cinch League One (home) v Peterhead, Saturday 14th January 2023, kick off 3.00pm at The KDM Group East End Park
This Saturday in what will be the Pars only home game in January it is top v bottom when Dunfermline host Peterhead. On their last visit the visitors proved that there are no easy matches in this league as they left with one point from a 2-2 draw.
The sides last met on 19th November when Davie Nicholls was in temporary charge after the departure of Jim McInally. The Pars won that second match 2-0 and ten days later the former Aberdeen, Rangers and Leeds defender David Robertson was appointed their new manager. The league leaders will have to treat their opponents with caution.
Milestones Peterhead (Home)
Last Victory | 17/07/18 | 3-0 | League Cup Last Defeat | none Best Victory | 22/08/17 | 5-1 | League Cup Worst Defeat | none First Meeting | 27/09/14 | 3-0 | League One Last Goalless Draw | 07/11/15 | League One
Last time at East End Park Saturday 1st October 2022, League One
Dunfermline 2-2 Peterhead Sat, 1st Oct 2022
Having scored second half goals to lead 2-0 with three minutes remaining Dunfermline failed to see the game out and the 2-2 draw felt like a defeat in the circumstances.
It took until midway through the second half before the first goal came along. Edwards was able to swing the ball over to the far post where BREEN challenged and was able to squeeze the opener in between Paul Dixon and Andrew Macdonald. 1-0
A second Dunfermline goal came from another Edwards cross that TODOROV met at the far post in 84 minutes. 2-0
The importance of the two goal cushion became apparent when Jason BROWN bundled the ball over the Pars goalline in 87th minute. The goal came from a throw in that Kyle Benedictus tried to clear, the ball broke off sub Jordan Brown on to Breen and across the goal where the Peterhead player had a tap on to make it 2-1.
The men from the north then put up a spirited attempt to take away a point and they succeeded in the fourth minute of time added on when Macdonald swept over a free kick from the right that Mikey HEWITT lobbed into the net with a looping header. The 21 year old on-loan Ayr United player’s first senior goal, 2-2.
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Kyle Benedictus (c), Rhys Breen, Josh Edwards: Joe Chalmers (Chris Hamilton 68): Kyle Macdonald (Craig Wighton HT), Matthew Todd (Kane Ritchie-Hosler 87), Chris Mochrie: Lewis McCann (Robbie Mahon 78), Nikolay Todorov SUBS NOT USED: Sam Fisher, Sam Young, Andrew Tod, Taylor Sutherland, Max Little (GK)
PETERHEAD: Tom Ritchie: Max Gillies, Jason Brown, Andrew McDonald, Paul Dixon (Cody McLeod 81): Ryan Strachan, Michael Hewitt, Robbie Scullion (Jordon Brown 73), Ryan Dow, Jack Brown, Ramez Hefzalla (Danny Strachan 50). SUBS NOT USED: Prince Asare, Sandy Wood (GK).
Dunfermline and Peterhead have met thirteen times, the Blue Toon have won once in 2015/16 season, the Pars have won six and six matches have been drawn including the first meeting this season at East End Park last month.
Recent Form
Peterhead have drawn one and lost five of their last six matches. They have failed to score in any of those six matches. Their only win in their 26 matches this season was 2-1 over Kelty Hearts at home in September. Their 3-0 win over Clyde in April was their only away win of 2022.
Dunfermline have gone seven league games without defeat. They are unbeaten at home this season but have dropped points in drawing four times including to ninth and tenth placed clubs, Clyde and Peterhead.
League Record
DUNFERMLINE League Position: 1st League Points: 42 Goal Difference: +17 Home League Record: P9 W4 D5 L0 GF12 GA8 Last Six Match Form: WWDWWW
PETERHEAD League Position: 10th League Points: 8 Goal Difference: -38 Away League Record: P10 W0 D3 L7 GF6 GA27 Last Six Match Form: LLLLDL
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v FC Edinburgh): Deniz Mehmet: Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus (c), Aaron Comrie: Kyle Macdonald, Chris Hamilton, Joe Chalmers, Josh Edwards: Matthew Todd: Craig Wighton (Chris Mochrie 63), Lewis McCann (Nikolay Todorov 87) SUBS NOT USED: Kevin O’Hara, Miller Fenton, Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Sam Young, Robbie Mahon, Max Little (GK)
PETERHEAD (v Airdrieonians): Tom Ritchie: Jason Brown, Kevin Joshua, Andrew McDonald, Jordan Brown (Jack Brown 87), Ryan Strachan, Andrew McCarthy, Jack Wilkie (Boris Melingui 87), Daniel Fosu, Kieran Shanks, Kusel Gabriel (Danny Strachan 45). SUBS NOT USED: David Wilson, Cody McLeod, Enock Walusimbi, Sandy Wood (GK).
Other League One Fixtures
Alloa Athletic v FC Edinburgh Falkirk v Clyde Kelty Hearts v Airdrieonians Montrose v Queen of the South
Last 12 Meetings
Last 6 Matches
Dunfermline Athletic
Peterhead
W
FC Edinburgh
(Away)
1-0
L
Airdrieonians
(Home)
0-3
W
Kelty Hearts
(Away)
2-1
D
Montrose
(Home)
0-0
W
Arbroath
(Away)
5-1
L
FC Edinburgh
(Away)
0-4
D
Queen of the South
(Home)
1-1
L
Kelty Hearts
(Away)
0-3
W
Forfar Athletic
(Home)
4-0
L
Queens Park
(Home)
0-3
W
Peterhead
(Away)
2-0
L
Dunfermline Athletic
(Home)
0-2
DUNFERMLINE 4 PETERHEAD 0
Saturday, 14th Jan 2023
cinch League One: Chris Mochrie starts in place of Lewis McCann. Craig Wighton (17) 1-0: Matty Todd (36) 2-0: Josh Edwards (76) 3-0: Kevin O’Hara (89) 4-0:
Dunfermline welcomed Peterhead as The KDM Group’s East End Park’s first foots. It was top of the table versus bottom of the table but Dunfermline had to be wary of the opponents who managed to score twice and take a point from their visit earlier in the season.
