Arbroath 1 Dunfermline 3
Saturday, 28th Nov 2020Betfred Cup Second Round: Iain Wilson starts in place of Steven Whittaker. Ryan Dow (28) 0-1: Euan Murray (36) 0-2: Dale Hilson (65) 1-2: Kevin O’Hara (83 pen.) 1-3
Having topped their group with four wins out of four, Dunfermline were seeded for the Second Round draw which duly sent them to Gayfield. Stevie Crawford’s unbeaten in their nine matches so far in the 2020-2021 season were up against Dick Campbell’s Arbroath who had lost just once, to Hearts in their last nine home games.
Dunfermline made one change from the side that defeated Hearts last time out, Iain Wilson replacing Steven Whittaker.
Arbroath’s David Gold missed this game through suspension and skipper Thomas O’Brien through injury. Into the home starting eleven came Scott Stewart, Michael Ruth, Gavin Swankie, Luke Donnelly and Miko Virtanen, meaning Dale Hilson, Bobby Linn and Kris Doolan dropped to the bench.
Usually the wind can be a problem at Gayfield but for this match it was the low winter sun that made it hard to see the goalmouth at the south end of the park. Donnelly kicked off for the hosts attacking the goal at the north end of the ground.
When Kyle Turner was cut down the visitors had their first opportunity of the afternoon from a fourth minute free kick on the right. Dom Thomas sent the ball into the centre of the Arbroath box but the defence headed out. Wilson latched on to the loose ball but his low drive was blocked by Jason Thomson.
Four minutes later Ryan Dow teed Turner up for a shot from twenty yards out that travelled just outside the right goalpost. The Pars kept the pressure up with a Thomas cross that was touched behind for a corner on the right. When returned by Dow to Thomas his low shot was fumbled then held by keeper Derek Gaston as Declan McManus sought the scraps.
In 13th minute Ruth ran on to a ball that took him into the left side of the Dunfermline box and when the player, on loan from Aberdeen, cut the ball back for Swankie his effort from 20 yards swerved out wide right.
Four minutes later Owain Fôn Williams had to show all of his international class to pull off a great fingertip save diving to his left to keep out a stunning effort from former Par James Craigen.
Thomas forced a corner on the left midway through the first half but when he picked out Turner who arrived late into the far side of the box, the young midfielder’s attempt to chip it back for the big central defenders failed to reach its target.
The Fifers next attack saw Dow fed by Wilson. His cut back from the right found Turner then yards out, he turned but shot over the crossbar. Then in 28th minute DOW was the player on the edge of the box and his left footed effort found the right side of the net with the Pars first shot on target. 0-1
Another goal almost followed from the next attack. Turner passed the ball out to Dow and his cross was again fumbled by Gaston and although he came close McManus just couldn’t convert the chance.
The Pars would however find the net from a Thomas corner in 36 minutes. Paul Watson met it then Lewis Mayo returned the ball across the face of goal and from close in Euan MURRAY finished it. 0-2
Gaston held a low on target effort from Kerr McInroy and from the last corner of the half Wilson sliced his attempt wide right.
Half time: Arbroath 0 Dunfermline 2
Bobby Linn replaced Scott Stewart and Dale Hilson for Michael McKenna as the second half got underway. The Fifers first close thing was when McInroy got in on the left side and his cross was headed away by Thomson. Then Murray was up to try a shot from an acute angle from the left but the ball cleared the target.
Arbroath tried hard to get a goal back and Linn was making his presence felt. The sub pushed up the right and had an effort blocked and a cross turned behind by Wilson.
Ruth collected the first yellow card of the game as Dunfermline were awarded a 57th minute free kick that unfortunately McManus hit the four man Lichties wall with.
Thomas then had a surging run through the middle to lay the ball off to Dow to his right but his shot from 18 yards out slipped narrowly outside the left goalpost.
The Pars kept the pressure with Turner testing Gaston from 20 yards. Thomas gathered the partied ball out on the left and his cross just evaded McManus. Thomson headed out but McInroy’s return went high over the bar.
Arbroath got back into the game with a goal in the 65th minute. Craigen made the cross from the left and Dale HILSON, a half time sub who had been reasonably anonymous up until this point, converted the cross at the far post. 1-2
Dick Campbell immediately introduced Kris Doolan for Luke Donnelly as he clearly set out to complete the comeback. Williams had to be alert and play was parked in the Dunfermline half as the assault continued.
Thomas on the counter offered a threat but his cross in front of goal tantalisingly failed to get the touch required from either Turner or McManus.
Kevin O’Hara was introduced for the final quarter of an hour taking over the striker’s role from Declan McManus. Watson headed away an 80th minute Lichties corner and then Williams fisted away the follow up.
The offside flag went up as O’Hara tapped in from a Thomas cross but then on the next attack O’Hara sent Dow through on the right. The Pars vice captain shot from 20 yards out and as it went to keeper Gaston was deflected off Ricki Little’s hand. Referee Nick Walsh pointed to the penalty spot. O’HARA stepped up and sunk his right footed shot into the right side of the Arbroath goal. 1-3
Aaron Comrie replaced Kyle Turner and then Fraser Murray, Dom Thomas. In added time Gaston did really well to keep out Dow and Comrie’s follow up was deflected behind.
It was a good win for the Fifers, their first at Gayfield since July 2015 and into the quarter final draw.
SUBS NOT USED: Rab Douglas (GK)
SCORERS: Hilson (65)
YELLOW CARD: Ruth (56), Little (83)
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Lewis Mayo, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Ian Wilson: Ryan Dow, Kerr McInroy, Dom Thomas (Fraser Murray 90): Kyle Turner (Aaron Comrie 84): Declan McManus (Kevin O’Hara 75).
