The first group match of the Pars Premier Sports Cup pitched Dunfermline against Hearts at Tynecastle. Neil Lennon took his team to face Derek McInnes’ in his first match in charge of the Jambos. It was Scotland’s warmest day of the year so far, pleasant for fans but a real challenge to those on the park.

Derek McInnes started his new players â€" Claudio Braga and Oisin McEntee â€" and of course Lawrence Shankland was back to captain and lead the attack. For skipper Kyle Benedictus it was his 100th appearances for Dunfermline. Two of the Pars close season signings â€" Charlie Gilmour and Alfons Amade â€" started and there was a debut for academy graduate John Tod.

John Tod’s last competitive match was for St Andrews United against Edinburgh University on 10th May in the East of Scotland Premiership. As the 18 year-old returned to Edinburgh for his first competitive match of the 2025-2026 season, Tynecastle was stark contrast to Peffermill where he faced the students. Walking into the stadium from the concourse was like stepping off a flight to Turkey. 25 degrees welcomed the 1600 Dunfermline fans who gave a loud cheer as their team entered the sun kissed playing field.

Deniz Mehmet was first into action saving Shankland’s shot from an Alan Forrest cross within the first minute. The home side had started very strongly and would find the net within three minutes James WILSON converting as Shankland’s shot came back off the right goalpost. 1-0

The visitors tried hard to get into the game but some robust tackling and a lack of a whistle at times kept the momentum with Hearts. A water break was called in 22nd minute as there can seldom been such heat at a match in Scotland. Neil Lennon used the time out to give his players, many with cold water towels around their neck, a pep talk.

In 26 minutes Otoo blocked Oisin McEntee’s left footed effort. Two minutes later Mehmet held a Forrest shot while in contrast all Dunfermline attempts to break forward seemed to be mopped up by the efficient Jambos defence.

A foul by Devlin on Kane handed Dunfermline a 36th minute free kick some 35 yards out but unfortunately Cooper’s ball to the far post was just too strong for Tod to connect with. Back to the other end and a Shankland touch back sent Forrest racing into the right side of the Pars box. The 28 year old sent the ball across the face of goal but with no takers. However two minutes later Tashan Oakley-Boothe forced a mistake in the Hearts defence. Josh COOPER latched on to the ball and brushed off a couple of challenges to cooly sink the ball into the left side of the Hearts goal. 1-1

Hearts fancied their chances in 43 minutes as Forrest homed in from the right but Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen made the crucial clearance. Mullen was pushed over as Hearts were awarded a 45th minute corner but Gilmour headed away when the ball came over from the left. McEntee next forced a corner on the right two minutes into added time and this time Tod hooked away the danger. Closed down by Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Harry Milne blasted the final chance of the half over the crossbar off his left foot.

It had been a fierce step up in opposition for the Fifers, Hearts enjoyed 70% first half possession and had eight shots to the Pars one by oh how they made that count.

Half time: Hearts 1 Dunfermline 1

Oakley-Boothe got the second half underway with Dunfermline attacking the goal in front of their fans in the Roseburn Stand. Shankland bent his 50th minute shot around the Pars right goalpost. Otoo headed Milne’s cross for another Hearts corner that Chilokoa-Mullen headed away. Kieran Ngwenya entered the fray three minutes later replacing Alfons Amade with Otoo moving to a more central position.

Kane tried an overhead kick when Tod knocked down a cross from him but that landed wide right. Then on the hour Tod and Otoo set up Ngwenya for a shot that got blocked. Oakley-Boothe was harshly penalised to concede a 62nd minute free kick. From Milne’s delivery Shankland spun and shot but he saw his attempt deflected for a corner. Dunfermline defended and sent Cooper racing in on goal shadowed by Baningime. A corner was all that was gained but that changed nothing.

On 65 minutes Chris Kane made way for Shea Kearney’s debut and he got involved immediately and collected a yellow card within two minutes when he cut down Forrest. Hearts defended another corner before the second half water break. Oakley-Boothe was forced to retire and he was replaced by Matty Todd in 74th minute and at the same point Connor Young replaced Josh Cooper.

Next Hearts attack a weak pass back let Forrest drive into the Fifers box. He drew Mehmet to try and get around the keeper but was tumbled. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and yellow carded the Pars no.1. Up stepped SHANKLAND and dispatched the ball into the bottom left. 2-1

Three minutes later on 79 minutes, the Hearts captain repeated the routine after Benedictus blocked out Kabangu on the right byeline. SHANKLAND picked the same corner and Mehmet again went in the opposite direction. 3-1

Forrest blasted an 87th minute shot over the bar. The result was determined by this stage but the Fifers defended with defiance. Benedictus blocked from Kabangu but in the first of four added minutes Hearts penetrated again. Sub Stephen KINGSLEY drifted into the left side of the Pars to volley an impressive finish into the right side of the visitors goal. 4-1

HEARTS: Zander Clark: Oisin McEntee (Christian Borchgrevink 65), Frankie Kent, Craig Halkett, Harry Milne: Claudio Braga (Blair Spittal 65)Beni Baningime, Cammy Devlin (Calem Nieuwenho 77), Alan Forrest: James Wilson (Elton Kabangu 77), Lawrence Shankland (c)(Steven Kingsley 87)
SUBS NOT USED: Michael Steinwender, Yan Dhanda, Alejandros Kyziridis, Ryan Fulton (GK)
SCORERS: Wilson (3), Shankland (76 pen. 79 pen.), Kingsley (90+1)

DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Kyle Benedictus (c), John Tod: Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Charlie Gilmour, Alfons Amade (Kieran Ngwenya 53), Tashan Oakley-Boothe (Matty Todd 74), Ewan Otoo: Josh Cooper, Chris Kane (Shea Kearney 65)
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Hamilton, Keith Bray, Alasdair Davidson, Lucas Fyfe, Thomas Margetts (GK)
SCORER: Cooper (38)
YELLOW CARDS: Kearney (67), Mehmet (75), Gilmour (81)

REFEREE: Lloyd Wilson
ATTENDANCE: 12940
WEATHER: Sunny and hot 25 °C

NEXT MATCH: Premier Sports Cup (away) v Dumbarton, Saturday 19th July 2025, kick off 3.00pm at The Marbill Coaches Stadium.