U19s v Airdrie

Under 19s destroy Airdrie at the Fleet Ground

DUNFERMLINE 4 AIRDRIE 0

The Pars U19 team registered their first league win of the season at the Fleet Ground on Sunday afternoon. The home side took full advantage of the wind to be three up at the interval.

Both sides began positively but after ten minutes three Dunfermline corners sparked off a period of sustained pressure. Gary MacLachlan headed a Charlie Bradshaw corner from the left narrowly wide of the far post.

Annoyingly the Pars team seemed shot shy but on the cry of "hit it" from a team mate, Rhys Smith opened the scoring in 14th minute. His spectacular first time effort from 25 yards sat up nicely in the wind and rattled in off the inside of the left goalpost.


MacLachlan`s header goes wide

Two minutes later, a misplaced Airdrie pass in midfield allowed Paul Willis to break and a neat move involving both Kris Maxwell and Charlie Bradshaw was turned in at the near post by Jason Hunter. At the other end Greg Paterson was called on to produce a special save from the sharp Airdrie no.7 and then their centre forward`s acrobatics sent another shot wide left.

When Hunter and Bradshaw again combined deep down the right, Maxwell was sandwiched as the cross came in and he got up to convert the 33rd minute penalty.

Charlie Bradshaw holds off an Airdrie defender

Airdrie with their backs to the wind made a better showing in the second half but a combination of good goalkeeping by Greg Paterson and poor finishing meant they were not to break their duck. Hunter had a chance to increase the lead in 62 minutes when the keeper rushed out to reduce the angle and the Pars players shot ran tantalisingly wide of the right post.

Airdrie missed a sitter six minutes later when their no.8 lifted the ball over Paterson but also over the crossbar. To make matters even more miserable for the Lanarkshire youngsters they lost a late goal to make the scoreline emphatic.

Jason Hunter on the attack

Just seven minutes from the end a wonderful individual effort from Charlie Bradshaw underlined the Pars supremacy. His impressive red boots evaded several defenders who were not for taking any `prisoners` and surprised the Diamonds keeper by slotting in from an acute angle at the near post.