Dunfermline 0 v 3 Aberdeen

A good start saw the Pars fall away after a "hat trick" of errors saw the points gifted to Aberdeen.

This was new Manager Stephen Kenny’s first match fully in charge of the team and it will be memorable for him for all the wrong reasons. Having played well for the first hour or so no manager could plan for three crucial errors gifting the visitors, Aberdeen, all three goals.

After his first full week’s training the Pars manager dropped Hamilton and Simmons to the bench giving Muirhead and Dacquin starting roles. The Pars lined up with De Vries in goal and the same back four from the last game with Labonte at right back, Shields and Wilson in the centre and Scott Morrison on the left. In midfield, Owen Morrison on the right, Young and Mason in the middle and Muirhead on the left. Freddie Dacquin and Stevie Crawford in attack.

Aberdeen almost shocked Dorus De Vries with a cheeky early lobbed shot from the kick off which almost caught the keeper unawares. Stevie Crawford was first Pars player to have a strike at goal in 7 minutes after a good run by Dacquin. Almost immediately there was an early warning of the pace of Darren Mackie as he looked to be breaking past the Pars defence only to stumble over the ball and lose the chance.

Mackie had another chance in 13 minutes with a free header from a Dempsey chip which was well saved by De Vries. Scott Muirhead had a great chance in 16 minutes when he was put through the middle of the Aberdeen defence but he chose to take his shot early as the defenders closed in on him but the shot was tipped over for a corner kick. Scott Wilson was close with the resulting corner.

Scott Wilson picked up a needless yellow card in 22 minutes after a deliberate trip on a Dons player which meant he had to tread carefully for the rest of the game. Darren Young hit a weak effort over in 25 minutes and then Russell Anderson headed a ball for a corner when there was no real pressure. A free kick for the Pars was hit harmlessly over the bar. Stevie Crawford was getting precious little service but managed a header over the bar in 43 minutes from a Morrison cross. Former Par Barry Nicholson hit a shot over the bar on the stroke of half time. Half time 0-0.

After matching the visitors for the first half the home fans were expecting more of the same. Dacquin hit a powerful low shot which seemed to be blocked by Crawford in 48 minutes. Scott Morrison picked up a yellow card in 50 minutes. Dacquin had another break in 51 minutes which fizzled out with no finish.

The game totally changed as Greg Shields had an aberration in 54 minutes when he dithered and then stumbled over a ball allowing Lee Miller to break through with the ball and only De Vries to beat finishing with a great shot into the top right corner. That got Aberdeen’s tails up yet there was a good reaction from the Pars as they also stepped things up looking for the equaliser. There were a couple of shouts from the home fans for apparent pass backs by the Dons defence which Langfield picked up both waved away by the referee. The Pars made a change with Jim Hamilton replacing a tiring Muirhead. It was game over in 83 minutes as this time a mistake by Wilson allowed Mackie a run in on goal to easily score. That was game over. To their credit the Pars tried to push forward. Simmons had replaced Labonte but it went completely “pear shaped” in 88 minutes as the Pars had a free kick on the edge on the Dons area. Clearly, a rehearsed move that not everyone had read the script and the ball played sideways to be tee’d up for a shot was lost and Aberdeen had three attackers breaking forward with no defenders in sight. Final score 0-3.

This was a sore one for the Pars not just the margin of the Dons win but the fact there was never 3 goals between these teams. The Pars had matched their opponents in the first half and the first goal, lost in the way it was, turned out to be a big set back.