Archives | Dunfermline 1 Morton 0
Dunfermline`s youth filled team showed maturity to carve out an important win with their 8th clean sheet of the league season.
The Pars were looking to bounce back into form following a fortnight`s break `“ their visit to Partick was postponed due to international call-ups, with no fewer than five of their players gaining international recognition over the break. Alfons Amade played twice for Mozambique, John Tod played for Scotland`s under-19s in Lithuania, and Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Andy Tod and loanee Barney Stewart all featured internationally for Scotland`s U21s.
Neil Lennon made only one change from the team that drew with St Johnstone, Chris Hamilton being preferred to Alfons Amade. Charlie Gilmour at 26 years of age the only Dunfermline player born last century. Morton manager Dougie Imrie went with the side that started against Ross County the previous Saturday.
Ahead of kick off there was a minute`s applause following the sad passing of Head Scout, Gary Kirk before the visitors kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end. The first chance came after just 50 seconds from a Matty Todd cross that Andrew Tod just failed to get a connection on.Moffat cut inside to send a trademark shot on target but Billy Terrell held the seventh minute attempt. Nathan Shaw forced a corner on the left just three minutes later and that was met by Jackson Longridge at the far post but his effort went wide. Tackles were of a robust nature and even before the quarter hour mark the home fans were voicing their displeasure with referee Colin Steven.
Todd and Hamilton pushed towards the Morton box with the the latter teeing up A Tod for a shot from 20 yards that cleared the bar. The Dunfermline opener was a well taken goal in 16 minutes. Todd played the ball back out of the Morton box for Robbie Fraser on the left to swing the ball back into the area in front of goal where GILMOUR arrived timely to head past Storer. The 26 year-old`s first Dunfermline goal made it 1-0.
Cashing in on a Morton mistake Stewart and Tod combined with Stewart being denied by the keeper who conceded the first of three 25th minute corners from the right. Unfortunately nothing was made of those and the Pars were unlucky not to get the break of the ball when Hamilton dispossessed Cammy Macpherson on the edge of the visitors` box. Terrell made a brave save to prevent a Tomi Adeloye equaliser.
Hamilton won the ball in midfield to create another good Pars chance in 38 minutes, the captain feeding Stewart a pass on the right to thread the ball diagonally for A Tod but he was closed down before he could release his shot. Morton captain Grant Gillespie was shown the first yellow card of the afternoon as he chopped down Jefferson Cáceres. Remarkable really that it had taken until 43rd minute for the first card. From the free kick Todd delivered an inviting ball that Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen headed over the bar. The last action of the half saw Terrell come to the rescue to save after Adeloye had muscled Nurudeen Abdulai off the ball.
It had been a hard fought first half but the Fifers went in ahead but they had to do their fair share of defending in the first 45 minutes against a Greenock side that were just as eager to get a result.
Half Time: Dunfermline 1 Morton 0
Rory Macleod replaced Barney Stewart for the second half and in 47th minute Dunfermline came close to adding to their score. A Cáceres cross from the right was turned goalwards by A Tod but the ball was cleared off the line. Next a Todd corner from the left was glanced narrowly outside the near post by John Tod. Then in 57 minutes John and his brother excerpted pressure on the Morton defence that caused a real scramble in front of the Morton goal that the Clydesiders survived.
With Dunfermline looking the most likely to score Morton introduced three substitutes on 63 minutes. The Pars followed that minutes later to bring on Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Chris Kane for Charlie Gilmour and Jefferson Cáceres. Injuries to Iain Wilson and Owen Moffat then caused Morton to make two further substitutions with Michael O`˜Halloran and then Eamonn Brophy coming on.
Macleod earned a 77th corner on the right but after some head-tennis Morton cleared. While it remained just a one goal advantage the anxiety was creeping into the home stands. Fraser pumped a couple of tries into the Morton box before Kane was on the end of a Todd return but he used a hand in turning the ball on to the left upright and received the first Pars yellow.
With six minutes remaining Macleod sent A Tod up the left channel but his shot was high and wide. Next it was Fraser put through by Macleod but his effort was crashed over the bar. A 90th minute Morton corner came from a rebound on a very necessary block and thankfully Adeloye headed wide when the ball came in. Added time saw Morton keeper James Storer up in the home box as two corners from the right were defended.
Three hard earned points in a game where Dunfermline found it difficult to test the opposition goalkeeper nearly enough. 1-0 but it should have been more. The Pars stay fifth, now one point behind Ayr United and Arbroath above them.
DUNFERMLINE: Billy Terrell: Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Nurudeen Abdulai, John Tod: Matty Todd, Chris Hamilton (c), Charlie Gilmour (Tashan Oakley-Boothe 67), Robbie Fraser: Jefferson Cáceres (Chris Kane 67): Barney Stewart (Rory Macleod HT), Andrew Tod (Kane Ritchie-Hosler 85).
SUBS NOT USED: Ewan Otoo, Alfons Amade, Keith Bray, Sam Fisher, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORER: Gilmour (16)
YELLOW CARD: Kane (81)
MORTON: James Storer: Aaron Comrie, Kris Moore, Jackson Longridge, Zak Delaney (Cammy Ballantyne 63): Cammy Macpherson, Grant Gillespie (c) (Michael Garrity 63), Iain Wilson (Michael O`˜Halloran 69): Nathan Shaw (Arron Lyall 63): Owen Moffat (Eamonn Brophy 73), Tomi Adeloye
SUBS NOT USED: Kerr Robertson, Dylan Corr, Sonny Hart, Sam Murdoch (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Gillespie (43)
REFEREE: Colin Steven
ATTENDANCE: 4989 (inc 264 away fans)
WEATHER: Overcast 4°C
50/50 `“ Winning Ticket: 6825 `“ Prize: £733
NEXT MATCH: William Hill Championship (away) v Partick Thistle, Tuesday 25th November 2025, kick off 7.45pm at the the Wyre Stadium at Firhill
Dunfermline 1 Morton 0
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