Dunfermline returned from their week’s training in Bulgaria to play this pre-season friendly against the Lowland League champions, East Kilbride. It was the first match that the Pars had played at the Ross Commercial Finance Stadium and it was the first opportunity for fans to see close season signings Keith Bray and Charlie Gilmour, and sixteen year old Lucas Fyfe.

The ground was set in the lush setting of Calderglen Country Park, rather like a football ground placed in Pittencrieff Park. The match would be two Pars elevens playing 45 minutes each.

Both teams had players named as trialists due to being unregistered. Dunfermline did have two genuine trialists, the goalkeeper that started and one of the second half team. The home side had eight players termed as unregistered including former Par Lewis Spence who captained the team. A familiar face officiating too in former Dunfermline keeper Sean Murdoch.

The Fifers kicked off attacking the goal in front of their own supporters standing in the small Wm. Donnelly Stand. Within 30 seconds Josh Cooper was on the end of a Connor Young cross from the left but he directed his effort wide at the near post. Next effort in eighth minute, a driven shot by Kane Ritchie-Hosler was turned behind for a corner but when East Kilbride broke from the defended set-play, John ROBERTSON raced in on goal and placed his shot neatly past the keeper low at his right hand post. 1-0

The offside flag saved the Pars from going further behind six minutes later when no.9 Trialist netted on the quarter hour. Dunfermline were spraying the ball about well and Young was next to test the home keeper. Nevertheless East Kilbride were proving tough opposition with the industrious Robertson in particular pulling their strings. The home side began to enjoy more play in the Dunfermline half and on the half hour the Pars keeper did well to hold another very good Robertson effort.

A Trialist cross from the left was turned behind for a 33rd minute EK corner and the keeper was o ut commandingly to grab the delivery from the right. Young’s 39th minute shot was deflected behind for the Pars second corner of the afternoon and Tod at the back post was the target for Cooper’s cross from the right. Unfortunately the home defence closed him out. Then Young latched on to a Freddie Rowe pass and the former Edinburgh City striker rattled the crossbar with a screamer of an effort.

It was the home team who almost scored again in 44 minutes when a defence splitting pass sent Joao Balde through on goal but the Pars Trialist managed to deflect the ball around his left hand post.

Half Time: East Kilbride 1 Dunfermline 0

It was all change for Dunfermline as they started a completely different eleven for the second 45. East Kilbride introduced three trialists for two of theirs and Joao Balde. Just four minutes in Jake Sutherland drew a foul on the left touchline and when Matty Todd sent in a great delivery Kieran Ngwenya was unlucky to see his header clear the bar.

Then in 52 minutes Jake Sutherland was again fouled, Todd had a pop from a central free kick 30 yards out that had the sting taken out of it by the EK wall and then held by the home keeper. On the hour East Kilbride were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Pars box and Deniz Mehmet made a fine diving save to keep the ball out. The post kept out a good looping effort from Jake Sutherland and Keith Bray had an effort blocked. Taylor Sutherland cut in from the right but his attempt suffered the same fate. Bray sent a shot over the bar before he and Taylor Sutherland narrowly failed to cash in on slackness in the home defence.

As the match slipped into its final quarter it had been all Dunfermline in the second half. A through ball next sent Todd sprinting up the left channel but the keeper kept him out. Chris Hamilton fired a shot over the bar as the Pars bossed play around the final third. Despite several and strong attacking efforts from the Pars the match would end with only one goal scored. For the visitors it was a decent workout against a competitive Kilby team with plenty of players getting minutes under their belts.

EAST KILBRIDE: Trialist (Trialist 60) : David Ferguson, Trialist, Trialist (Trialist HT), Trialist, Joao Balde (Trialist HT), Trialist, John Robertson (Luke Main HT), Trialist (James Lyon 60), Trialist (Trialist 60), Trialist (Trialist HT), Trialist (c)
SCORER: Robertson (9)
YELLOW CARD: Mick Kennedy

DUNFERMLINE:
First half: Trialist: Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Freddie Rowe, Kyle Benedictus (c), John Tod, Tashan Oakley-Boothe, Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Charlie Gilmour, Connor Young, Josh Cooper, Lucas Fyfe
Second Half: Deniz Mehmet, Sam Fisher, Trialist, Kieran Ngwenya, Chris Hamilton (c), Matty Todd, Ewan Otoo, Ewan McLeod, Jake Sutherland, Keith Bray, Taylor Sutherland

REFEREE: Sean Murdoch
ATTENDANCE:
WEATHER: Fine 17 °C