FORFAR ATHLETIC 0 DUNFERMLINE 6
Three goals in each half gave Dunfermline a resounding win in this pre season friendly played on the newly laid Station Park surface. Kevin O`Hara notched two with the other goals shared around four of his team mates.
The visitors made two changes from the side that started against Cove Rangers on Saturday – Kyle Macdonald and Joe Chalmers taking the places of Aaron Comrie and Paul Allan. Forfar gave debuts to 19 year old Aberdeen winger Kevin Hanratty and Ben Armour and they also listed five trialists.
Dunfermline kicked off and in just the second minute called upon Tomas Brindley to clear off the goal line after Kevin O`Hara had forced an early corner and Rhys Breen met Chalmers delivery. James McPake`s side went ahead in 16 minutes when Lewis McCann won possession and squared the ball for Chalmers to tee up O’Hara for a low right-footed finish from just outside the Forfar box.
The Pars kept up the pressure seeking a second and midway into the half a super ball from Craig Wighton picked out O`Hara but his cross was intercepted. Then Wighton forced a 25th minute corner but Hutton cleared Chalmers cross. Next minute McCANN made it 0-2 as he latched on to a poor clearance and from just inside the box to find the net at the near post.
An O`Hara cross caused home keeper Marc McCallum to create a mix-up in the Forfar defence but Todd`s shot was deflected away. Forfar had a short spell of better play but five minutes from the break another O`Hara cross was tipped behind for a corner on the left and this time from the right side of the Loons box, TODD impressively volleyed Chalmers corner home from 15 yards out, 0-3.
Half Time: Forfar Athletic 0 Dunfermline 3
Forfar made six substitutions before play resumed. Matty Aitken, Gary Harkins, Callum Moore, Darren Whyte, and Trialists #22 and #24 came on for Andy Munro, Chris Slater, Kyle Hutton, Ben Armour and Trialist#18. Dunfermline were unchanged until the hour mark. Before that however O`HARA had doubled his tally. Breen lost the ball in his own half, won it back, drove forward and passed to the striker who slotted away from the right side of the box, beating the keeper at his near post. 0-4
Edwards, Breen and McCann then made way for Nikolay Todorov, Paul Allan and Trialist#21. Sam Young and Andrew Tod followed in 71 minutes taking over from Hamilton and Todd. In between Wighton forced a 68th minute corner and when taken short to him by Chalmers returned it for the former Ayr United midfielder to test the keeper.
In 76 minutes Miller Fenton and Trialist#16 replaced Macdonald and O`Hara and FENTON was immediately on the scoresheet beating the newly introduced sub keeper as the ball was switched in from the right side to eventually pick out the unmarked man. 0-5
Five became six just four minutes from the end as TODOROV headed home a headed Tod cross. An impressive display of goalscoring but more game time for the players who appear to be benefiting from all the hard work James McPake says he is putting them through in pre-season.
FORFAR ATHLETIC: Marc McCallum (Lewis Sanderson 76): Roberto Nditi, Tomas Brindley, Kyle Hutton (Trialist #24, HT), Yusuf Hussain (Darren Whyte HT), Craig Slater (c)(Callum Moore, HT), Andy Munro (Gary Harkins HT), Trialist #8 (Trialist #5, 65), Kevin Hanratty, Ben Armour (Trialist #22, HT), Trialist #18 (Matty Aitken HT)
SUBS NOT USED: Gary Irvine
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet, Kyle Macdonald (Miller Fenton 76), Kyle Benedictus (c), Rhys Breen (Paul Allan 60) , Josh Edwards (Trialist #21, 60), Matthew Todd (Andrew Tod 71), Chris Hamilton (Sam Young 71), Joe Chalmers (Michael Beagley 82), Kevin O’Hara (Trialist #16, 76), Lewis McCann (Nikolay Todorov 60), Craig Wighton (Jake Rennie 82).
SUBS NOT USED: Callum Archibald (GK)
SCORERS: O`Hara (16, 57), McCann (26), Todd (40), Fenton (76), Todorov (86)
REFEREE: Greg Soutar
WEATHER: Damp 14°C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: Pre-Season Friendly (away) v Stenhousemuir, Saturday 2nd July 2022 behind closed doors
