EAST FIFE 0 DUNFERMLINE 5 Date: 20/07/04

Fixture: Pre Season Friendly

Referee: Colin Brown

Weather: Rain heavy at times 18C

Dunfermline were streets ahead of their county cousins, after Barry Nicholson put the Pars ahead on the quarter hour the result was never in any doubt. Further goals from Mehmet, Shields and two from Dempsey sealed the win.

It was what might be deemed the Pars strongest team that was fielded by Davie Hay. With Craig Brewster, Andy Tod, the Young brothers and Aaron Labonte all recovering from ailments Scott Thomson led out a predictable eleven. Shields, Skerla, Wilson and Byrne made up a back four while the skipper was in midfield along side Barry Nicholson and Gary Mason with Gary Dempsey on the left. Hunt and Mehmet were given another 90 minutes to impress.

The brightest thing about the first seven minutes were the match officials` luminance shirts but Mason sparked the visitors into action feeding Hunt a ball that he laid off for Nicholson to fire in a shot that former Par Craig Lumsden blocked. Barry whacked in another vicious shot five minutes later before eventually hitting the net three minutes later. A Richie Byrne cross was chested down by Hunt into a central area and NICHOLSON fired in a shot that the keeper could only parry and Barry nipped in to make sure at the right post as the keeper attempted to scramble back.

The lead was doubled midway through the first half when Shields sent Nicholson towards the right corner flag. His cross was touched on from Hunt to Mehmet but his shot was blocked. Mason sent the ball back at the keeper but when it came back to MEHMET he thumped an unstoppable shot into the net. The Pars were spreading the ball about the park well and a perfect pass from Nicholson out to Mehmet was returned for Hunt to head a good effort that keeper Dodds saved.

A lengthy ball for Wilson forced the East Fife defence to impede Mehmet 25 yards out setting up a free kick for Dempsey that was deflected wide off the shoulder at the end of the four man wall. Nicholson`s corner in from the right in the 31st minute looked too low until Thomson touched it back for Shields to rocket into the left side of the goals.

Three minutes from half time another long ball from Wilson might have been finished off by Hunt, well at least the lady announcer thought it had, but the keeper managed to parry the shot and Gary DEMPSEY stepped in to wallop in number four.

The darkening sky brought gloom over New Bayview and the play was lacklustre until in the 58th minute Nicholson headed over from a Mehmet cross. Mehmet`s glancing header from a Nicholson corner and Dempsey`s drive narrowly wide raised the hopes of the sizeable travelling support that the scoring was not over. Unfortunately the biggest cheer was reserved for the switching on of the floodlights for the last quarter of the match.

Just like at Christmas so with the lights came the celebration. From inside the centre circle Hunt sprinted away from the defenders and as he homed in on goal the Trialist right back lunged in at the top of the box and the referee awarded a penalty. DEMPSEY stepped up and made no mistake to make it five with twenty minutes to go.

Simon Donnelly and Ian Campbell came on and nine minutes from time Simon had a chance that he fired wide left from outside the box. Campbell swung over a ball that Donnelly turned back for Hunt but failed to get himself on to the scoresheet.

Good to see four different scorers and the lads looked much fitter than last Tuesday against Clyde although the defence only needed to stroll through the game.

Dunfermline: Stillie; Shields, Skerla, Wilson, Byrne (Campbell 71); Nicholson, Thomson (Trialist - Donnelly 76), Mason, Dempsey; Hunt, Mehmet


Dunfermline Subs: Trialist - Lyle, Greenhill, Kay, Hunter, Langfield



Dunfermline Goal Scorers: Nicholson (15), Mehmet (22), Shields (31), Dempsey (42, 70 pen.)

East Fife: Dodds (Morrison HT); Trialist, Lumsden, Hall, I McDonald; Herkes, Kelly (Byle HT), G McDonald, Brash (Condie 89); Fairbairn (Trialist 83), Paliczka (Bain 71).


East Fife Subs: Linton, Crawford