 | Second Division First Ever Meeting: 17/03/23: | 0-0 | Division Two*
* Pre Reconstruction
Last time at KDM Group East End Park Dunfermline 0 Queen’s Park 1, Saturday 7th May 2022, Championship Play-Off Second Leg
After a goalless first leg at Firhill, it was winner take all at East End Park in this the second leg of the cinch Championship semi final play offs with Queens Park standing between the Pars and a final against either Airdrieonians or Montrose.
The first half was tense and still this play-off yielded no goals. In 55 minutes Simon Murray was the first sub of the match and within three he was taken down by Efe Ambrose causing referee Craig Napier to show red to the Nigerian internationalist. Connell drove the subsequent free kick into the defensive wall.
Good chances came Dunfermline’s way. From a free kick 20 yards out in line with the right edge of the Queens box, Lawless delivered an inviting ball that was met by Coll Donaldson but his header cleared the bar. In 77 minutes Lawless played another free kick into the Queen’s box, Donaldson met it again and again Ferrie held.
Three minutes later a rare opportunity for the Glasgow side came from a Smith cross and Murray’s header dropped just wide of the right goalpost. Five minutes from full time a counterattack saw Murray travel down the left and tee up Fox on the edge of the box. He had time to compose himself but fired over the bar. The warning had been registered but in 89th minute Queens Park scored when McHugh cut back for MURRAY in front of goal to finish. 0-1.
That turned out to be the fatal blow for the ten man Fifers. Five added minutes and the introduction of Lewis McCann and Bobby Kamwa saw a big push. O`Hara had a great chance that he could not convert but there was to be no way back. League One football for Dunfermline Athletic next season.
DUNFERMLINE: Jakub Stolarczyk: Matthew Todd, Efe Ambrose, Coll Donaldson, Lewis Martin: Steven Lawless (Bobby Kamwa 90+2), Liam Polworth, Joe Chalmers (Dan Pybus 63), Ryan Dow (Aaron Comrie 63): Graham Dorrans (c) (Lewis McCann 90+2): Kevin O’Hara. SUBS NOT USED: Nikolay Todorov, Rhys Breen, Dom Thomas, Reece Cole, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
QUEENS PARK: Calum Ferrie: Michael Doyle (c), Peter Grant, Charlie Fox, Tommy Robson: Luca Connell, Jake Davidson (Louis Longridge 67), Liam Brown (Jack Thomson 67), Connor Smith (Connor McBride 81): Jai Quitongo (Simon Murray 55), Bob McHugh, SUBS NOT USED: Darren Lyon, Stuart Morrison, Luis Longstaff, Ronan Darcy, Jacques Heraghty (GK).
Recent Form
Dunfermline are without a win in their last seven matches. Queen’s Park ended a 15 match run without a victory with back to back wins against Dunfermline and Raith Rovers. The 2-1 win at Stark’s Park was the first win under their new Spiders’ manager Calum Davidson. Since then they did lose at Ayr but followed that up with a good win at Inverness on Saturday.
The Queen’s Park top goalscorer is Ruari Paton on sixteen goals including eleven in the league. The Pars top scorer in the Championship is Craig Wighton with five goals. Over the course of the season Craig is one behind Lewis McCann.
League Record
DUNFERMLINE League Position: 8th League Points: 24 Goal Difference: -5 Home League Record: P10 W3 D1 L6 GF12 GA16 Last Six Match Form: DDLLDL
QUEENS PARK League Position: 9th League Points: 23 Goal Difference: -13 Away League Record: P11 W4 D2 L5 GF15 GA19 Last Six Match Form: LLWWLW
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE Morton (H) L 0-5 Dundee United D 0-0 Queen’s Park (A) L 1-2 Raith Rovers (H) L 1-2 Ayr United (A) D 2-2 Arbroath (A) D 1-1
QUEEN’S PARK Inverness Caley Thistle (A) W 1-0 Ayr United (H) L 1-2 Raith Rovers (A) W 2-1 Dunfermline (H) W 2-1 Partick Thistle (A) L 2-3 Airdrieonians (A) L 1-2
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Morton): Deniz Mehmet: Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Xavier Benjamin (Brad Holmes 58), Ewan Otoo: Michael O’Halloran, Chris Hamilton (c), Joe Chalmers (Paul Allan 58), Josh Edwards: Ben Summers: Craig Wighton (Owen Moffat 28), Lewis McCann. SUBS NOT USED: Miller Fenton, Taylor Sutherland, Jake Sutherland, Sam Young, Max Little (GK)
QUEEN’S PARK (v Inverness Caley Thistle): Calum Ferrie: Alex Bannon, Jack Thomson, Thomas Robson: Ben McPherson (Louis Longridge 68), Jack Turner, Stuart McKinstry (Josh Scott 60), Cameron Bruce (Mackenzie Carse 60), Will Tizzard: Ruari Paton (James Crole 89), Dom Thomas (c) SUBS NOT USED: Zach Mauchin, Callum Haspell, Scott Williamson, Lewis Reid, Sam Kane (GK)
Referee will be Iain Snedden.
