Reserve League Cup v Arbroath

Paul Willis slips Pars into early lead but Arbroath long shot notches 27th minute equaliser. Andy Kirk slotted in what proved to be the winner in 57th minute.

DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC 2 ARBROATH 1

The Reserves kept up their winning run with a comfortable yet narrow victory.  The Pars fielded six players who had featured on Saturday against Queen of the South yet Arbroath had none of their first team that faced Alloa Athletic on the same afternoon.

There was barely three minutes on the clock when Scott Muirhead`s delivery from the left was flicked on by Andy Kirk for Paul WILLIS to net from six yards.  The lead could easily have been extended when Holmes tested the keeper eight minutes later and then in 21 minutes both Willis and Phinn were denied with defenders blocks.

Arbroath`s first real danger was from a neat backheeler by Steven Dorris to Paul Watson and Greg Paterson was forced into action. At the other end a long diagonal ball from Greg Ross picked out Phinn on the edge of the area but again the visitor`s keeper, Scott Morrison pulled off a special save.

Pars keeper Greg Paterson was annoyed with himself for losing a lofted shot from 35 yards in the floodlights.  WATSON`s shot sailed over him into the net for the 27th minute equaliser.  It was a cruel setback for the Fifers who had dominated playing with composure and assurance.

On the half hour Willis despatched a fine shot from the edge of the box that Morrison turned away for a corner on the right.  The pressure was maintained when Muirhead`s delivery was defended out only as far as Holmes and the midfielder rocketed a shot narrowly wide right.

The Pars should have been back ahead in 34 minutes when Holmes put Kirk through the middle.  The striker tried to finish but Morrison blocked him out when a square pass would have presented Willis with an easy finish.  Harry McGreor popped a shot across goal that was close five minutes before the break.

Half Time: Dunfermline 1 Arbroath 1

Four minutes after Arbroath got the second half underway an impressive double  interchange between Willis and Kirk that started in the Pars half was punctuated when Kirk was dumped on the edge of the Arbroath box. Suttie was yellow carded for his challenge and when Austin McCann struck a low ball through the defensive wall, the ball canoned back off Morrison but Phinn`s pinball back fell outside the right goalpost.

16 year old Stefan Scougall replaced Scott Muirhead on the left wing in 50 minutes and the sub immediately impressed firing a 20 yard shot narrowly over.  Seven minutes later it was the sub that prodded the ball through for Andy KIRK to run on to and slot past Morrison.

Morrison did better to deny Holmes five minutes later while Watson tested Paterson at the other end from 25 yards. Midway through the second half Phinn sent the ball wide to the left side of the box for Kirk and his return was swept away from under the bar by John Tonner as Willis poised himself for a tap in.

McGregor got another shot in but again just wide before Paterson well and truly earned his corn with a fantastic triple save from Ross, Milne and then McIlreavy before dropping on the loose ball.  Scougall caused Morrison to pull off another fine save in 79 minutes and in the closing minutes both Steven Leslie and Willis almost increased the difference.