U20s v Hibernian

Dargo, El Bakhtaoui and Thomson start. Young (29) 1-0; Handling (38) 1-1.

MATCH PICTURES
Craig Dargo, Fayssal El Bakhtaoui and Ryan Thomson were the over age players in this U20 league match against Hibs at East End Park on Tuesday night. It was a match in which Dunfermline showed up well in the opening 30 minutes but let Hibs back into it after Kerr Young had headed Dunfermline ahead.

Coach John Potter gave the website his views post match:-

"We started the game well and had a few chances but didn`t take them.  We eventually got a goal from a setpiece but we were sloppy at their goal; we switched off a bit defensively. They were the better team in the second half and we held on a bit. There were a few rash decisions where we never kept the ball well enough but at the same time we defended well. I thought the defence kept their shape well but going forward we didn`t have that threat."

Sixteen year old Lewis Martin started the game alongside Kerr Young in the centre of defence.  For him it was his first ever game with linesmen and he was up against some experienced opponents.  Shefki Kuqi has 62 international caps for Finland and has played for Blackburn Rovers, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town among others.  Other over age players in the Hibs team were Tom Taiwo is a recent Hibs acquisition from Carlisle United and Lewis Stevenson. 

Lewis Martin and Sefki Kuqi

Considering Potter plays that position, there was welcome praise from the coach:-

"He is an under 17 player that I had last season and I think he is a good defender and has good potential. He has been doing well in training so I thought that I`d put him in there. He was excellent against a top class striker. He stood firm and the longer the game went on the stronger he got. Him and Kerr Young formed a good partnership; I thought they did well.  I don`t care what age you are, if you are good enough I put them in. When I saw their team I thought it would be a good test for him - sink or swim and he was great."

Ryan Thomson returned to competitive action playing alongside Shaun Byrne in midfield.  John Potter commented:-

"It was great for him to play 90 minutes and get a game under his belt. His attitude has been first class.  He knows what has happened is in the past; he has trained yesterday and wanted to play the full 90 minutes. It is good for him to come in and help the younger ones."

The Pars had taken the lead in 29 minutes when YOUNG converted from a Ross Millen corner but were pegged back less than ten minutes later when Danny HANDLING cashed in after Kuqi took a quick throw in to Ross Caldwell and set up his team mate to find the net.

Seven minutes into the second half Thomson was booked when the decision from Referee Grant Irvine was not to award the penalty that the home side were hoping for. Michal Hrivnak made two good saves to ensure that the Pars were to take a point from the game.

DUNFERMLINE: Michal Hrivnak; Ross Millen, Kerr Young, Lewis Martin, Grant Munro; Fayssal El Bakhtaoui (Declan O`Kane 84), Shaun Byrne, Ryan Thomson, Ross Drummond (Andy Ritchie 57);  Craig Dargo, Allan Smith
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Goodfellow (GK), Jordan Brown, Lewis Spence, Finn Graham.
SCORER: Young (29)
YELLOW CARD: Thomson (52)

HIBERNIAN: Calum Antel; Andrew Black, Callum Crane, Lewis Stevenson, Robert Wilson, Brad Donaldson, Daniel Handling, Tom Taiwo, Ross Caldwell (Alex Harris 82), Shefki Kuqi, Sam Stanton (Dean Horribine 82).
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Baptie, Harry Monaghan, Euan Smith, David Gold
SCORER: Handling (38)
YELLOW CARD: Handling (28)

REFEREE: Grant Irvine
ATTENDANCE: 70
MATCH PICTURES

NEXT MATCH: (away) U20 SPL league v St Mirren