SUBS NOT USED: Steven Whittaker, Matty Bowman, Lewis McCann, Miller Fenton, Lucas Berry, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: Dow (28), E Murray (36), O’Hara (83 pen.)
YELLOW CARD: McManus (63)
REFEREE: Nick Walsh
WEATHER: Sunny, still 5C
ATTENDANCE
NEXT MATCH: Scottish Championship (away) v Raith Rovers, Saturday 5th December 2020, kick off 3.00pm at Starks Park behind closed doors.
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Preview Arbroath
Saturday, 28th Nov 2020Betfred Cup Second Round: 3.00pm kick off at Gayfield behind closed doors
Arbroath host Dunfermline in this their fourth successive home match. This Saturday’s Betfred Cup Second Round tie takes the Pars to a venue they failed to take a win from in their two visits last season.
The sides have met nine times in the League Cup, Dunfermline have won six times, Arbroath twice and one has been drawn. The Fifers have scored 23 goals and conceded eight on those nine games.
Milestones Arbroath (away)
Last Victory | 25/07/15 | 4-1 | Challenge Cup
Last Defeat | 31/08/19 | 1-0 | Championship
Best Victory | 14/09/57 | 5-0 | Division Two
| 09/08/52 | 5-0 | League Cup
Worst Defeat | 03/10/25 | 0-5 | Division Two
| 23/01/54 | 0-5 | Division B
Last Goalless Draw | 04/03/20 | 0-0 | Championship
First Meeting | 04/02/22 | 0-0| Division Two
Last Meeting at Gayfield
Arbroath 0 Dunfermline 0
Ladbrokes Championship, Tuesday 4th March 2020
The teams were level on points going into this game and that’s the way it stayed. It was a well contested game in which the visitors had chances to win it but didn’t take them. Stevie Crawford observed:-
"From our point of view, did we get the ball down enough, play as many passes and create chances that way? Probably not as much as we would have liked but that is credit to Arbroath. They made it very very difficult and they have done that for every team in this league this year. Credit to Dick and his coaching staff for that."
ARBROATH: Derek Gaston: Jason Thomson, Rickie Little, Thomas O’Brien, Colin Hamilton: Miko Virtanen: David Gold (James Craigen 77), Mark Whatley (Luke Donnelly 80), Gavin Swankie (Bobby Linn 65), Dale Hilson: Craig Wighton
SUBS NOT USED: James Murphy, Scott Stewart, Omar Kader, Darren Jamieson (GK)
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Lewis Martin, Lee Ashcroft (Josh Edwards 89), Danny Devine, Euan Murray: Joe Thomson (Ethan Ross 77), Paul Paton (c), Kyle Turner, Dom Thomas: Gabby McGill (Lewis McCann 64), Jonathan Afolabi.
SUBS NOT USED: Tom Beadling, Matthew Todd, Miller Fenton, Cammy Gill (GK)
Twelve Most Recent Meetings
The Fifers have won nine of the last twelve fixtures, Arbroath two including the one last season at Arbroath and one game, the most recent, ended a draw.
04/03/20 | Arbroath 0-0 Dunfermline | Championship
29/10/19 | Dunfermline 2-0 Arbroath | Championship
31/08/19 | Arbroath 1-0 Dunfermline | Championship
15/08/17 | Dunfermline 2-0 Arbroath | Challenge Cup
19/07/16 | Dunfermline 3-0 Arbroath | League Cup
25/07/15 | Arbroath 1-4 Dunfermline | Challenge Cup
26/04/14 | Arbroath 1-2 Dunfermline | League One
25/02/14 | Dunfermline 3-0 Arbroath | League One
21/12/13 | Arbroath 0-3 Dunfermline | League One
17/08/13 | Dunfermline 2-3 Arbroath | League One
31/07/10 | Dunfermline 5-2 Arbroath | League Cup
24/07/10 | Dunfermline 1-0 Arbroath | Challenge Cup
25/07/09 | Dunfermline 2-1 Arbroath | Challenge Cup
Recent Form
Dunfermline are undefeated in their nine matches this season are unbeaten away from home since 11th January. Arbroath are undefeated in their last three games but their only wins this season have been against three lower league teams in the Betfred Cup.
DUNFERMLINE
Hearts (H) W 2-1
Clyde (H) W 3-2
Ayr United (A) D 0-0
Queen of the South (H) W 3-2
Alloa Athletic (A) W 4-1
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) W 3-1
ARBROATH
Morton (H) D 0-0
Elgin City (H) W 3-0
Queen of the South (H) D 1-1
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) L 1-3
Hearts (H) L 0-1
Raith Rovers (A) L 0-3
Current League Stats
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 1st
League Points: 13
Goal Difference: +7
League Record: P5 W4 D1 L0 GF12 GA5
Last Six Match Form: WWWDWW
ARBROATH
League Position: 9th
League Points: 2
Goal Difference: -6
League Record: P5 W0 D2 L3 GF2 GA8
Last Six Match Form: LLLDWD
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Hearts): Owain Fôn Williams: Lewis Mayo, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Steven Whittaker: Ryan Dow, Kerr McInroy, Dom Thomas (Fraser Murray 85): Kyle Turner: Declan McManus (Kevin O’Hara 83).
SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Comrie, Iain Wilson, Matty Bowman, Lewis McCann, Cammy Gill (GK)
ARBROATH (v Morton): Derek Gaston: Jason Thomson (Miko Virtanen 38), Thomas O ‘Brien, Ricki Little, Colin Hamilton: Bobby Linn, James Craigen, David Gold, Dale Hilton (Scott Stewart 78), Michael McKenna, Kris Doohlan (Luke Donnelly 68).
SUBS NOT USED: Connor Smith, Gavin Swankie, Michael Ruth, Rab Douglas (GK)
The referee will be Nick Walsh.
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