DUNFERMLINE 1 ABERDEEN 1 Date: 07/03/09

Fixture: Homecoming Scottish Cup

Attendance: 9696, Kick Off: 3.00pm

Referee: Craig Thomson

MATCH PICTURES
Dunfermline welcomed the two Jimmies Aberdeen team to East End Park hoping that this could be their third victory over the former Pars management team since they went north in 2004. Jim McIntyre chose this match to hand Jamie Mole his first start in place of Andy Kirk and with Graeme Holmes injured Alex Burke returned to the starting eleven for the first time since January. Calum Woods was preferred to former Don, Scott Thomson at right back.

For Aberdeen Lee Miller and Javan Vidal were out, Chris Maguire and Darren Mackie on the bench, Tommy Wright, Stuart Duff, Derek Young and Jamie Smith started.

As usual the teams entered to the Skids "Into the Valley" but with such a large crowd filling the stands on all four sides it was more into the cauldron. Aberdeen kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end.

Dunfermline had the first real opportunity in third minute when Stephen Glass` free kick in from deep right sailed through the Dons six yard box without any intervention. The Pars kept up pressure with Bayne challenging for a cross in from the left but Lee Mair did just enough to clear.

It took the visitors a little time to find their way any distance into the Pars half but Tommy Wright broke through in the eighth minute brushing off Scott Wilson but Greg Shields covered across to concede a corner. The Dons forced another off Calum Woods before Shields belted the ball away.

In 14th minute Aloku tried to riggle through between Wilson and Shields but was kept at bay and the Pars counterattack saw Mole force the first home corner of the match. The corner kick was obviously a training ground set piece. Four Pars men grouped on the edge of the box and as Stephen Glass kicked the ball all four of them raced forward taking defenders with them. That left open space for Nick Phinn to receive the ball over from the left but unluckily his shot was blasted over the crossbar into the Dons fans.

Midway through the first half Woods had to be sharp to nick the ball off Aluko, it resulted in a corner for Aberdeen but Charlie Mulgrew`s corner in from the right was fisted away by Paul Gallacher.

In 26th minute Austin McCann was allowed time to compose himself on the left. It looked that a cross would be swung over into the penalty box but he chose to slip the ball deep left for Mole to send over a great cross from the left corner flag. Eight yards out Graham Bayne was there to accept but his glancing header narrowly missed slipping inside the right goalpost as the home support all sprang to their feet.

Aberdeen kept the Pars defence on their toes but they were not getting too much in the way of shooting chances. At the other end Mole received a pass just 20 yards out but he too failed to release a shot that might have brought Langfield into the game.

On 35 minutes Derek Young touched the ball through for Aloku and it looked like he was in on Gallacher but Scott Wilson slid in to concede a corner on the left. When Jamie Smith sent that in the ball was defended to the edge of the box and Aloku accepted another chance to shoot but his attempt cleared the crossbar.

The Dons forced more corners and enjoyed territorial advantage as half time beckoned. A shoulder injury to Bayne sustained while helping out his defence delayed play but on the resumption Aloku again caused the central defence some problems and Glass` challenge on the Dons no. 22 earned him a yellow card.

The free kick that caused was 29 yards out and Mulgrew`s free kick was struck over the wall but Gallacher pulled off a great save to turn the ball over his bar as he dived to his left. At the other end Aluko bowled over Burke allowing Glass to fire a Pars fee kick into the box but that was cleared away as the half entered the two minutes added for stoppages.

Half Time: Dunfermline 0 Aberdeen 0

Aluko caused all the early problems at the beginning of the second half with Stuart Duff twice getting supply to the right of the Pars box to create problems. Shields put in the critical block to prevent the 20 year old striker`s shot but Aberdeen put the Pars under intense pressure. Three corners kept the action right in front of Gallacher.

The ball appeared to be cleared but Jamie Smith next sent a cross in from the left that Wright headed goalwards and the Pars keeper managed to grab the ball and stop himself stepping back across his line. Graham Bayne sustained injury in challenging Wright and the cut to his head meant that Andy Kirk came on in 57th minute.

Aberdeen had enjoyed far too much of the opening minutes and Jim McIntyre was trying to encourage his side to play up out of their half. Mole broke through and went down in the box as Duff tracked him, no penalty and it would have been soft.

The goal that Sone ALUKO had been threatening since the restart duly arrived in 61 minutes. From a central position 35 yards out Young released the ball to his left and the Englishman smashed the ball home from 15 yards to find the net low at the far post.

Scott Muirhead came on for Alex Burke and it was the subs` ball in to the near post that forced another corner for the Fifers. The 65th minute corner delivered by Glass was met by the inrushing Phinn but his header from inside the six yard box was somehow kept out and the ball went around the right post.

Dunfermline launched a stirring challenge with the Aberdeen defenders knowing all about it in fact Diamond had to be at his best to prevent Phinn and then Langfield had to parry away an Andy Kirk shot from distance. Mole crossed a ball over from the right but Muirhead`s well struck shot from 19 yards went straight to Langfield.

Rory Loy replaced Ausin McCann and immediately pushed the Pars up the left. Muirhead whacked over a great ball from the left that looked destined for Steven Bell`s head but he failed to connect at the far post. Loy stayed up and this pushed Aberdeen back.

In 83 minutes East End Park erupted to greet a Dunfermline equaliser. Jamie Mole worked his way across the top of the box and hit a low shot that Langfield failed to hold. Andy Kirk rushed in, he had to score you thought but the ball was travelling outside the right post until Nick PHINN slid in and turned the ball into the net.

In 88 minutes the SPL side came close to notching a winner. A cross from the left found Considine on the far side of the penalty box and Mair drove a shot on target that took a Wilson deflection over the top. Fortunately Smith`s cross was not well used but Aluko forced Aberdeen`s 14th corner of the match that again the home defence survived.

In 93 minutes an Aluko lay off to Aberdeen sub Rickie Foster on the right side of the box was blasted into the crowd and it was all over. A replay at Pittodrie on Tuesday 17th March.

DUNFERMLINE : Paul Gallacher, Calum Woods, Greg Shields, Scott Wilson (c), Austin McCann (Rory Loy 77); Steven Bell, Stephen Glass, Nick Phinn, Alex Burke (Scott Muirhead 64); Jamie Mole, Graham Bayne (Andy Kirk 57).
SUBS: Scott Thomson, Callum Reidford.
YELLOW CARD: Glass (42)
SCORER: Phinn (83)

ABERDEEN: Jamie Langfield; Zander Diamond, Lee Mair, Charlie Mulgrew (Andrew Considine 84), Sone Aluko, Scott Severin, Derek Young (Richard Foster 76), Mark Kerr, Jamie Smith, Tommy Wright (Darren Mackie 76).
SUBS: Bertrand Bossu, Chris Maguire.
SCORER: Aluko (61)

WEATHER: Dry 9ºC

Managers` Post Match Comments: Jim McIntyre and Jimmy Calderwood
Calum Woods Post Match Comments
Nick Phinn Post Match Comments