Dunfermline Athletic v Clyde

In response to the derby defeat against Partick Thistle, John Brown recalled Chris Higgins and Ruari McLennan to the side, with Mark Brown and Tony Stevenson moving onto the bench. Dave McKay was also preferred to Alan Lowing at wingback. Dunfermline were able to recall Graham Bayne to partner Andy Kirk, who has netted three times this season against the Bully Wee.

 

Given the thrilling 4-4 draw just before Christmas, it was perhaps expecting a little too much for this game to throw up such an exciting repeat. That said, Clyde produced plenty of good football and their first neat move saw Alan Trouten and Willie McLaren combine to set up Pat Clarke, who could possibly have done better than shoot straight at Gallacher.

 

Dunfermline are an effective if unspectacular side and they managed to take the lead with their first real attack of the game. Marvyn Wilson lost out to Kirk in midfield and he had a remarkable amount of time to slide a pass through to Steven Bell on the right wing. Bell had plenty of time to eye up his options and his low cross was placed perfectly for Phinn to tap-in from 6 yards.

 

The next two minutes proved to be misleading with regards to the rest of the match as Kirk tested Hutton with a header, just after a similar effort from Rory Loy had looped past the post. From that point onwards, Clyde were to dominate and they almost levelled in the 26^th minute. McKay was played in behind Scott Muirhead and his composed, low cross was superbly flicked towards goal by Clarke, only for Gallacher to save well down to his right. The ex-Drumchapel winger was having a huge impact on the game and his pace saw him run in behind Scott Wilson, only for the defender to pull him back in clear view of both the linesman and the travelling support. For whatever reason, a corner was awarded instead of a penalty and Dunfermline had again escaped. Minutes later, a free kick from Chris Higgins found McKay free in the penalty area but he contrived to head over the bar from an excellent position. Half-time arrived and Clyde were unfortunate to be behind. Stuart Kettlewell, Calum Woods and Greg Shields all went into the book in the first half, with only the latter having any serious cause for complaint.

 

Clyde continued to be on top in the second half but struggled to create as many clear chances. Clarke, McLennan and Trouten all saw efforts fail to test Gallacher, whilst Billy Gibson missed a similar chance to McKay with a free header from a corner. The final serious chance of equalising came as the normally composed Woods thumped a pass against McLaren and from the loose ball McLennan drove forward and decided to shoot. His low effort was heading straight for Gallacher but Shields stuck out a boot and deflected the ball inches wide of the target.

 

Then, very much against the run of play, Dunfermline doubled their lead. Clarke failed to track Bell’s run through the middle of the pitch and from his neat pass inside, Bayne curled a good finish into top corner of the net. A good goal from the Pars’ point of view but worryingly reminiscent of Partick Thistle’s burst through the Clyde rearguard for their third goal last weekend.

This notably deflated Clyde and although Clarke and substitute Gary McSwegan had half chances to make things interesting, Dunfermline will feel that the impressive Wilson should have added a third with a header from a free kick.

 

Overall, despite some good football, Clyde simply didn’t display the required class in front of goal and were made to pay by their opponents who netted with two of their four serious efforts. Once more, poor goals were conceded and the need for a natural left wing-back becomes clearer with every game. On another day, Clyde would have won the match but for now, it’s Dunfermline who progress to the next round and the Bully Wee can look to concentrate on First Division survival.