It was a jubilant coach, Gary Montignani, who spoke after the cinch SPFL Reserve Cup final victory over Livingston on Tuesday night, one who was glad to bury the memory of last season’s defeat in the final of the same competition at Rugby Park. Taylor Sutherland scored what turned out to be the winning goal fifteen minutes from the end and Dunfermline saw the game out well although Gary did admit he was getting more and more nervous as the time added on was played out.
“The referee added four on and the last five minutes were tough. Max Little had not had an awful lot to do, so it wasn’t nervous from that point of view. When you are 2-1 up in a game, anything can happen in those final minutes. I was delighted just to get the boys over the line.”
Gary had watched his side concede the first goal, one that is always considered the most important in any match but he praised the manner in which they came back from the setback midway through the first half:-
“There are so many different aspects that they have shown tonight in terms of dominating large large spells of the first half with some really good bits of play and being patient. Then responding so quickly just five minutes after they scored.
Above: Back Row – Taylor Sutherland, Sam Young, Jake Sutherland, Ewan McLeod.
Front Row – Liam Hoggan, Andrew Tod, Jake Rennie and Michael Beagley
“When you have got a team who are maybe sitting in a bit and trying to make it difficult, the worst thing that you can do is give them a goal. That can almost make it harder but the response after that was fantastic. You could see the calm heads with Sam Young at the back, Ewan McLeod and Andrew Tod in the middle really calming everyone down. I don’t think it disrupted us a lot conceding the goal really.”
So it was 1-1 at the interval and Gary admitted that it was a strange half time team talk asking them just to keep doing the same thing:-
“If anything we were just asking ‘can we move the ball a wee bit quicker?’ It was a sticky pitch, they are deep and compact and can we just move it a wee bit quicker with the view that gaps will open up. Then I thought we kept control of the game in the second half and we were fantastic.”
Above: Freddie Rowe receives his winners medal
The young reserve side appeared comfortable spraying the ball about the pitch and dominating play for most of the 90 minutes.
“It is something that we speak about all the time – the wing backs trying to work the ball down the sides. We had three really good centre midfielders in there. Maybe a wee criticism of the first half might be did we get them on the ball enough? Maybe not, but second half they definitely got on the ball a lot more and you could see the difference. I thought for large large spells we were comfortable in the game and it is not an easy thing to do in a final especially.”
Goals from Sutherland brothers (pictured above) Jake and then Taylor won the final and Gary enthused at their contribution:-
“I think you can see that they are a real handful. They are almost like a throwback in terms of one coming short, one in behind. They have different attributes Taylor is maybe a wee bit quicker but Jake is better at holding the ball up and holding defenders off. I thought the two of them were excellent. Jake tired near the end but I thought the two of them really good.”
Above: Jake Rennie and Sam Young
Jake couldn’t really miss his chance from close in but Taylor’s was a special one. Gary agreed but highlighted the assist from his substitute as well:-
“Credit to Jake Rennie as well, it was a good delivery from wide right. He was maybe disappointed to not start the game but we spoke about that before the game, about showing character. I thought that he was excellent when he came on and credit to him for assisting. As you say it was a good finish.”
Jake and Taylor take the headlines for scoring the goals but right through the team there were so many good performances. Goalkeeper Max Little was the oldest at the old age of 21 with the rest of the starting eleven comprised of four 18 year olds, three 17 year olds, three 16 year olds but the team’s performance showed much maturity.
Above: Conley Adamson, Mark Beveridge and Liam Middleton
“You could go through the team. I thought Kian McHale for a young one was composed on the ball. It was maybe a nervy start but he settled into the game really well. Liam Hoggan has missed a lot of football through a dislocated shoulder when he went on loan at Hill of Beath. That’s why he came off, he just tired a wee bit. From one to eleven and the subs who came on as well I thought that they were really good and well deserved winners.”
Two pairs of brothers turned out for Dunfermline in this match – Jake and Taylor Sutherland were joined by Andrew and John Tod. Gary commented on John who is not 17 until next month and Andrew who is 18.
Above: Andrew and John Tod
“I have worked with them before at Fife Elite and seen them from a very young age from nine and ten year old. They just take what they have done in the back garden and take it on to a bigger pitch now. It would have been a proud moment for their families.
“John was up against a big centre forward but I don’t think he lost an aerial duel. He was excellent on the ball and really calm bringing it out. Andrew does what Andrew does, this is the sort of occasion he relishes in. It is testimony to the work of the Academy that they are bringing these players through. We want them to kick on and get their chance moving forward.”
Above: Kian McHale and Freddie Rowe
For many Dunfermline fans who attended this Reserve Cup final it was a real insight into the up and coming talents coming through the Academy.
“I mentioned that pre match as well. Last year it was Andrew, Sam and Taylor’s first year and then to reach a final not only are they doing it but then there is a crop coming at the back of them. Ultimately if you want to have an Academy that’s what you want, you want a conveyor belt of players coming through at the back of it.
“It shows the strength and depth of the younger group, it gives younger ones the chance to be in the limelight. One thing that I had spoken about was not letting the game pass you by, taking your chance and I thought to a man they did that.”
For many of the winning team it was their first taste of picking up silverware and Gary added, “it doesn’t matter what trophy it is that you are playing for, there is no worse feeling than walking past to pick up a runners up medal. You can see the enjoyment and it is good that they are sharing it with their families. It doesn’t matter what you win, you want winner’s medals in your cabinet when you finish your playing career.”
Above: Ewan McLeod collects his winners’ medal
For Dunfermline this is the first trophy at this level since lifting the Reserve East League Cup in season 2009-2010. Ten of the eleven players who started have come through the Academy. A fantastic statistic and one which we should all be proud of closed Gary:-
“Fourteen years is a long time but it shows the work that has gone on at the football club and previously at Fife Elite to get us back into developing young players.”
Reserve Cup Final, Match Report: 23/04/24: – Livingston 1 Dunfermline 2
Above: Assistant Joe Chalmers with Reserve Team Coach Gary Montignani
