The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Booking takes shine off Pars scorer’s day
Celebration with away fans earns Wedderburn yellow card
MORTON 0 DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC 1
Nat Wedderburn was in a celebratory mood all day on Saturday when he netted his first goal for the club and then went back to his best mate’s house – Morton’s Kudus Oyenuga – for dinner.
It was only Wedderburn’s fourth goal of his career and he celebrated with the Pars fans behind the goal, which earned him a yellow card from referee Matt Northcroft.
Wedderburn said: “It seems that you can’t really celebrate these days.
“He said to me I was there for too long. But everyone was on my back so I couldn’t really move.
“I’m going round to Kudus’s house for dinner, so I’ll be lapping it up. He’s definitely cooking it. I’ve known him a while. He came to my wedding and we go on holiday together.”
The Pars, who have only enjoyed four victories in their previous 14 meetings against the Cappielow outfit, got what was to prove to be the winner on 16 minutes.
Kallum Higginbotham fired over an out-swinging corner from the right, which was spilled by goalkeeper Derek Gaston. Nicky Clark was first to react at the back post and he turned the ball back across for Wedderburn to tap it home from a few yards out.
Wedderburn added: “We knew it was going to be a tough game, so it was a great result. There is a strong belief we can make the play-offs but we take every game as it comes.”
Callum Morris had the ball in the net for the Pars on 74 minutes with a header from a Higginbotham corner, but referee Northcroft enraged the Pars by chalking it off, for what was believed to be a push.
Had it stood then it would have eased the pressure on the Pars considerably in the closing stages.
Dunfermline boss Allan Johnston said: “The goal should not have been disallowed. But at the end of the day it is a massive win for us.”
Morris added: “I’ve looked at it back on the video and there was nothing in it – it was a goal.
“Even the lad who was marking me said it was a goal, but he made his decision. That’s the second time this season that it has happened to me. There was one at Hamilton in the cup and that was a pretty soft decision too. But we won and now kick on to Saturday.
“After the previous week we were deflated so to come to Cappielow against a side going well and win was brilliant. Getting the early goal was vital. It was also good to get a clean sheet – we’ve not had many of them.
“We had to be on the front foot and come out of the blocks early and we controlled it for the most part.”
Dejected Morton boss Jim Duffy admitted: “There are games you can play in and be unfortunate to lose. This was not one of them.
“Dunfermline deserved to win. We were not as sharp in any department.”
It seems that you can’t really celebrate these days. NAT WEDDERBURN