Under 21's Dump East End Pars

     
Jacko and Macko backo on the goal trail

Dunfermline 2 - 3 Kilmarnock
(SPL Under 21 Match - East End Park, 21st April 2003, 7.00pm Kick Off)

On a rain-swept and bitterly cold night in the Kingdom of Fife, a young and energetic Killie side emerged victors in an ultimately keenly fought match. It was a slightly unfamiliar line-up for the visitors with both Hay and Boyd missing and McDonald returning quickly to action after injuring himself at Celtic Park last week.

Unfortunately the first half matched the recent first-team game against the Pars as an exercise in tedium. Few chances were created at either end with Killie coming closest to a goal through good efforts from Di Giacomo and McDonald. For their part, Dunfermline threatened only from headers from amateur Hamilton and ex-Killie man Walker, both sailing over the bar.

The second half couldn't have been more of a contrast with 5 goals coming in a frantic 22 minutes. Within a minute of the restart, Stewart was forced into a good save by a cracking shot from Gary Dempsey, and from the big keeper's clearance Killie took the lead. Di Giacomo latched on to the long ball with good control and swept clear of the Pars defence to shoot low into the net.

Dunfermline almost equalized minutes later, but Walker's headed "goal" was chalked off for a foul. Instead it was Killie who doubled their lead through another well-taken goal. This time Murray provided the ammunition with an excellent back-post cross that was met full-square by the head of the advancing McDonald.

Only three minutes later Dunfermline halved the deficit with an excellent finish from Jason Dair on the edge of the area that gave Stewart little chance. As the game swung from end to end it was Killie on the score sheet again with the impressive Jacko re-establishing the two-goal cushion. This time the young Killie striker made the goal for himself with an excellent surging run, leaving three Pars defenders in his wake, to finish sweetly in off the keeper's right hand post.

Once again, though, Dunfermline responded first with a good shot from Hampshire that came back off the upright. As they continued top press, Killie handed the home side a goal in bizarre fashion. A long ball over the top of the defence was well marshaled by Liam McGuinness who fed a pass-back to Stewart. Unfortunately for the big man his control let him down somewhat and he only go the merest of touches on the ball and had to watch helplessly as it ran through his feet and into the empty net.

After that hectic period the game settled back down to an even affair with little more action of note. Dunfermline pushed for an equalizer and did in fact have the ball in the net again, although once more the "goal" was disallowed, this time for offside. Killie defended their lead stoutly and in the end just about merited the victory.

Dunfermline: Murdoch, McNicol, McGroarty (Fleming), Dempsey, Walker, McGarty, Hunt, Dair, Hamilton (Nish), Hampshire, Kilgannon (Blair).
Subs (not used): Melia, Findlay.

Kilmarnock: Stewart, Hamill , Dillon, Canning, McGregor, McGuiness, McGlinchey (Naismith), MacDonald, Jaconelli (C. Boyle), Di Giacomo, Murray (J.P. Boyle).
Subs (not used): Samson, Sangster.

Kilmarnock MOTM: Paul Di Giacomo.

Match report courtesy of Dave Hannah