Arbroath 0
Dunfermline Athletic 0
Scottish League (Play Off Quarter Final Second Leg)

Match Report

As the country digested the Scottish Government results, Dunfermline’s one goal lead from the first leg coupled with a fantastic 85th minute penalty save by Aston Oxborough was enough to give them a majority and ensure Neil Lennon’s black and white party a seat in the Premiership Semi-Final.

For this the second leg of the Premiership Play-Off Quarter-Final at Gayfield Park, both teams made one change for the re-match, Arbroath replaced Gavin Reilly with Scott Robinson while Dunfermline brought in John Tod for Alfons Amade facilitating Nurudeen Abdulai to move into midfield.

For Arbroath, it was a fine evening and the notorious Angus coast wind would not be a factor. The stands filled up ahead of kick off with both sets of fans optimistic that they would be hosting Partick Thistle in the semi-final on Tuesday night.

Charlie Gilmour got the match underway but it was Arbroath who posed the first threat. Robinson raced on to a long ball up the left and his pass for Ryan Dow allowed the former Par player a shot that Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen blocked to concede the first corner of the evening. The third minute setplay was defended away with headers from Gilmour and Andrew Tod.

John Tod collected a sixth minute yellow card for a tug on Dow and it would be Dow who created a really good chance in 14 minutes. His cross from the left was headed down by Findlay Marshall for Robinson to shoot. The shot evaded Aston Oxborough but fortunately Chilokoa-Mullen cleared off the line. The keeper then held a Dow shot before Dunfermline looked to cash in from free kick on the right touchline. Matty Todd’s delivery was flicked on by Chris Kane to Chilokoa-Mullen and despite a display of ball control the Pars captain just could not get in the shot.

Next it was Aberdeen loanee Marshall who latched on to a defended ball to make ground centrally and drill an effort over Oxborough’s bar. At the other end Andrew Tod tried a shot that flew out wide right. A late Harry Cochrane tackle on Gilmour earned the Former Hearts youth a 33rd minute yellow card. The free kick from the halfway line changed nothing but Kane was able to create an opportunity but his ball square for Morrison was intercepted.

There were loud appeals from the Fifers travelling support when Watson took A Tod down in the D but that was soon forgotten as the Pars came very close to scoring. A Todd corner in 44 minutes was headed left by A Tod for Abdulai on the left to return. The cross was headed back by Kane towards J Tod at the left post where O’Brien dived in to deny the shot. Gilmour got in the shot but that was deflected over the bar.

Arbroath had shown danger with their clear ability to break at pace. The ball had spent a sizeable amount of time in the air but with Abdulai in midfield the Pars had won most of the aerial duels. There had been no lack of effort from both teams but at the interval it remained goalless.

Half Time: Arbroath 0 Dunfermline 0

The early second half pressure came from the home team and in 52 minutes Dow exchanged passes with Robinson on the edge of the box before shooting high and wide right. Played switched quickly to the Arbroath goalmouth with Todd forcing a good save out of McAdams from a Robbie Fraser cut back.

On the hour Kane played a superb pass to Todd on the right but his cross was turned behind for what turned out to be two Dunfermline corners. Those were defended but when Todd switched the ball left for A Tod, Stewart conceded a 64th minute corner on the left. The Pars exerted plenty pressure but still had no fruits from it and no shots on target.

Arbroath responded with J Tod clearing dangerous crosses from Wilkie and then Dow with Oxborough holding a third ball launched in from Dow. With less than 20 minutes remaining Arbroath made a real push forcing Dunfermline on to the back foot. Chilokoa-Mullen made a crucial interception and the men in maroon wasted a 76th minute corner from the right that was overhit.

Kieran Ngwenya was wide when he met a Todd corner from the left but it was soon back to the Pars end with the reliable Chilokoa-Mullen heading clear from another Wilkie corner from the right. Then was the kind of late drama that Arbroath were seeking when they were awarded a penalty with seven minutes remaining. Fraser’s back pass to the keeper was short and Oxborough came out attempting to take the ball but got Dow instead. Referee David Dickinson showed the Pars keeper a yellow and pointed to the penalty spot but when Arbroath sub Aaron Muirhead stepped up, he sent the ball right, big Aston chose to dive in the right direction and turned the ball behind for a corner. The 1524 strong travelling support went crazy as the Pars players raced to congratulate the big keeper’s heroics.

In 87 minutes Chris Hamilton came on for Callumn Morrison followed three minutes later by Alfons Amade for Nurudeen Abdulai. In desperation Arbroath sent their keeper up for a corner in the third minute of the four added but the ref blew for an O’Brien foul on Gilmour and Dunfermline held on for a 0-0 draw. It was the end of Arbroath’s season but for Athletic it is on to the semi-final where Mark Wilson’s Partick Thistle await. Dunfermline became the fourth team to have finished fourth in the Championship to progress in 12 of the Premiership Quarter-Finals.

Match report written by dafc.co.uk