U19s v Queens Park

Lee Graham goal gets Pars back in the game but despite a Paul Willis penalty Pars on wrong side of five goal match.

DUNFERMLINE 2 QUEENS PARK 3

Queens Park leapfrogged the fifth placed Pars as a result of their victory at Dalgety Bay on Sunday afternoon. The visitors certainly started the stronger with Gary Smith heading narrowly wide right after good build up play from Lachlan and Nadeem. Dunfermline were forced to make an early substitution when a knee injury to Jed Hiroz meant Paul Willis coming on in his place.

After 15 minutes a good cross by Ryan McCrone from the left corner flag was not properly dealt with by the Pars defence and SMITH was on hand to drill the ball home from the edge of the box. Within two minutes Queens Park had doubled their advantage, McCRONE running on to a long ball to find himself free on the left side of the Dunfermline box to slot the ball passed Craig Bald.

Dunfermline tried hard to get back into the game with Rees Smith coming close in 22 minutes with a blast from 35 yards that was inches wide of the right upright. Next, Lee Graham sent Lewis Turner bursting into the opposition half and picked out John MacDonald on the right, but he was desperately disappointed when his shot at an angle sailed over the bar.

In 29 minutes MacDonald supplied Connor Schivone with the opportunity to release a 20 yard shot and this time the right goalpost kept the shot out. Dunfermline`s pressure eventually paid off when they got a goal back in 38th minute.

A Turner corner from the right dropped at the feet of GRAHAM, eight yards out and he took a touch before firing the ball through defenders and into the net. Just before half time Schivone had another good chance on the break, but this time Craig Chamberlain saved the well struck shot with his leg and Steven Baillie booted away the danger.

Dunfermline played a better passing game in the second half but their keeper, Bald did really well to keep out Capuano with a shot at his near post after a good delivery by right back McPherson. Steven Lynch also kicked an effort off the line in 55 minutes when Queens threatened from a corner kick.

Turner forced a fine save out of Chamberlain on the hour with his fierce effort from 25 yards being touched over the cross bar. From the resultant corner Graham powered a header on target but the keeper held.

Next MacDonald picked out Jordan White on the break but could only force a corner and from that Ryan Thomson headed over the bar. White was narrowly wide left in 69 minutes after he had received a good ball from Willis. That was White`s last involvement and Stuart Dearden came on in an unfamiliar role as striker.

After threatening for so long the home side conceded another goal in 74 minutes. McCrone`s drive up the left set up Smith for a shot on goal and there was a bit of pinball on the edge of the box as shots were blocked but SMITH eventually dispatched the ball low into the far right.

Hamish French`s side showed that they were not going to surrender the points without a fight and when Paul Willis broke into the opponent`s penalty box he was taken down by McKeever. It was a clear penalty but the referee sent off the offender and booked McGinn for protesting before WILLIS sent the spot kick into the bottom right.

The Fifers pressed for an equaliser that wasn`t to be, with Turner off target, Schivone blocked and MacDonald belting a loose ball wide right.