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DUNFERMLINE 2 : 0 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 22nd December 2007
MacDonald
Rating: 6.38
Paton
Rating: 5.62
Thomson
Rating: 5.62
Aitken
Rating: 5.38
McQuilken
Rating: 5.12
Burns
Rating: 6.50
S1
Scally
Rating: 4.88
Tosh
Rating: 6.25
S3
Gilmour
Rating: 4.43
S2
O'Connor
Rating: 5.75
Dobbie
Rating: 5.38
SUBSTITUTES
S1 - 13
Macfarlane
Rating: 5.50
S2 - 59
Bingham
Rating: 4.38
S3 - 59
O'Neill
Rating: 4.62
Mole
Grindlay
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Name or IFC No.
MATCH SUMMARY
Queens took the field at a mist shrouded East End Park for their first visit in over 17 years having made one enforced change to the team that beat Stirling last week. Robert Harris began a two match suspension and was replaced by Jamie McQuilken. Neil MacFarlane and Jamie Mole also returned to take places on the bench with Scott Robertson dropping out. Dunfermline may be having a poor season but there's no doubting the quality of playing staff they have available on paper. Even without the suspended Scott Wilson and with Stevie Crawford missing they still had three full Scottish internationals in the starting line up!

Dunfermline started the game pushing forward but Queens had the first shot on target after three minutes as Gilmour and Dobbie exchanged short passes on the edge of the box before Gilmour troubled Gallacher from 15 yards. Inside the first ten minutes Neil Scally was hurt in an accidental collision. The midfielder appeared to damage his knee. Whilst he was off O'Connor almost latched onto a Burns knockdown and then at the other end MacDonald made a great save from Burchill. Before the corner from that stop could be taken Queens drew a line under attempts to get Scally back on the park and replaced him with Neil MacFarlane.

Queens spent most of the next 20 minutes comfortably seeing off Dunfermline pressure and looking occasionally dangerous on the break but on 32 minutes the deadlock was broken. The hosts earned a fortunate corner on the left after a deflection and when it was swung in Stephen Simmons met it with a powerful goalbound header. Jamie MacDonald made an excellent reaction block but the rebound unfortunately reared up perfectly for Mark Burchill to nod into the net from five yards out.

With three minutes of the half remaining O'Connor's attempt to burst in on goal was denied by superb defending from Danny Murphy and then a minute later super link up play on the edge of the box saw Burns released to slide a great ball along the six yard box but Stevie Tosh couldn't quite reach it to knock into an empty net.

Dunfermline replaced Stephen Simmons with Nicky Phinn at the break and the second period began with Burchill immediately breaking in behind the back line again. This time though his pass was ill placed and the danger cleared. On 49 minutes though Queens should have equalised when Burns worked hard to retrieve possession on the edge of the box and set up Dobbie for a sight at goal. He turned a defender inside out and then had a clear shot from 10 yards but didn't get enough power in it and allowed Gallacher to make a good save. O'Connor latched onto the rebound but was too far wide of goal to turn it home.

Just after the hour mark Chisholm made his remaining two changes as O'Neill and Bingham replaced O'Connor and Gilmour. Ten minutes later from McQuilken's deep cross John O'Neill popped up in the box to power in a header on goal that Gallacher clawed onto his own bar and away. It was end to end stuff at this point and McGlinchey hammered a shot over the top from Hamilton's knockdown seconds later.

The clinching second goal arrived on 80 minutes as McQuilken gave the ball away at our own set piece. Burchill got away with the ball down the left and, although Andy Aitken held him up, the ball was slipped back into the middle and then a ball to Nicky Phinn left him with a simple task to finish things off as the runners from midfield simply weren't tracked. The Pars immediately withdrew Burchill and replaced him with Iain Williamson. A few minutes later McIntyre brought himself on to replace McGlinchey to complete the changes for the day. There was little more goalmouth action though and Queens headed back down the road with nothing, though they can consider themselves a little unfortunate due to a combination of Gallacher and the woodwork denying them a second half equaliser.

Match highlights - from David Gow on the teracing


Ewan Lithgow
Photos and Video - David Gow


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