DUTV
STORY OF THE MATCH | RANGERS (A)
25th November 2024
United paid for not taking advantage of their superiority as Dunfermline secured a smash and grab victory courtesy of a Paul Burns goal 5 minutes from time.
There was plenty of endeavour from both sides early on but little in the way of chances until there was an opening for United in the 17th minute as Sean Dillon broke inside and chipped the ball across for Douglas who angled a difficult header well wide of target. Dunfermline had a good chance after 25 minutes when Jason Thomson crossed early from the right flank and Hardie reacted quickest only head the ball over by a foot or so from 6 yards out. Douglas and Daly went close with headers then after half an hour and United couldn't believe their luck as somehow they were prevented from opening the scoring. Initially Daly had won a corner after poking a Rankin lay off towards goal forcing Gallacher into a save, then the resulting Flood corner was punched off the line by the goalkeeper. His hardest work was to follow however as after gathering the clearance Robertson cut inside and smashed a shot powerfully towards the bottom corner with Gallacher producing a magnificent stop to divert the ball up onto the crossbar before the danger was cleared. The final chance of the half was a Rankin header from 6 yards out which he diverted wide of Gallacher's right post from a Dillon cross.
It was a similar pattern to the opening of the game with few clear openings being created but a deep cross from Dillon almost changed that in the 55th minute when Thomson did very well to head clear of Daly who was waiting at the back post to divert the ball at goal. There was a scramble in the box moments later as both Daly and Russell looked to pounce before Rankin took possession and curled just wide on the turn from the centre of the area. A great ball out to Dixon by Rankin allowed the left back to swing in an early cross after 70 minutes which but for a timely deflection Russell may well have netted as he met the ball first time on the volley.
Dunfermline had rarely threatened but Hardie did win a back post header under pressure from the United defence however he was way off target. In the 85th minute disaster struck for United as completely out of the blue the visitors went in front. After a Cardle cut back was allowed to run out to Paul Burns at the edge of the box by a static tangerine defence the midfielder drilled the ball into the back of the net despite the efforts of Pernis who managed to get a hand to the ball. United threw Kenneth forward late on but couldn't force a goal as they still were left searching for their first home win of the campaign.
Full Time - Things might have been very different had a first half Robertson strike found the net rather than the right arm of Gallacher. While they had next to no chances, Dunfermline did what the Tangerines couldn't and managed to find the net, and in the games ahead that is clearly what the Terrors need to do much more of.
Man of the Match - Despite the disappointment of the defeat the performance of John Rankin again impressed as he put in another busy shift in the middle of the park.
United - Pernis, Dillon, Dixon, Kenneth, Flood, Robertson, Daly, Rankin, Douglas (Swanson 63), Russell (Dow 79), Gunning. Subs not used - Banks, Watson, Armstrong, Allan, Hilson.
Dunfermline - Gallacher, Thomson, McCann, Mason, Dowie, Keddie, Hardie, Burns, Graham, Kirk (Barrowman 57), Cardle. Subs not used - Smith, Buchanan, Potter, Willis, Thomson, Young.
Referee - Stevie O'Reilly
Attendance - 6527
There was plenty of endeavour from both sides early on but little in the way of chances until there was an opening for United in the 17th minute as Sean Dillon broke inside and chipped the ball across for Douglas who angled a difficult header well wide of target. Dunfermline had a good chance after 25 minutes when Jason Thomson crossed early from the right flank and Hardie reacted quickest only head the ball over by a foot or so from 6 yards out. Douglas and Daly went close with headers then after half an hour and United couldn't believe their luck as somehow they were prevented from opening the scoring. Initially Daly had won a corner after poking a Rankin lay off towards goal forcing Gallacher into a save, then the resulting Flood corner was punched off the line by the goalkeeper. His hardest work was to follow however as after gathering the clearance Robertson cut inside and smashed a shot powerfully towards the bottom corner with Gallacher producing a magnificent stop to divert the ball up onto the crossbar before the danger was cleared. The final chance of the half was a Rankin header from 6 yards out which he diverted wide of Gallacher's right post from a Dillon cross.
It was a similar pattern to the opening of the game with few clear openings being created but a deep cross from Dillon almost changed that in the 55th minute when Thomson did very well to head clear of Daly who was waiting at the back post to divert the ball at goal. There was a scramble in the box moments later as both Daly and Russell looked to pounce before Rankin took possession and curled just wide on the turn from the centre of the area. A great ball out to Dixon by Rankin allowed the left back to swing in an early cross after 70 minutes which but for a timely deflection Russell may well have netted as he met the ball first time on the volley.
Dunfermline had rarely threatened but Hardie did win a back post header under pressure from the United defence however he was way off target. In the 85th minute disaster struck for United as completely out of the blue the visitors went in front. After a Cardle cut back was allowed to run out to Paul Burns at the edge of the box by a static tangerine defence the midfielder drilled the ball into the back of the net despite the efforts of Pernis who managed to get a hand to the ball. United threw Kenneth forward late on but couldn't force a goal as they still were left searching for their first home win of the campaign.
Full Time - Things might have been very different had a first half Robertson strike found the net rather than the right arm of Gallacher. While they had next to no chances, Dunfermline did what the Tangerines couldn't and managed to find the net, and in the games ahead that is clearly what the Terrors need to do much more of.
Man of the Match - Despite the disappointment of the defeat the performance of John Rankin again impressed as he put in another busy shift in the middle of the park.
United - Pernis, Dillon, Dixon, Kenneth, Flood, Robertson, Daly, Rankin, Douglas (Swanson 63), Russell (Dow 79), Gunning. Subs not used - Banks, Watson, Armstrong, Allan, Hilson.
Dunfermline - Gallacher, Thomson, McCann, Mason, Dowie, Keddie, Hardie, Burns, Graham, Kirk (Barrowman 57), Cardle. Subs not used - Smith, Buchanan, Potter, Willis, Thomson, Young.
Referee - Stevie O'Reilly
Attendance - 6527
