After last week’s performance which Bert Paton called “extra disappointing” in the match programme, the manager made six changes in personnel for the visit of Jocky Scott’s Dundee. There were Premier League debuts for young Chris Templeman and ex Wigan Gavin Johnson. No Scott Thomson or Marc Millar and David Linighan was dropped to make way for Jamie Squires; John Fraser returned after injury in place of Richard Huxford. Craig Ireland started again and Scott McCulloch served the second of his two match suspension.

The biggest talking point of the first half was the new East Stand which was almost filled to capacity with Pars fans - Dundee brought 1000 fans to fill the old home end of the North Stand. Dunfermline, playing towards the construction site that will be the new Norrie McCathie Stand had the better of the play but there were few chances at either end. In the 45th minute Andy Tod sent through a pass for George Shaw whose burst down the right was completed with a pass low into the six yard box. ANDY SMITH nipped in between two defenders to divert the ball into Robert Douglas’ goal.

The second half started in dramatic fashion with GEORGE SHAW netting after the Dundee keeper dropped a cross. There were complaints from the Dundee players eventually resulting in Jim McInally’s yellow card. Hardly had things settled down when Gavin Johnson was red carded for a violent tussle with an opponent. The pair seemed to fight as they disentangled each other from a tackle and given that the 27 year-old balding Englishman had been yellow carded in the first half his behaviour was far from clever.

Dundee were lacking ideas to penetrate the Pars defence which had been redrawn with Squires, Tod, Ireland and Shields across the back. Dunfermline had one or two half chances after French, Den Bieman and Britton came on but the match ended fittingly with Dundee fans booing Jocky Scott.

Bert Paton said “it was nice to get a victory, and nice to get a clean sheet”.

DUNFERMLINE: Butler, Shields, Tod, Squires, Ireland, Johnson; Ferguson, Fraser (Den Bieman), Templeman (French); Shaw (Britton), Smith.
Scorers: Smith (45), Shaw (46)
Yellow Card: Johnson (15)
Red Card: Johnson (50)

Referee John Rowbottom (Kirkcaldy)
Attendance 6200

Next match v Motherwell (away) Saturday 22nd August 1998