CLYDE 2 DUNFERMLINE 1 22/09/07

Fixture: Irn Bru SFL Division One

Attendance: 1554, Kick off 15.00

Referee: Dougie McDonald

Dunfermline were leapfrogged by Colin Hendry`s Clyde as the Bully Wee gave the Pars very little, took their chances and made the pre season favourites look very shoddy.

Clyde brought back Joe Cardle in place of Michael McGowan in their only change from the side that drew at Dumfries the previous Saturday. Dunfermline made five changes from the team that played at Airdrie in midweek. Paul Gallacher was back between the sticks, Darren Young was given the right back role, Jim Hamilton, Stevie Crawford, Souleymane Bamba all returned.

David McGowan and Christian Smith got the match underway attacking the goal in front of the empty South Stand. It was the Pars who troubled the keepers first when within two minutes a Stephen Glass free kick was forcefully headed in on target but David Hutton held well.

The new Dunfermline back four had a couple of shaky moments with Bamba in particular struggling with a couple of misunderstandings that raised the hopes of the home support.

Clyde might have had a corner when Gallacher had trouble controlling a Young pass back but the first corner of the game after ten minutes, went the Pars way. Owen Morrison sent the ball in from the left corner flag and after the defence cleared only as far asthe edge of their own box, Stephen Glass struck a fine shot that grazed the crossbar.

Gallacher`s first save was required in 18th minute when Steven Masterton`s switched ball to Dougie Imrie on the left was hit on target from the edge of the box. Next minute he had cause for concern at a weak Bamba pass back but then really out of nothing Clyde prodded a pass through the middle that MASTERTON finished from 18 yards.

The visitors rallied and created crosses from Burchill and Glass that the Clyde defence had to be quick to clear. In 29th minute another Young clearance sent Burchill into the right side of the box and he did well to beat off the challenge of his marker to deliver a cross but there was no one there to take the chance.

Glass and Crawford did well to create an opportunity for Jim Hamilton but the striker failed to get in his shot and was blocked out. Dunfermline were struggling to find any way through the Clyde defence whereas the offside flag was saving the visitors at the other. There were a worrying number of awkward balls back that Paul Gallacher had to deal with.

Ruari MacLennan lay still after going into a challenge with Owen Morrison and Dusan Bestvina. After a three minute stoppage, the Clyde midfielder was stretchered off to be replaced by Michael McGowan. Fortunately after a period of time to recover he was able to walk slowly back to the tunnel..

Clyde continued to threaten the scoreline. Masterton`s free kick from 25 yards held by Gallacher and next Masterton`s corner met by Chris Higgins but held by Gallacher.

Dunfermline`s reply was a Stephen Simmons shot that soared high and wide into the wasteland behind the Clyde goal and then a Morrison knock down that Crawford deflected high and wide the other side. In the time added on at the end of the half Bamba headed a Morrison free kick that Burchill then directed on target but Hutton blocked.

This was not Dunfermline`s best 45 minutes of the season. They looked very susceptible at the back, Clyde powered themselves through the game and the Fifers never really looked like finding the net.

Half Time: Clyde 1 Dunfermline 0

Stephen Kenny shuffled his pack for the second half. Owen Morrison was withdrawn and Tam McManus came on to play on the right flank. Simmons went to centre half, Labonte to right back, Young and Ryan went into the centre of midfield

In 49th minute Burchill latched on to a diagonal ball and in the best chance so far had his shot at an angle from eight yards blocked by keeper Hutton. For Clyde Masterton thumped a free kick wide right before the Pars were back in front of their opponents goal forcing another two corners on the left. Both were executed by McManus but to no avail.

Simmons set up Ryan for a pop at goal but that went straight to the purple shirted keeper. The keeper then launched a long ball up the park that Gallacher jumped high to gather but he was knocked over by a Clyde forward. The on loan keeper eventually rose to his feet but could not continue and so Sean Murdoch replaced him with 59 minutes on the clock.

Five minutes later Stevie Crawford almost sprung the Clyde defence but a last ditch tackle by McGregor kept him out. Things then got even worse as Dunfermline leaked a second goal. After losing possession in our own half a quick shot broke Bamba to David McGOWAN who slotted the ball passed Murdoch.

McGowan evaded Young`s challenge on half way but as he homed in on goal Stephen Glass got back to prevent the shot. When Simmons swept a free kick from his own half out left for Glass the ball was quickly switched into the path of Burchill and his cross from the byeline just slipped over Hamilton as he rose to head home. Instead Crawford collected and fed McManus the ball. Tam`s cross was neatly headed in by Mark BURCHILL from close in for the 74th minute goal.

Two minutes later Clyde had a glorious chance to finish the contest when a quickly taken free kick caught out the Pars and David McGowan was picked out on the top of the D but Sean Murdoch made a fine save. Then Joe Cardle drove in a shot that Murdoch again saved.

Clyde continued to have the upper hand and even with four men up there was no road through the Clyde defence with Hutton holding a Hamilton header. This was Clyde`s first league win over the Pars in over twenty years and their players and fans thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The result takes them above the Pars.

CLYDE: David Hutton; Neil McGregor, Dusan Bestvina, Chris Higgins, Dan Kirkup, Christian Smith, Steven Masterton,Joe Cardle, Ruari MacLennan (Michael McGowan 39), David McGowan (Sean McKenna 84), Dougie Imrie.
SUBS: Gary Arbuckle, Peter Cherrie (GK), Evangelino Valentim
SCORER: Masterton (19), David McGowan (65)
YELLOW CARD: Smith (67), Imrie (78), Higgins (90)

DUNFERMLINE: Paul Gallacher (Sean Murdoch 59); Darren Young, Souleymane Bamba, Aaron Labonte, Stephen Glass; Bobby Ryan, Stephen Simmons (Iain Williamson 89), Stevie Crawford (c), Owen Morrison (Tam McManus HT); Jim Hamilton, Mark Burchill
SUBS: Nick Phinn, John McCulloch.
SCORER: Burchill (74)
YELLOW CARD: Williamson (92)

REFEREE: Dougie McDonald
WEATHER: Sunny intervals, dry, windy 16ºC
ATTENDANCE: 1554

NEXT MATCH: CIS Insurance Cup (away) v Hearts, Tuesday 25th September, kick off 7.45pm

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