Airdrieonians 0 Dunfermline 3

Jordan Moore and Andy Geggan in for Robert Thomson and Stephen Husband; Byrne (17) 0-1; Airdrie keeper red carded (60); Smith (68) 0-2; Dargo (93) 0-3

Dunfermline faced bottom of the table Airdrieonians on a blustery November day. League positions never seem to matter when these two meet in fact the Diamonds did rather well against the Pars last season in terms of picking up league points.

Airdrieonians made two changes, David Sinclair and Nathan Blockley making way for Nicky Cadden and trialist Jamie Pollock. Trying to prevent his clubs sixth successive defeat was 21 year old Andrew Duncan continuing in goals for his fifth Airdrie start.

Jim Jefferies too made a couple of changes; Andy Geggan had recovered from the bug that kept him out against Stenhousemuir and Jordan Moore returned after serving his one match suspension for his red card at Ibrox.

The home side kicked off on the pristine artificial surface and it was them who got the first shot on target in third minute.  Cadden`s poorly connected shot from the edge of the box was never going to trouble Ryan Scully. The Pars were kept out of their opponents half initially but Ryan Wallace was soon deep to cross from the left. Airdrie survived but play continued in the direction of Duncan. 

A strong run by Whittle earned the Pars the first corner of the afternoon in nine minutes. Millen`s first was headed behind by Martin Hardie and when he headed the second inswinger it gave Wallace a crack at goal from 20 yards. The shot was curling netbound until Duncan saved and then in 12 minutes Wallace had a clear shot at goal from 18 yards but fired wide left.

Former Dunfermline left back Paddy Boyle got in a shot for Airdrie but Smith took the sting out of it and Scully gathered. At the other end Whittle crossed for Smith but his effort was blocked and then Wallace drove the ball wide left again, this time from 25 yards.

The Fifers took the lead in 17 minutes when Shaun BYRNE created a shooting chance from 16 yards. The 20 year old persevered to grab the opportunity and his fine shot beat the keeper to his right. 0-1

The goal gave the Diamonds a shake up and they pushed up, fired in a few shots but failed to trouble Scully. Back at the other end Smith flashed the ball through the six yard box with Duncan and Wallace colliding in the process. Next Byrne fed Wallace a chance but he smashed his shot wide right of target.

Hardie chipped an effort at goal that was further away than the home fans in the stand thought since they rose in false expectation. Grant Drummond was yellow carded for his challenge on Wallace and after treatment was subbed by Mick O`Byrne.  From the free kick Geggan and then Smith came close to connecting in front of goal.

Wallace had two shots in 35 minutes but Moore had a better chance one minute later when through on the keeper but amazingly pulled his attempt outside the right post. Then in 38 minutes Smith delivered a good ball to the near post but Duncan nipped in ahead of Wallace.  The pressure was kept up with a corner that Millen swung over from the left but this time the all yellow kitted keeper held.

Falkingham and Cadden got tangled midway into the Pars half and from the 41st minute free kick the trialist picked out O`Byrne at the far post but his direction was not good and it was back to the other end.  The Pars finished strongly winning another corner but again the Pars could not capitalise from their pressure. A good first half from the Fifers who could have and should have been further ahead against a club that had now gone a whole calendar year without a shut out.

Half Time: Airdrieonians 0 Dunfermline 1

The first minute of the second half included a break through on the Airdrie goal by Wallace and then a run at the other end that caused Scully and Morris to crash into one another. The on loan Jag was treated by physio Kenny Murray for a dead leg and then continued to face the corner but after that went down again meaning that 20 year old Ryan Goodfellow had to come on for his senior debut.

Moore got in a fierce shot on target in 57 minutes but Andrew Duncan pulled off a fine save.  At the other end Goodfellow punched away a useful cross from the left and then Byrne was played through one on one with the Diamonds keeper. Duncan pulled down the Pars player for a penalty and referee Andrew Dallas showed his red card to the young keeper.

Eighteen year old Jonny Grier came on to take over in goals meaning trialist Pollock was subbed but when Moore took responsibility from the spot Grier pulled off the save in his first involvement. But in 68 minutes the sub keeper could do nothing after Allan SMITH ran on to a ball over the defence, he made no mistake to grab his fourth goal of the season 0-2.

Byrne had a great chance in 74 minutes but shot over the bar from 16 yards.  Moore was then withdrawn with the tactical substitution seeing Craig Dargo introduced. Wallace put pressure on his own keeper in 80 minutes and a slice gifted the ten men a corner but fortunately Goodfellow held the header from it.

Jonny Grier kept out Smith with an outstretched foot and Dargo`s follow up was wide left. Wallace had a shot deflected past the same post before he was subbed by Ryan Ferguson. Airdrie`s defence had done very well to limit the Pars but maybe it was the strikeforce that failed to cash in more of their opportunities. But then in 93 minutes Morris supplied, a suspiciously looking offside, DARGO with the chance he netted to complete the Diamonds miserable match.

Three goals, four goalkeepers and the Pars first shut out since the opening game of the league season at Bayview.