U20s v Dundee United

The U20s met Dundee United at Tannadice on Tuesday evening in the SPFL U20 League

MATCH PICTURES                        LISTEN TO JOHN POTTER`S ANALYSIS

The U20s met Dundee United at Tannadice on Tuesday evening in the SPFL U20 League and there were starts for Kerr Young, Chris Kane, Ryan Ferguson and Allan Smith. Fayssal El Bakhtaoui was the oldest in the Dunfermline starting eleven and he is not 21 until November, so the young team was up against it as they faced a United team containing the experience of former Celtic player Mark Wilson, Internationalist Gavin Gunning and Mark Millar.

The home side certainly looked the more positive in the early exchanges and the Pars defending was severely tested. The first real chance of the match came from a corner delivered from the right in seven minutes. Ryan Goodfellow fisted away the cross but only teed up Gavin Gunning eight yards out and his effort was net bound until Ryan Williamson cleared off the line.

Dunfermline`s efforts were mopped up all too easily and when skipper Scott Mercer swung over a 25th minute free kick, United created danger on the counter. It was Mark Russell who evaded Lewis Spence`s wild challange and when the striker cut back from the left byeline it was a very timely intervention by Ross Drummond`s back flick that prevented Regan Tumilty opening the scoring for United.

The visitors were not out of the game by any means but were finding it very difficult to penetrate an opposition defence that comprised of nine men at times. 

The left goalpost saved the Pars on 36 minutes when Scott Fraser`s cross from the left was melted by Tumilty only to come rocketing back off the woodwork. The Pars then produced a good move to put Smith in on the right. He cut back to Ferguson but his shot was blocked out for a corner on the right. Mercer sent that over and Young was unlucky to see his free header escape inches over the bar.

In the final minute of the half Ferguson laid off a great ball to Mercer to his left but he lingered too long before pulling the trigger and his effort was blocked out.

Half Time: Dundee United 0 Dunfermline 0

John Potter`s boys restarted with determination, Ferguson winning a corner within 20 seconds and Martin heading wide from the setpiece. Another corner on 49 kept up the momentum but United cleared and it was them who carved out the next chance. Russell and then Montgomery were checked by Martin before the turquoise team put in their best spell of the game so far. Mercer, Smith and El Bakhtaoui linked well on the left, Then Ferguson, Williamson and Young showed up well on the right before Mercer had a pop at target but the ball was bending all the way as it dropped wide right.

The Pars tended to over elaborate at times and nearly paid for that as first Scott Fraser and then Mark Millar created opportunities but Goodfellow played his part well in keeping them out. Then Martin clashed heads with Russell as he absorbed the pain of keeping United out.

Finn Graham replaced Mercer at the midway point of the second half and eight minutes later Declan O`Kane came on for 17 year old Spence. United threatened again through Millar but Goodfellow was swiftly out to blot out the chance. Allan Smith twisted his way skillfully through the United defence but the final defender denied him an 89th minute winner.

Dunfermline finished on the offensive but the corner as the game went into added time was to change nothing. It was a very competent performance from the Fifers away to a club two divisions above them.