U19s v Ballingry Rovers

After four games in eight days Young Pars team runs out of steam at Ore Park.

BALLINGRY ROVERS 4 DUNFERMLINE U19s 0

MATCH PICTURES
Dunfermline fielded a young team with only two of their second year outfield players starting. Grant Munro, Scott MacKintosh and Jamie Birnie were still out recovering from injury and this match started in the worst possible way when a ball over the top had the back four appealing for offside as Jamie GILFILLAN latched on to a ball over the top to stick the ball away in the bottom left of the Dunfermline goal after just 15 seconds.

The home side controlled much of the early play and Scott Lawrie met an Andy Lawson corner in 9 minutes but his header was directed straight into the arms of Ryan Goodfellow. Goodfellow pulled off a fine take four minutes later after Lawrie had fed Graham the ball for a delivery into the box from the left wing.

A free kick caused the Dunfermline defence before midway through the first 45 Fraser Moncrieff managed the visitors first shot at goal but unluckily into the sidenetting. Blair Henderson then had a brave attempt to net a Moncrieff cross but keeper Jamie Roberts beat that down.

Ballingry reacted with Adam feeding Gilfillan another good chance that Goodfellow saved and then Adam Moffat shooting wide left. Before the teams went in for the break a Mercer cross was taken by Moncrieff but his effort went over the bar.

Half Time: Ballingry Rovers 1 Dunfermline 0

The second half didn`t start much better than the first.  Tam GRAHAM turned his man and shot home at an amgle in 53 minutes. Dunfermline`s response was from a Scott Mercer corner but the challenge was dealt with by Roberts. Then six minutes later Marecer sent over a good ball that Henderson chose to try and finish with his feet when a header might have resulted in a better result.

The visitors fell further behind in 63 minutes when sub Denis Currie created an opening for James ADAM and he drilled the ball past  Goodfellow to make it 3-0. Currie despatched a free kick over the bar before a short taken corner kick on the left was whipped over for the TRIALIST on the far right to loop a header over Goodfellow.

Dunfermline had several attempts to get a goal back.  Henderson`s shot from the edge of the box went wide right, then he had a shot blocked by Morrison and when Andy Ritchie won possession to set up a counter attack Henderson was able to send the ball into the right side of the penalty box but Moncrieff`s shot slip over the crossbar.

Coach Hamish French felt that his side needed to make more of the ball when they were in possession.

"We didn`t get any byeline crosses in and the front two need to do more when play does come up to them, to get in behind.  We were too far in front of them. But it was a good fitness exercise for us and we can learn to communicate from this junior team.  They were noisy, bossing their team mates about whereas we were in our shell a bit. We need to try and do better there.  It is the inexperience that were have to keep working on, so that we are confident to work as a team unit."