First Team
MATCHDAY PROGRAMME | PARTICK THISTLE
3rd May 2024
DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC 1 (MOFFAT 52')
DUNDEE UNITED 2 (FOTHERINGHAM 36', MOCHRIE 86')
7.45PM FRIDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2023
EAST END PARK
CINCH CHAMPIONSHIP
Attendance: 7,237
Chris Mochrie came up with the goods late to earn us three points on the road.
THE TEAM TALK
Jim Goodwin made just one change to the side that drew with Inverness Caledonian Thistle last weekend.
Liam Grimshaw was back in from the start after a short illness, he replaced Kieran Freeman in the initial eleven.
Kai Fotheringham picked up the cinch Championship Player of the Month award for October this week and kept his place in the front four alongside Glenn Middleton, Tony Watt and Louis Moult.
This evening's fixture again came too soon for Club Captain Ross Docherty who was absent from the matchday squad with an injury.
There were seven DUFC Academy graduates in our matchday squad.
A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
United certainly started the brighter of the sides following early calls for a spot-kick from the away end as Fotheringham latched on to a loose ball inside the box.
Just before the fifteen-minute mark came our earliest sighting at goal. It was a well-worked United move with Watt keeping possession under a challenge before laying off Fotheringham down the right. His cross was deflected back into Watt who tried his luck with an outside-of-the-foot effort which was blocked and diverted into Middleton's path. However, with his back to goal, he couldn't get a clean strike at goal.
Without creating much, the hosts dominated the majority of first-half proceedings, with Joe Chalmers pulling the Pars' strings in midfield.
There was a chance for Fotheringham to open the scoring just before half an hour, but as he met Middleton's cross he could only glance his header wide.
Craig Wighton almost put the hosts in front ten minutes before the break but Kevin Holt was on hand to throw his body in the way, sending it behind for a corner which was easily cleared in the end.
KING KAI
Fotheringham capped off a perfect week by putting us ahead on 36 minutes, probably coming against the run of play following a good 20-minute spell for the hosts.
United broke forward in numbers and carved open the chance with some tidy one-touch football. It was Scott McMann's cross which was delightfully touched into the path of Moult by Fotheringham, who in turn teed up Grimshaw at the edge of the box. Striking the ball first time, his fizzing effort was too hot to handle for Mehmet and Fotheringham was on hand to nod home from just a few yards out.
Kai Fotheringham fairly enjoyed that goal as his gives Dundee United the lead at Dunfermline.#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/I5V1dE8hAS
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) November 10, 2023
ON LEVEL TERMS
With eight minutes of the second half gone, parity was restored as Owen Moffat raced clear and an unfortunate slip from Declan Gallagher allowed him to stride into the box and pass the ball into the corner out of Jack Walton's reach.
Dunfermline 1-1 Dundee United
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) November 10, 2023
?? Owen Moffat's reward for scoring is to be substituted, but with his final touch on the pitch he levels for the home side.
???? Watch on BBC Scotland#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/0tTGPEMLHM
LEAVING IT LATE
Not for the first time this season, Mochrie was off the bench to win it for The Terrors in dramatic fashion.
It came just minutes after Middleton went close, but his effort slid just past the post as we looked for a winner.
Patient play from fellow substitute Mathew Cudjoe opened up space for Mochrie to jink inside the box before he was found with a delicate chip in behind. Facing up the defender, a clever body feint opened up space for him to blast the ball home on his left foot.
Latest: Dunfermline 1-2 Dundee United
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) November 10, 2023
?? Jim Goodwin's side lead again as Chris Mochrie drops the shoulder to get past the defender, then adds the finish.
???? Live on the BBC Scotland channel#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/eM2y1wjkut
It was a strike that secured all three points on a night where the result certainly overruled the performance!
TEAMLINES
DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC
Starting XI: Mehmet, Fisher, Hamilton (c), Otoo, Comrie, Allan, Chalmers, Edwards, Moffat, Wighton, O’Halloran
Subs: Sharp, Little, Ritchie-Hosler, Todd, McCann, Jakubiak, Fenton
DUNDEE UNITED
Starting XI: Walton, Holt, Grimshaw, Moult, Sibbald, Middleton, Tillson, Fotheringham, Gallagher, Watt (c), McMann
Subs: Newman, Denham, Graham, Glass, Freeman, Duffy, Mochrie, Cudjoe, Stirton
NEXT UP
It's a quarter-final up next as United take on Falkirk in the SPFL Trust Trophy!
Kick-off at the Falkirk Stadium is 7.40pm on Friday night, with tickets available HERE!
Images: Richard Wiseman
