LEWIS U23 SELECT 0 DUNFERMLINE 10: Date: 10/07/03

Attendance: 450, Kick Off: 19:15
Referee: Billy McDonald (Stornoway)
Weather: Breezy but fine in first half, raining in second half

Last year it was New Zealand, this season it was the Outer Hebrides.

The Pars faced a U23 Select drawn from the 10 clubs in the Lewis and Harris Amateur League, following in the footsteps of Jim Leishman’s 1987 visit to Stornoway.

Dunfermline fielded a team mixed with experience and newcomers. Aaron Labonte, Anthony Storrie and Derek Young lined up alongside old faithfulls like Scott Y Thomson, and Andre Karnebeek. The Islanders select had never played together as a team and the Premier League test was going to be fierce.

The home team kicked off on a warm July evening which was interspersed with both sunshine and heavy showers. Right from the start the Pars were in total control. The first danger was created when Chris McGroarty advanced round the right side of the defence into the box and dispatched a ball which just evaded the advancing Storrie. It was alll Dunfermline and it was no surprise when in the fourth minute a fine cross from the right executed by George Fotheringham picked out the head of Neol Hunt who had risen way above the Select’s defence to head in the first goal.

Only three minutes went by before the lead was increased courtesy of a great 35 yard left-footed strike from Dutchman Andre Karnebeek. Play continued to be camped in the home half with only the interception of Donald Mackay and his pass down the left to Donald McDonald breaking up the total Pars dominance.

In the 13^th minute Jason Dair was fouled on the edge of the box and he took the free kick himself to test the Islander’s keeper, David Black, who produced a fine save tipping the ball round the post for a corner on the right. The ball was not totally cleared from the corner and Gary Dempsey fed a good ball to Storrie who played Noel Hunt into play but the keeper gathered his dipping header.

Hunt tried a overhead effort from a Fotheringham cross but again the keeper came out on top. Hunt and Fotheringham were combining well down the right and were unlucky not to find more support in front of goal which might have further increased the Fifer’s tally. Young had a shot which bounced out of the keeper’s hands but the yellow and black shirted stopper recovered to retrieve the situation.

Black however had no answer to Derek YOUNG’S drive from the angle on the right side of the penalty box after Fotheringham’s cross had been headed out by Calum Moody. Three minutes later the keeper produced a fine save from a Young header following more good work from Messrs Fotheringham and Hunt. Noel was beginning to thoroughly enjoy the Hebridean experience; he managed to show off a few of his tricks that impressed the audience no end.

In the 26^th minute another free kick was awarded on the edge of the box when Derek Young was fouled. Jason DAIR produced a right footed drive which landed in the bottom right hand corner of the net from the set piece to make it 4-0.

Gary Dempsey then succeeded in failing to walk the ball into an empty net when he did everything right up until the final moment. Jason Dair was causing plenty of grief to the right side of the Select’s defence and he succeeded in supplying Young with a quality ball that he dispatched just wide to the left. Hunt fed a ball into the path of Chris McGroarty, whose first time effort was tipped over the bar. Anthony Storrie had a 25yard effort which was deflected over the crossbar, but goal no.5 came in the 38^th minute when the former Middlesboro received a short Dair corner and twisted his way into the penalty box to supply Andre KARNEBEEK with a simple strike into the net.

The Islander’s had another counter-attack on the break when McDonald sent Joyce up the left wing but he failed to get in the cross for Donald McLeod who had perfect position to trouble the absent Pars defence. Four minutes from the interval Hunt sent a Young cross from the left over the crossbar from inside the 6 yard box.

The sixth Dunfermline goal did come in the first half when, in its dying moments, Gary Dempsey lobbed over a ball from the right which HUNT easily headed passed the keeper.

Craig Brewster and Andrius Skerla came on at half time replacing Derek Young and Gary Mason. Despite being so far behind, the home team showed great spirit tackling the second 45 with fresh impetus. In fact, it was the 52^nd minute before Hunt tested keeper Black. The Lewis Select had seen their No.6 Paul Murray head over the crossbar as they had enjoyed their best territorial advantage of the game.

The rain began to fall as Dair’s shot was saved by the outstretched right foot of David Black and then a Brewster chip rebounded off the top of the crossbar. Dair’s pass to Hunt was crossed into the path of Dempsey, but his smash unfortunately sailed over the crossbar.

In the 61^st minute a square ball from McGroarty to Brewster was well held by the keeper and a minute later Dair’s skill in the middle of the park allowed him a 35yard drive which went just wide. The Select forced their one and only corner of the match, but Scott Thomson came out to seize the ball.

Goal No.7 was not far away however, and materialised when Dempsey hit the byeline on the left to supply BREWSTER with a simple turn in at the near post. Within three minutes big Craig had scored his second when he rose to meet a Fotheringham cross and head in No.8.

Noel Hunt then got back into goalscoring mode firing in a fantastic right-footed shot from the angle of the penalty box. Stevie Crawford, who had come on for Fotheringham looked just what the home defence didn’t want. He looked extremely lively and far too pacy for the tiring amateurs, although Barry Nicholson denied them a goal when he hooked away a good chance which was created by substitutes Anderson and Dunn.

Andre Karnebeek was injured in attempting to stop this Lewis offensive and had to be helped off the park to leave the Pars with only ten men for the last 12 minutes. This did not prevent Noel HUNT running 35 yards up the left wing to slip the ball past the substitute goalkeeper to complete the rout.

This was a competent and workmanlike performance by the Pars. They showed great professionalism in approaching this game with the greatest respect to their hosts.

DUNFERMLINE: (4:4:2): Scott Y Thomson; Gary Mason (Andries Skerla HT), Aaron Labonte, Arne Karnebeek, Chris McGroarty; George Fotheringham (Stevie Crawford 72), Gary Dempsey (Barry Nicholson 69), Anthony Storrie, Jason Dair; Noal Hunt, Derek Young (Craig Brewster HT).
SUBS NOT USED: Derek Stillie
STRIP: Orange away
SCORERS: Hunt (4, 45, 76, 80), Karnebeek (7, 38), Derek Young (21), Dair (27), Brewster (68, 71)

LEWIS U23 SELECT: Black (I Mackay 79); Moodie (C Mackay 53), Joyce, McKenzie, D Mackay, Murray (Lennie 74), S Morrison (Anderson 50), J Morrison, Bray (A Mackay 65), McLeod, McDonald (Dunn 60).