JOCKY Scott would have been a riot as a sergeant major. Anyone who has
heard the Dunfermline manager's half-time dressing room dissertations
from Forfar to Clydebank -- these two grounds, incidentally, have
dressing rooms with little or no sound-proofing -- would confirm that.
Dunfermline's players certainly have been on the receiving end of an
earful in recent weeks, but for once, after Saturday's 2-0 defeat of
promotion rivals Kilmarnock in a hard, tough game at East End Park, yer
man was pleased. He even smiled.
His outlook was evident with his opening remarks. ''I'm very pleased
with the result. That is the best performance in terms of working hard
for each other that the players have had this season.''
As a declaration of war on the other promotion candidates --
Dunfermline visit leaders Raith Rovers next week -- it may not have been
the most erudite statement, but there was no mistaking the intent.
The game was not pretty and not for the faint hearted. Kilmarnock
player-manager Tommy Burns' policy of continuing to build through the
midfield again was put under severe pressure -- and on two fronts at
that. Dunfermline were ordered to close them down quickly, and this they
did. The front players, with the few chances they created, again were
not capable of putting the ball into the net.
Despite having Bobby Williamson sent off for a high tackle on Chris
Sinclair in the second half Burns preferred to lay the blame on Killie's
lack of height both in defence and attack. ''We've been missing Paul
Flexney and Craig Paterson for some time now, and Dunfermline exploited
our lack of height.''
Andy Williamson notched Dunfermline's first goal in 17 minutes with a
low shot from a Billy Davies corner, and Hamish French drove home the
second from 12 yards in the seventy-third minute when Roddy Grant nodded
down a Neale Cooper free kick.
Raith certainly had to fight for a point at Ayr. The 1-1 draw meant
that the Kirkcaldy side are still unbeaten in the league this season
and, in fact, have now gone 23 league games without defeat.
Manager Jimmy Nicholl said: ''They made it tough for us. They
obviously had done their homework. However, Craig Brewster, as he has
done before, scored a smashing goal.''
The surprise team recently must be Dumbarton. Their
2-1 defeat of Morton at Cappielow -- putting quite a dent in the
Greenock side's promotion hopes -- means that they have won four of
their last five games.
John McQuade and Martin Mooney scored just before half-time, and
despite Morton pressure Doug Johnstone's goal just after the break was
not enough.
St Mirren found the going tough at Clydebank, and John Henry's strike
four minutes before the interval was no more than the Bankies deserved.
However, Barry Lavety saved the jerseys when he replaced Danny McGill
just after the break. An equaliser with 16 minutes to go, and then the
winner two minutes from time narrowed the gap at the top to two points.
Hamilton Accies did not do their cause any harm either with a 3-0
victory at Cowdenbeath, Paul McDonald and Kenny Ward scoring before the
break and Trevor Smith getting the third.
Stirling Albion made up for some recent bad results when they defeated
struggling Meadowbank Thistle 4-1 at Ochilview, and even missed a
penalty in the process. It was Stirling's first win in 13 matches.
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