Last 12 Meetings
05/01/24
Queen's Park
2
Dunfermline
1
16/09/23
Queen's Park
0
Dunfermline
2
07/05/22
Dunfermline
0
Queen's Park
1
04/05/22
Queen's Park
0
Dunfermline
0
18/11/17
Queen's Park
1
Dunfermline
4
08/10/16
Dunfermline
2
Queen's Park
1
18/08/99
Dunfermline
4
Queen's Park
0
08/03/86
Dunfermline
0
Queen's Park
0
11/01/86
Dunfermline
3
Queen's Park
2
24/08/85
Queen's Park
3
Dunfermline
1
16/03/85
Queen's Park
1
Dunfermline
1
02/02/85
Queen's Park
4
Dunfermline
1
Last 6 Matches
Dunfermline Athletic
Queens Park
L
Greenock Morton
(Home)
0-5
W
Inverness Caley Thistle
(Away)
2-1
D
Dundee United
(Away)
0-0
L
Ayr United
(Home)
1-2
L
Queens Park
(Away)
1-2
W
Raith Rovers
(Away)
2-1
L
Raith Rovers
(Home)
1-2
W
Dunfermline Athletic
(Home)
2-1
D
Ayr United
(Away)
2-2
L
Partick Thistle
(Away)
2-3
D
Arbroath
(Away)
1-1
L
Airdrieonians
(Away)
1-2
Conceding three second half goals resulted in another disappointing afternoon at KDM Group East End Park.
It was eighth v ninth in this twice postponed first home league fixture against Queen’s Park. Both sides made two changes to their starting elevens. Aaron Comrie returned to the Pars team and Paul Allan stepped up as well while Malachi Fagan-Walcott and Craig Wighton were out injured.
Queen’s Park manager Callum Davidson made two changes from the side that won the previous week in Inverness with Sean Welsh and Josh Scott taking the places of Tommy Robson and Cameron Bruce.
The visitors kicked off and enjoyed early possession but the first shot at goal was teed up by Josh Edwards for an on-target effort from Lewis McCann. His shot from 20 yards took a deflection and Calum Ferrie was the first keeper to make a save.
With Comrie’s return and in Wighton’s absence, Michael O’Halloran was operating upfront and in 18 minutes he received a pass from Ewan Otoo that allowed him to attack the Spiders defence and having broken through got in a shot that Ferrie dropped to his right to hold.
Midway through the half Queen’s got in for an attempt on goal. Alex Bannon pushed up and he was able to pick out Jack Turner on the right side of the Dunfermline box and he was closed down by Otoo. His shot landed on the roof of the net and Dom Thomas’ delivery from the resultant corner was overhit. That sent Edwards away up the left but he chose a pass to McCann when a better option might have been to send the ball over the defence.
Paul Allan played O’Halloran to his right and accepted the cut back but his effort was blocked. The same two combined again minutes with the same outcome. It was his third such action when in 32 minutes Deniz Mehmet lobbed a free kick from his own half that was nodded on by McCann before hitting a Queen’s hand inside the box but no penalty was awarded.
Edwards launched a 38th minute throw into the Queen’s six yard box that Calum Ferrie fisted away. When Edwards returned a high ball in the keeper went through two Dunfermline players as he punched away the ball much to the annoyance of the home support who felt the challenge was too severe.
Mehmet held a Thomas shot in 44th minute but throughout the first half the home side had defended really well and denied their opponents space to play. The teams would go in level with neither keeper being really tested.
Half time: Dunfermline 0 Queen’s Park 0
O’Halloran kicked the second half off with the home side attacking the goal in front of the McCathie Stand. It continued a measured game from both sides although the visitors enjoyed territorial advantage. Thomas had a couple of strong runs and Scott pinged the ball across the Fifers box. In 56 minutes Stuart McKinstry’s effort from 25 yards out flew over Mehmet’s crossbar.
Next minute Ben Summers was replaced by Owen Moffat. After Thomas fed Ruari Paton, the 192 Queens Park fans appeal for a 61st minute penalty was ignored although there was no serious appeal from their players. Dunfermline were finding it difficult to get into the final third of the pitch and when they did a Moffat pass was intercepted. Play switched swiftly to the other end and on 66 minutes a cross from the left was glanced into the home net by TURNER. 0-1
Loanee from Blackpool, Brad Holmes replaced Lewis McCann before play resumed. Queen’s introduced Louis Longridge and Mackenzie Carse in 74 minutes and within a minute THOMAS found himself in the ideal place on the right side to bend a classic Dom shot into the top left corner. 0-2
Taylor Sutherland was introduced in place of Michael O’Halloran for the final ten minutes. A Benjamin cross was cleared away and an Edwards effort went over the crossbar.
With the exception of a long range shot by Thomson, the scoreline never really look threatened in the final five minutes and added time but running on to a Thomas pass, sub McKenzie CARSE managed to nip in and make it 3-0 in the third minute of time added on to further ruin the Pars day. Queen’s Park victory, their fourth in five, lifted them into seventh place. Dunfermline slipped to ninth equal on points with Inverness Caley Thistle but was an inferior goal difference.
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet, Xavier Benjamin, Chris Hamilton (c), Ewan Otoo, Aaron Comrie, Paul Allan, Joe Chalmers, Ben Summers (Owen Moffat 57), Josh Edwards, Michael O’Halloran (Taylor Sutherland 80), Lewis McCann (Brad Holmes 67). SUBS NOT USED: Miller Fenton, Jake Sutherland, Sam Young, Max Little (GK) YELLOW CARD: O’Halloran (63), Benjamin (82)
QUEEN’S PARK: Calum Ferrie, Jack Thomson, Will Tizzard, Alex Bannon, Ben McPherson (Zach Mauchin 81), Jack Turner (Louis Longridge 74), Sean Welsh, Stuart McKinstry (Mackenzie Carse 74), Josh Scott, Ruari Paton, Dom Thomas (c) SUBS NOT USED: Thomas Robson, Cameron Bruce, Scott Williamson, Lewis Reid, Sam Kane (GK) SCORERS: Turner 66), Thomas (75), Carse (90+3). YELLOW CARD: Paton (50)
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