Raith keeper on song to frustrate Pars as first leg ends in stalemate
DUNFERMLINE
0
Dunfermline and Raith may have shared 15 goals between them in their three regular season clashes, but when it came down to the really important business, it was a different story.
A 2-2 draw, a 4-1 victory for Dunfermline, trumped by a 5-1 triumphforraith,offeredhope thatthegoalrushwouldcontinueinthefirstlegofthepremiership play-off quarter-final first legateastendpark.thismatch, however, ultimately stuck with the script for high-stakes occasions, and, while Dunfermline fashioned the better chances, a 0-0 draw means the tie heads to Stark’s Park on an even keel.
That outcome naturally suits Raithbetter,giventhattheywill havetheadvantageoftheirsynthetic pitch and the memory of such a mammoth victory over Dunfermline back in March. Stevie Crawford’s Pars will no doubt rue the first half of this match,withraithkeeperjamie Macdonald making an excellent save to deny Kevin O’hara in a period they largely dominated.
True chances were scarce in thisone,though.alotofrespect was offered up to each opponent. Dunfermline made sure Kai Kennedy, Jamie Gullan and Lewis Vaughan were kept quiet by aggressive defending from Paul Watson and Euan Murray, ably assisted by veteran Steven Whittaker screening them in defensive midfield. Raith’s defence creaked a little more, but they deserve credit
in particular for the way that Dom Thomas, Dunfermline’s most enigmatic forward, was putonashortleash.thereward for the victor of this punishing play-off schedule is a semifinal tie against Dundee. Their manager, James Mcpake, was in the stand to watch, no doubt delighted to have avoided two energy-sapping matches.
Dunfermlinemadethebrighter start. Whittaker had a coupleoflong-rangeeffortsbefore, on 17 minutes, Kevin O’hara
scampered on to a through ball and his shot – destined for the top corner – was brilliantly finger-tippedawaybymacdonald. Craig Wighton fired narrowly wide a couple of minutes later. Theparslookedthemuchmore confident and threatening, but eithermacdonaldorthewrong passatthevitalmomentthwarted them.
Raith were fairly subdued. Their best effort of the first half came after 37 minutes, when Kennedy’s delicate clip
intothepenaltyboxwasjusttoo high for Vaughan. They looked a team slightly short of confidence and still reeling from Friday night’s 4-0 hammering by Hearts.
The Kirkcaldy outfit, though, started the second period with more zest, but Dunfermline soon restored their authority, with O’hara going close again.raith did register their first shot on target just after the hour-mark, but Vaughan’s attempt was straight down the
throat of Owain Fon Williams. Then it was Watson’s turn to put in the last gasp-heroics, glancingafinecrossbyreghan Tumilty away. Had he not, Gullan would have scored. The Pars pressed for a winner late on. Kerr Mcinroy’s strike skiddedwideofthepostando’hara fluffed a presentable header. It told the story of this match and while we weren’t treated to thrillers of earlier in the campaign, Saturday’s second leg is delicately poised.