East Fife 0 Dunfermline 2
THE Pars had Lewis McCann to thank as they negotiated this tricky cup tie with a second half double enough to see off Dick Campbell’s League Two side.
There’s a much bigger Fife derby coming up on Friday night against Raith but Dunfermline warmed up with their first win of any sort since mid July.
After an even first half it was McCann who played a key role in turning this SPFL Trust Trophy tie in favour of the Pars.
Aaron Comrie fired home the loose ball after the striker’s effort hit the bar and then he stepped up himself to swerve home a brilliant free kick from 25 yards just before the hour.
East Fife had their moments but James McPake’s side did enough to get the job done and gain a much-needed shot of confidence before the live TV clash under the floodlights with the Rovers.
The meeting at New Bayview was a match fraught with danger for the Pars who hadn’t won any of their previous seven matches before pitching up in Methil – six straight defeats in the league cup and the Championship before last week’s 1-1 draw with Ayr.
McPake’s men also lost 2-0 in a friendly at this venue at the end of June – when Matty Todd picked up his injury – and East Fife are riding high in League Two, in second spot after demolishing Clyde 5-1 last Saturday.
Athletic’s dismal run included a home loss to Forfar, who are bottom of League Two.
The last time East Fife beat Dunfermline in a competitive fixture was 10 years ago, at East End in March 2014, when Lawrence Shankland netted for the home side and a certain Nathan Austin scored for the visitors in the League One encounter.
The striker led the line for East Fife today and was the main threat early on to Tobi Oluwayemi’s goal.
Inside the third minute Austin climbed highest at the back post to power a header at goal that thumped off the top of the bar, with the ref deciding that goalie Tobi Oluwayemi had got a touch to the ball on its way over.
McCann played some clever passes in behind the defence with Josh Cooper looking a cert to score in the 5th minute but his deliberate side foot finish – opting for placement rather than power – didn’t have enough to beat Allan Fleming.
There was no Tommy Fogarty for the Pars – he was away on international duty with Northern Ireland’s under-21s – while skipper Kyle Benedictus sat this one out as he recovers from a lower back problem.
Sam Young and Sam Fisher paired up in central defence and there was an anxious moment when Oluwayemi was short with a pass and Young lost the ball to Jack Healy before hauling him down for an early booking.
Luckily for Dunfermline that came to nothing but Allan Trouten was able to spin in the box and drag a shot just wide of goal as the home side continued to cause problems.
McCann was off target with a half volley that bounced past the post but continued to play the role of provider, again laying a lovely ball on for Cooper to run through.
Just as he was about to pull the trigger, out of nowhere Jess Norey slid in for a goal-saving block.
Oluwayemi was forced into a close range save from Trouten’s header while Chris Hamilton had a couple of efforts at goal before the break but Fleming was able to keep him out.
A promising break from Cooper at the start of the second half ended with Chris Kane overhitting the cross and another move was stopped by the offside flag, with McCann racing through but having to pull up.
The breakthrough came in the 53rd minute and it was no surprise it came down the Dunfermline left.
Cooper’s clever feint bought a yard of space, McCann sent a dipping cross-cum-shot effort in that bounced off the bar and the ball fell for Aaron Comrie to take a touch and drill it low into the net.
And it was 2-0 in the 58th minute when McCann lined up a free kick from 25 yards.
Fisher was bundled to the ground and the striker stepped up to curl a beauty up and over the wall and beyond the grasp of Fleming’s left hand.
McCann almost got another when he rose high at the back post to meet sub David Wotherspoon’s corner in the 76th minute, he met it solidly but the ball flew across goal and dropped just wide.
There was panic in the away defence when a lobbed ball into the box found sub Scott Shepherd bearing down on goal but Oluwayemi was out quick to keep the sheet clean.
In the final few minutes Pars sub Andrew Tod sent a close range header down into the turf and off the bar.
Wotherspoon could have added some gloss at the end but couldn’t get the ball on target from the edge of the box.
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