U19s v East Stirlingshire

U19s at East End Park: MacDonald og (21) 1-0, White (76) 2-0, Henderson (90) 3-0.

DUNFERMLINE 3  EAST STIRLING 0

The U19s faced East Stirling at East End Park in a midday kick off on Sunday. Having had no match the previous weekend, six or seven of these Pars players had a run out in the reserves 3-1 defeat at Motherwell on Tuesday. Those not involved at Dalziel Park trained with the first team.

The first good chance came in the fourth minute when Jordan White sent Conor Schiavone through on the Shire keeper but right back Gerry O`Connell recovered to deflect the Pars striker`s shot over the cross bar. The home side continued to press with Ross Drummond pumping over two useful crosses from the left and then John MacDonald forcing Ure to hold from the first corner of the game.

It was just the ninth minute when Schiavone smashed a chance from the edge of the box wide left after White and Byrne had combined to set up the opportunity. Andrew MacDonald failed to get on the end of a good cross in from the left for the visitors in 16 minutes and next despite blatantly handling the ball Jamie Glasgow was allowed to fire at goal but only hit the sidenetting.

Dunfermline got the breakthrough in 21 minutes with a simple move that saw Schiavone cross from the right for White but Andrew MacDONALD did the job for him turning the ball past his keeper from close quarters. Scott and Sciavone had attempts from the edge of the box bravely blocked and after a fine display of skills from Shaun Byrne, White from six yards headed the delivery into Ure`s hands.

East Stirling survived a 44th minute corner on the left and then again after Drummond had beaten his man on the left edge of the penalty box only to slip his final pass into the path of an opponent.   It was a first half where plenty of chances were created but in front of goal Dunfermline just lacked that killer touch.

Half Time: Dunfermline 1 East Stirling 0

Ten minutes into the second half John MacDonald went on one of his stereotyped runs, beating three men before releasing the ball to White who rounded the keeper only to see his shot from an acute angle cleared at the right upright. White glanced Schiavone`s corner into the keeper.

At the other end Aaron Sommerville did well to prevent Glasgow`s powerful shot to the top left corner and Craig Scott bent a shot from distance wide right. A Thomson tackle on Jamie Glasgow on the edge of his penalty area earned the Pars centre half a 65th minute yellow card and fortunately the wall did its job as Glasgow tried to drive the ball on target from the free kick.

Substitute Blair Henderson replaced Schiavone and in 71 minutes swept a McWhirter pass wide right from 15 yards. Four minutes later Ben Martin threaded a great ball up the right for MacDonald to run on to.  Reaching the byeline he cut it back and although both Henderson and Drummond had the opportunity to net neither accepted it.

While the score remained 1-0 the visitors continued to be a threat but in 76 minutes WHITE got the second after receiving a cross in from the right from Henderson that he controlled at the near post and stuck past the keeper.

Inside the final five minutes Dunfermline piled on the pressure but Henderson`s header and MacDonald`s drive failed to find the net.  In the final minute however the two combined to notch the Pars third, HENDERSON sidefooting the winger`s cross home from six yards as the defence appeared to desert their posts.

The win takes the Pars within three points of league leaders Stirling Albion who had a good win over fellow challengers, Livingston on Friday night.