The opening of the new Home end stand named after Norrie McCathie was not enough to raise the Pars game. Fielding the same Dunfermline 16 for the third match running, the first Rangers goal was also conceded in a familiar manner. This was a carbon copy of Wednesday’s goal lost at Tannadice. Scott Thomson’s pass from left midfield went straight to Jorg Albertz who threaded the ball through to Jonatan Johannson who made no mistake. Twelve minutes gone and one nil down, the Pars rallied and Craig Ireland had two headers at goal, one which Charbonnier saved for Amoruso to clear and the other which slipped past the post.

Scott McCulloch fell awkwardly five minutes from half time and was replaced after the interval with Scott Thomson going to full back and Marc Millar coming into left midfield. Unfortunately only four minutes into the second half Barry Ferguson picked up a neat lay off from Rod Wallace and goal number two effectively killed the contest.

Stewart Petrie came on for Gerry Britton and added extra bite running down the left but also getting hold of one of the few Pars chances to blast wide. Richard Huxford had Dunfermline’s best chance when he collected the ball on the right side of the six yard box and with Charbonnier having been drawn out the Englishman was far too greedy - shooting into the side net when attackers were queuing up to tap it in.

Hamish French had a great game. He was really the only home midfielder to get stuck in the first half and appeared to cause Rangers problems when he ran at them. Greg Shields was named the match sponsors man of the match. Andy Smith and Gerry Britton tried but their first touch let them down badly. When Craig Falcounbridge came on he looked like a whippet in comparison. This was Dunfermline’s third match in six days and why Faulkie gets such short appearances puzzles. Lee Butler had another excellent game and saved the Fifers from heavier defeat.

The match also saw the debut of the new Dunfermline away strip. The strip a two tone purple will not be any more popular for the fans given this result.


DUNFERMLINE: Butler, Shields, Squires, Ireland, McCulloch (Millar 46); French (Falcounbridge 80); Huxford, Ferguson, Thomson, Smith, Britton (Petrie 67).
Subs not used Hay, Templeman
Yellow Cards: no Dunfermline
Referee G Simpson (Westhill)
Attendance 11507
League position 9th
Next match v Kilmarnock (away) Saturday 3rd October 1998 ko 3.00pm