Dunfermline Athletic

Archives | Dunfermline 3 Raith Rovers 0

The fourth Fife derby of the Championship season saw Dunfermline seeking to make it three successive wins over their local rivals for the first time since season 2012-2013.

On-loan keeper Aston Oxborough had been recalled by Motherwell and Chris Kane was on the subs` bench to accommodate the return of Callumn Morrison who had been suspended for the Aberdeen cup tie. These the only two changes in Neil Lennon`s starting eleven.

Raith Rovers were missing captain Scott Brown while Ross Matthews and Innes Cameron dropped to the bench. That meant starts for Josh Mullin, Jack Hamilton and Jai Rowe.

It was Alfons Amade who kicked off for the Pars attacking the goal in front of the away fans. Dunfermline were comfortably in control in the opening minutes and their first threat came in fourth minute when Andrew Tod latched on to Matty Todd`s pass to advance on goal to thread a ball through the Rovers box. Robbie Fraser cut back but the away defence intercepted. The move came with its disappointment however as Olly Thomas overstretched in trying to connect and had to subbed by Chris Kane.

A Fraser cross was headed behind by Lewis Stevenson to give the Pars the first corner of the derby but Todd`s 10th minute delivery was just too high for Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen. A Lewis Vaughan foul on Tod led to a free kick 40 yards out that earned only a corner and Rae and O`Connor combined to sweep that away.

Kane`s 17th minute effort from 28 yards out was parried away by the Raith keeper for another Dunfermline corner. Although this one picked out Tod on the far side of the penalty box, the defence snuffed out the threat. Another Pars corner from the right three minutes later evaded Chilokoa-Mullen as the home side failed to cash in on the setplays. From the second phase at a 25th minute corner Kane headed a Todd cross beyond the right goalpost.

Any doubts with Pars opportunities being missed were dismissed when Callumn MORRISON smashed a low drive into the Rovers net. The 27th minute opener came after Charlie Gilmour had picked out Fraser on the left and his pass teed up the striker for his fourth goal in three games.

Dylan Easton had the chance to get his team back in the game with a free kick from 26 yards that cleared the defensive wall and the crossbar. Then Tod was presented with a good chance from a penetrating Fraser pass but his effort was blocked. Morrison raced away up the left, his cross gave Kane an opportunity to shoot and when that was blocked the ball sat up for Tod but the effort suffered the same fate.

As half time approached Dunfermline`s presence in the final third clearly concerned the travelling support by now blinded by the sun. Morrison swung the ball across the goalmouth but Turkey`s header went high. Having had six corners, it had been all Dunfermline, the only negative the absence of more hits to the Raith net.

Half Time: Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 0

The second half began with chances at both ends. Easton dispatching the visitors best chance wide left from the edge of the box and Tod at the other end pinging the ball across the face of the Raith goal with no one getting a connection. Rovers had reacted to their half time talk and the match got more competitive. O`Connor was yellow carded and Cameron shot into Terrell`s hands. Doherty was next to be yellow carded for a cutting tackle.

In an effort to gain back the momentum Kyle Benedictus and Shea Kearney were introduced for Freddie Turley and Matty Todd. Dougie Imrie followed suit replacing Dylan Easton and Josh Mullin with Andy Winter and Kai Montagu.

The clock was running down but the one goal lead came with its concerns. Rowe was forward in 79 minutes to head a cross into the hands of Terrell before sub Josh Cooper eased the tension forcing a corner that Rae held. Cameron went down in 81st minute but continued after treatment. A long throw in by O`Connor was held by Terrell and the next two Rovers attacks were blown up for offside.

An 88th minute Pars free kick was taken with Cooper and Fraser taking it short before picking out Benedictus whose header hit the crossbar. The offside flag would have denied a goal anyway but the comfort of a second goal was duly delivered by Chris KANE in 90th minute as he touched in with his typical aplomb from a Tod cross from the left. 2-0

Then in the third minute of time added on at the end Gilmour sent TOD up the left and he took the chance well racing away from the defence to stick the ball past Rae. Andrew`s 14th goal of the season made it 3-0.

Three points and consolidation in fourth place now five points behind Arbroath with a game in hand.

DUNFERMLINE: Billy Terrell: Freddie Turley (Kyle Benedictus 61), Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Kieran Ngwenya: Matthew Todd (Shea Kearney 61), Charlie Gilmour, Alfons Amade (Chris Hamilton 74), Robbie Fraser: Callumn Morrison (Josh Cooper 74), Andrew Tod, Olly Thomas (Chris Kane 6)
SUBS NOT USED: Nurudeen Abdulai, Keith Bray, Tashan Oakley-Boothe, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORERS: Morrison (27), Kane (90), Tod (90+3)
YELLOW CARDS: Ngwenya (28), Morrison (44)

RAITH ROVERS: Josh Rae: Jai Rowe, Darragh O`Connor, Paul Hanlon (c), Lewis Stevenson: Jordan Doherty (Ross Matthews 72), Paul Nsio: Josh Mullin (Andy Winter 63), Lewis Vaughan (Richard Chin 72), Dylan Easton (Kai Montagu 63): Jack Hamilton (Innes Cameron 30)
SUBS NOT USED: Ewan Wilson, Callum Fordyce, Aidan Glavin (GK).
YELLOW CARDS: Nsio (8), O`Connor (56), Doherty (59), Matthews (88)

REFEREE: Matthew MacDermid
ATTENDANCE: 6605 (inc 1104 away fans)
WEATHER: Showers and sunny intervals 7°C

50/50 Prize draw -Winning Ticket: 73061 won prize: £1000

NEXT MATCH (away) v Ross County, Saturday 21st March 2026 kick off 3.00pm at the Global Energy Stadium, Dingwall



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