Eighteen year old Taylor Sutherland is looking forward to his second Reserve Cup Final and he hopes that he can keep up his goalscoring record against Livingston when the teams meet at Almondvale on Tuesday night. Taylor has captained the second string on occasions this season and he proudly revealed how his young team mates are looking forward to doing better than in last season’s final.
“We’re buzzing to make it to the final two years in a row. That’s quite impressive and hopefully we can get a result this time.”
Despite being loaned out to Bonnyrigg Rose from September to December Taylor has been on the first team bench 25 times already this season coming on as a sub 8 times but those appearances are short of 90 minutes in total. He has had one start in the SPFL Trust Trophy against Dundee United. He made his first team debut on 15th November 2022 scoring with a header within three minutes but demonstrating great patience he added:-
“I know that my time will come, just not right now. I will just keep waiting and digging in. Every reserve game I hope to impress the manager if he is there to try and get in the first team squad.”
Taylor is anxious that the team builds on the experience of last year’s final and he boldly looks forward to the next big occasion:-
“Last year Kilmarnock had a much stronger squad out but we will go to Livingston with plenty of youth, take what we have learned from last year and get a result this time. We won’t find out who is playing until Tuesday. If it’s a young team that doesn’t faze us. Obviously we faced a very strong team last year. We will give it our best shot.”
Dunfermline and Livingston reserves played out a 2-2 draw only three weeks ago but that performance against the Lions can give grounds for optimism and Taylor pointed out “I scored against them and hopefully I can do that again.
James McPake has said that he will give any first team players who might be needing minutes an outing in this match but eleven of the players involved in the final last year are available for this season’s final but they are a year older and much stronger themselves. Two are no longer with the club and Miller Fenton is injured. That means signed players like Max Little, Andrew Tod, Ewan McLeod, Liam Hoggan, Sam Young, Michael Beagley, Jake Rennie, Jake and Taylor Sutherland could feature again.
Taylor maintained with no small measure of confidence “it is still a strong team no matter who we put out. We will give it our best crack. It is a seven o’clock kick off on Tuesday so hopefully the fans will come along and support us.”
Last Time against Livingston Reserves
cinch SPFL Reserve League, Tuesday 2nd April 2024
Dunfermline Reserves 2 Livingston Reserves 2
This turned out to be an entertaining match in which the teams would share the points. Livi took an early lead from a corner from the right but Liam MIDDLETON struck back before the interval.
A really slick move earned Dunfermline the lead in just the third minute of the second half. Michael Beagley passed to Middleton who in turn slipped the ball left to Taylor SUTHERLAND and the striker placed the ball beyond the advancing Hamilton to net at the far post. 2-1
Livingston threatened immediately with Mackay extracting another fine save out of Max Little and they would successfully find an equaliser in 57th minute.
DUNFERMLINE: Max Little (Thomas Margetts 75), Kian McHale, Sam Young, John Tod (Leo Evans 75), Conley Adamson, Ewan McLeod, Michael Beagley, Jake Rennie, Freddie Rowe, Liam Middleton (Jay Snoddy 75), Taylor Sutherland (c) (Mark Beveridge 84)
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Middleton (21, Sutherland (48)
LIVINGSTON: Jack Hamilton, Tommy Sharp, Junior McQuilken, Calan Ledingham, Mohammad Sangare (John Binnie HT), Sam Culbert, Daniel Mackay (Che Reilly 68), David Carson (Harvey Petrie 68), Bruce Anderson, Trialist (Dean Rappozzoh 50), Kurtis Guthrie.
SUBS NOT USED: Joe McQuire, Corey Kirk, Sam Featherstone
SCORERS: Ledingham (9), Guthrie (57)
Admission is £6 for adults and £3 for over 65s, under 18s and students. Entry is free for U12s when the ticket is purchased with a full paying adult.
Click here to purchase tickets.
Match Report: 02/04/24 – Dunfermline Reserves 2 Livingston Reserves 2
cinch SPFL Reserve Cup Semi Final: 26/03/24 – Hamilton Academical 1 Dunfermline 3
2023 SPFL Reserve Cup Final – Kilmarnock Reserves 7 Dunfermline Athletic Reserves 0