Manager James McPake made one change from the side that travelled to Meadowbank the previous Saturday to register a 1-0 away win over closest rivals, FC Edinburgh. Chris Mochrie started in place of Lewis McCann.
Peterhead now under the managership of former Aberdeen defended David Robertson named a starting eleven that also showed one change from their previous match with 18 year old Layton Bisland on loan from Dundee United coming in for Jordan Brown.
Craig Wighton got the match underway with Dunfermline attacking the goal at the Cowdenbeath end. James McPake retained the same shape as against FC Edinburgh with Aaron Comrie continuing on the left side of a back three.
There were early crosses into the Peterhead box, one from Josh Edwards and the other from Kyle Macdonald but nothing to deploy the keepers at either end. On 12 minutes a Kieran Shanks pass was too strong for Daniel Fosu in front of goal to control.
Edwards won first corner of the afternoon in 14 minutes and from that Kyle Benedictus delivered the first shot of the game but cleared the crossbar from 20 yards out. The opening goal came three minutes later, after Comrie and Edwards involvement a simple Mochrie cross from the left picked out WIGHTON who slotted away from 15 yards out. 1-0
Midway through the half Matty Todd embarked on a forceful run that saw him in on the left side of the Peterhead box. He was challenged by Fosu and tumbled only to be, rather harshly, shown a yellow card by referee Chris Graham.
The Fifers looked very comfortable without threatening Tom Ritchie’s goal. A Macdonald pass was cleverly touched into centre of the box but a defender snuffed the chance out ahead of Mochrie. A long ball from Chalmers almost caught out the defence as Wighton tried another timely effort. Then on 36 minutes a second Dunfermline goal. Another Macdonald cross was aimed for Todd and Edwards 25 yards out and it was TODD in 36 minutes who took the chance to bulge the net. 2-0
Fisher picked out Edwards just five minutes later and from the edge of the box, he drove a shot narrowly wide left.
It has been a first half of Dunfermline dominance in terms of possession and the visitors had managed no shots and no corners.
Half Time: Dunfermline 2 Peterhead 0
The second half was only 90 seconds old when Fosu fizzed a ball from an angle on the right over Deniz Mehmet’s crossbar. Todd had a strong run up the left before sending the ball across the box and in 50th minute Todd produced a great ball to play Wighton in on goal but from the left he hit the sidenetting.
Just two minutes later Edwards showed dazzling close control to turn defenders on the box before crashing a shot on target that Ritchie turned behind. In 58 minute it really should have been 3-0. A super fast break by Mochrie up the right, was followed by an exquisite cross, Wighton left it for Todd on the edge of the box. He appeared to take time to pick his spot but to the huge disappointment of everyone that ended up being just outside the left goalpost.
Peterhead were really under the cosh as the match entered its final half hour with Edwards and Todd trying hard to create more danger. Fosu earned the visitors a 66th minute corner and from that Jack Wilkie’s effort was deflected wide for another off Macdonald.
The assault on the visitors goal then resumed with Wighton playing Edwards through into space on the left but his cut back unluckily failed to reach Mochrie in front of goal. Goal number three came in 76 minutes, appropriately and deservedly scored by Pars number 3. It came from another tantalising run from Mochrie who had really persecuted the Peterhead defence and his pass was perfect for EDWARDS. 3-0
Before the restart Dunfermline made three substitutions followed by another two three minutes later. Before his substitution Edwards had driven another shot on target that was blocked only for Macdonald to net but be disallowed and a Macdonald cross was headed on target by Kevin O’Hara with his first involvement.
Substitute Robbie Mahon fired an 89th minute shot that hit Ritchie but failed to stop it and O’HARA made sure on the line. 4-0 Kevin’s first goal of the season was confirmed with Mahon happy to give it to the striker.
The four goals and three points maintained a seven point lead over now second placed Falkirk.
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus (c), Aaron Comrie: Kyle Macdonald, Chris Hamilton, Joe Chalmers (Nikolay Todorov 81), Josh Edwards (Robbie Mahon 81): Chris Mochrie (Kane Ritchie-Hosler 78), Matthew Todd (Kevin O’Hara 78): Craig Wighton (Lewis McCann 78). SUBS NOT USED: Rhys Breen, Miller Fenton, Sam Young, Max Little (GK) SCORERS: Wighton (17), Todd (36), Edwards (76), O’Hara (89) YELLOW CARD: Todd (24)
PETERHEAD: Tom Ritchie: Layton Bisland, Jason Brown, Kevin Joshua, Andy McDonald, Ryan Strachan (c) (Jordan. Down HT), Andy McCarthy, Jack Wilkie, Daniel Fosu, Kieran Shanks (Boris Melingui 53), Glenn Gabriel (Cody McLeod 68). SUBS NOT USED: Jack Brown, Danny Strachan, David Wilson, Enock Walusimbi, Sandy Wood (GK). YELLOW CARD: Fosu (31), Shanks (45), Jason Brown (85)
REFEREE: Chris Graham WEATHER: Changeable 5°C ATTENDANCE 4024
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