Dunfermline Athletic

Archives | Partick Thistle 1 Dunfermline 0

It was a measure of how cold it was that the Forth and Clyde Canal behind the Wyre Stadium was frozen over. No such problem for the Firhill pitch which had had covers placed over the main stand side as protection.

Both sides made two changes from their Saturday starting elevens. Dunfermline were without John Tod and Barney Stewart which meant starts for Ewan Otoo and Rory Macleod. Kieran Ngwenya returned to the bench for the first time since 9th August.

The home side brought in Luke McBeth and Ben Stanway for Lee Ashcroft and Alex Samuel. The second placed hosts were out to pick up the three points that would put them level on points with St Johnstone at the top of the Scottish Championship while Dunfermline required just one point to raise them to third but Neil Lennon and his players wanted a win. It was the hosts that kicked off attacking the goal at the open end of the ground.

Dunfermline had to defend a third minute free kick and although initially cleared Tsoanelo Letsosa forced a save out of Billy Terrell with his follow up. The Pars keeper followed that up four minutes later holding a low Tony Watt effort. Andrew Tod had been caught offside twice before Dunfermline`s first attempt, a shot from Charlie Gilmour from 28 yards out that sailed over Josh Clarke`s crossbar.

A 12th minute Macleod free kick dropped for Tod and his shot was deflected for a corner on the right. The Fifers came really close to scoring from that. Matty Todd surprised the defence with a low ball in towards the six yard box and Tod`s touch directed the ball just inches wide of the left upright. Then there was a great chance for Partick when Watt got on the end of a crossed ball and Terrell had to turn the ball around his right hand post.

The home side broke the deadlock with an Aidan FITZPATRICK goal in 25th minute. The Partick player wrong footed Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen to open up the opportunity to hit a low shot from 25 yards out that went in at the bottom right. 1-0

Fitzpatrick came close to adding his second just four minutes later, breaching the offside trap to get through on the keeper he clipped his shot wide left of target. A Chilokoa-Mullen run won a 30th minute free kick when Watt halted his run but MacLeod`s delivery this time was not the best. Tod was sent through but lost control and a Jefferson Cáceres chip into the Thistle box was easily taken by Clarke.

Slick passing across field set up Todd for a 40th minute pop at goal and he was denied when Daniel O`Reilly intercepted with a header to send the ball wide.

Apart from Andrew Tod`s effort from a 12th minute corner and Matty Todd`s shot five minutes from the break, the Fifers had not really come close to scoring. Partick had created more and it was Fitzpatrick`s goal that separated the teams at the break.

Half Time: Partick Thistle 1 Dunfermline 0

The first threat of the second half came from the home side with Fitzpatrick speeding away down the left, fortunately his cross was a bit too firm for Watt in the box. Thistle continued to make it hard for Dunfermline to settle and too many times possession was being lost too easily.

Watt hit a good chance on to the left post on the hour and Chilokoa-Mullen headed away a really dangerous Logan Chalmers cross as he got in behind the defence. Something had to change and in 62 minutes Dunfermline made a triple substitution. On came Chris Kane, Keith Bray and Tashan-Oakley-Boothe, as off went Rory Macleod, Ewan Otoo and Jefferson Cáceres.

Immediately there was a major attack on the Thistle goal with Kane being closed out a Oakley-Boothe`s on target effort being blocked. Chris Hamilton struck a shot that was deflected for a corner. The home side retaliated and produced a concerted mission in the Pars box with the defence coming out on top.

A Todd free kick from right saw a Chilokoa-Mullen shot held by the keeper but Dunfermline continued to press with Todd feeding Hamilton wide right but his cross was intercepted. Partick started losing possession and giving away fouls and the home crowd grew increasingly concerned. A Pars 78th minute free kick went badly wrong as Fraser tried to find Todd and Partick broke on the counter. The run was only halted by Tod pulling down the attacker and earning a yellow.

In 81 minutes Tod swung the ball in from the right for Todd to square for Oakley-Boothe to strike from 20 yards out but his attempt cleared the bar. Chilokoa-Mullen picked out Gilmour but his shot went wide. Lucas Fyfe replacing Matty Todd was the final throw of the dice with five minutes remaining.

As the time added on ran down the visitors were camped in the opposition half but alas there was to be no late equaliser despite Dunfermline`s never-say-die attitude. Thistle go 12 points ahead of the Pars who remain in fifth place.

PARTICK THISTLE: Josh Clarke; Patrick Reading, Luke McBeth, Dan O`Reilly (c), Ben McPherson; Aidan Fitzpatrick (Stevie Lawless 80), Oisin Smyth, Tsoanelo Letsosa (Kyle Turner 80), Ben Stanway (Alex Samuel 70), Logan Chalmers (Cammy Logan 90); Tony Watt
SUBS NOT USED: Lee Ashcroft, Scott Martin, Sean McArdle, Lewis Budinauckas (GK).
SCORER: Fitzpatrick (24)
YELLOW CARD: O`Reilly (45)

DUNFERMLINE: Billy Terrell: Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Nurudeen Abdulai, Ewan Otoo (Tashan Oakley-Boothe 62): Matty Todd (Lucas Fyfe 85), Chris Hamilton (c), Charlie Gilmour, Robbie Fraser: Jefferson Cáceres (Keith Bray 62): Rory Macleod (Chris Kane 62), Andrew Tod
SUBS NOT USED: Kieran Ngwenya, Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Alfons Amade, Sam Fisher, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
YELLOW CARDS: Gilmour (68), Chilokoa-Mullen (73), Tod (79)

REFEREE: Calum Scott
ATTENDANCE: 2893
WEATHER: Fine 0°C

NEXT MATCH (home), Scottish Cup v Queen of the South, Saturday 29th November 2025, kick off 3.00pm


Partick Thistle 1 Dunfermline 0



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