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DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC 1–2 COVE RANGERS

The team ended the Premier Sports Cup campaign in the best way possible with an impressive victory over their Championship hosts. Mikey Doyle opened the scoring just before the hour mark with Myles Gaffney smashing home his first senior goal to secure the points. A late Dunfermline counter was no more than a consolation.

With Fraser Fyvie suspended after two yellow cards, Declan Glass returned to the starting line-up, Arron Darge taking over the armband. Following the decision announced yesterday by the SPFL, Grady McGrath was also banned, which saw Milosz Ochmanski back in the starting line-up.

Balint Demus was in goal as the manager continued to rotate the keepers, Nick Suman dropping to what was a restricted bench. Josh Kerr was ruled out following last weekend’s head injury at Forfar.

It was a bright opening to the match, both sides probing early on, and it was Dunfermline who were first to threaten, O’Halloran weaving his way into the box in the third minute before being closed down.

David Wotherspoon then linked-up with Wighton, and when the ball ran to Ngwenya, the left-back had a go from twenty-three yards, his shot flying a couple of feet over the bar.

Glass and Scully were enjoying plenty possession, and after good interplay, Myles Gaffney got in behind the home defence, thwarted only by Mehmet who raced off his line to smother the ball.

Dunfermline then enjoyed a spell of pressure, Doyle conceding a corner as he prevented Wotherspoon from delivering, but our back-line generally looked solid and well-organised.

Glass and Gaffney linked-up nicely in midfield, the latter rolling the ball back for Yule who immediately spread play wide to the left. Ochmanski gathered and fired in an inviting cross which Breen headed out for what would be a fruitless corner.

As the half drew to a close, Comrie delivered from the right and found Craig Wighton, but the striker’s header lacked power, and Demus saved easily. Wighton then wriggled clear on the edge of the area, but stumbled, and the danger was cleared.

Milosz Ochmanski and Connor Scully exchanged passes in our first attack after the interval, and when Declan Glass got involved, the midfielder teased the home back line, showing some superb skill, before eventually being closed down.

Dunfermline countered, Ritchie-Hosler freeing Wighton who raced into the box, but Demus was alert and raced from his line to make a fine save.

Ochmanski forced a corner in the fifty-fifth minute, and when Glass’s delivery was half cleared, Ryan Harrington let fly from twenty-five yards, his drive charged down by Chalmers.

The breakthrough came soon after. Harrington was brought down midway inside the home half, and when Glass swung in the resultant free-kick, Mehmet’s punch was weak. The ball fell for Michael DOYLE who took a touch then, as he fell, rolled a shot low into the bottom corner from fifteen yards.

As the game entered its final quarter, the manager brought on Luke Strachan for Ryan Harrington, the substitute taking over at left wingback, with Ochmanski moving into the back three and Doyle going wide right.

We might have doubled our lead with twenty minutes remaining. Gaffey did well to hold the ball and set up Arron Darge, his powerful angled effort from inside the area saved by Mehmet.

There was a scare soon after when Hamilton intercepted and drove towards our goal before passing to McCann, in space on the left. He fired across the box, but Finlay Murray got back to make an important clearance.

The game had really opened up now, and Ngwenya was next to threaten for the home side, curling in a dangerous cross. Tod rose to meet it, but Demus dived to his left to make the save, clutching the ball by the post.

Back came Cove, and Gaffney gathered outside the box before letting fly, his shot deflected wide.

Dunfermline were pushing hard for a leveller, Murray making another vital clearance on the edge of his six yard box, and seconds later we hit them with a sucker-punch.

Tod lost possession in midfield, Scully took control, and passed to Glass, and Declan chipped the ball forward for Myles GAFFNEY to run on to. The striker showed great composure, firing into the top corner from the edge of the area for his first Cove Rangers goal.

The Pars gave themselves hope with two minutes left when Taylor SUTHERLAND wheeled eighteen yards out and drove his shot beyond Demus, but there were to be no further scares, and the side comfortably held on for a deserved first win of the season.

DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC (4-2-3-1): Mehmet; Comrie, Fisher (Breen 30), Benedictus (c), Ngwenya; Hamilton, Chalmers (Otoo 60); O’Halloran (Sutherland 60), Wotherspoon (Tod 65), Ritchie-Hosler; Wighton (McCann 60)

Substitutes: Young, Hoggan, McLeod

Goalscorers: Sutherland (88)

Booked: McCann (90)

COVE RANGERS (3-5-1-1): Demus; Murray, Gillingham, Doyle; Harrington (Strachan 67), Yule (Gallagher 82), Darge (c), Scully, Ochmanski; Glass; Gaffney

Substitutes: Suman, Donaldson, Milnes

Goalscorers: Doyle (58), Gaffney (84)

Booked: Glass (54)

Referee: Calum Scott

Attendance: 1,010

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