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Stephen Kenny will no doubt enjoy the rest of his St Patrick's day after this victory threw the Pars an SPL survival lifeline !! The Dunfermline manager hadn't seen his side win in sixteen games but this victory had nothing to do with luck as the Pars broke that unenviable record convincingly. Surprisingly enough, this was also Dunfermline's first ever SPL victory against ICT. Club Historian Ian Broadfoot provides the official report from the game. ICT 1-3 DUNFERMLINE |
| 17th March 2007 | Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness |
| INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE FC | 1 (Paatelainen 23) |
Team: Fraser, Tokely , McCaffrey, Dods, Hastings, Wilson, Duncan (Rankin 63), Black, Paatelainen, McSwegan (Dargo 63), Bayne
Subs: Hart, Morgan, Sutherland, McAllister & Ridgers |
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| DUNFERMLINE | 3 (Glass 47, 78pen , McIntyre 60) |
Team: De Vries, Ross, McGuire, Wilson (Harris 80), S. Morrison, O'Brien, Mason, Glass, Hammill (Muirhead 86), McManus , McIntyre
Subs - McCunnie, O. Morrison, Crawford, Hamilton & McKenzie |
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| Referee | Chris Boyle |
| Attendance | 4447 |
| Man of the Match | Markus Paatelainen (ICT) |
Bitter disappointment for Caley Thistle but all credit to Dunfermline for a spirited second half fight back. It was 1-0 to ICT at half time and all looked well. Dunfermline scored two goals in the second half then a very controversial penalty award led to a third and the match was over.
Dunfermline are almost down and out of the SPL but more victories like this and all that could change. ICT’s defeat means that a top six finish is impossible and the SPL split is finally decided.
With Grant Munro still suspended Stuart McCaffrey again partnered Darren Dods in central defence. Markus Paatelainen continued in midfield instead of the injured Roy McBain and Gary McSwegan started up front. Craig Dargo came back from injury to a bench spot and he came on for 27 minutes.
Charlie Christie was scathing in his appraisal: "The players have to take responsibility for performances like that along with myself, we like to take the plaudits when we do well so we must take the brunt of it when we don't do well."
A bitterly cold wind dominated the day but Caley Thistle started well. In six minutes strong shots from Ian Black and Gary McSwegan were blocked then four minutes later danger was averted at the other end by Stuart McCaffrey’s timely tackle on Adam Hammill.
In 19 minutes a Barry Wilson free kick from 25 yards deflected off the wall and Graham Bayne just failed to touch it past Dorus De Vries. The opening goal came in 23 minutes when a Ross Tokely high ball from the right bounced about in the box before Paatelainen blasted it in from 12 yards. Despite continuing to dominate the home side could not find another goal – an angled Ian Black snap shot was taken well by De Vries in 36 minutes then the keeper tipped over a Wilson cross just before the break.
Half Time: 1-0
Just two minutes into the second half Dunfermline came right back into it. A Jim O’Brien cross was volleyed past Mike Fraser from 15 yards by Stephen Glass with the home defence absent. Another O’Brien cross was deflected to Jim McIntyre on the hour mark and he touched it in from close range for 2-1.
A Paatelainen ball from the left was tipped over by De Vries in 76 minutes as Caley Thistle tried to claw their way back into the game. The final nail in the coffin came two minutes later when Hammill went down in a clash with Hastings on the edge of the box. The home fans were livid when the referee pointed to the spot. Glass ignored the controversy and hit low into the net despite Mike Fraser guessing correctly and getting a hand to it.
In 83 minutes the controversy moved to the other end when Wilson was brought down by Scott Morrison – Wilson landed in the box but the offence was decreed to have happened just outside. The scoring was over but not the drama. A minute over time Tom McManus came in heavily on Black and a straight red was shown.
Full Time: 1-3
It made no difference as the match was effectively over. Caley Thistle moved to eighth and Dunfermline gained three points on the rest of lower teams.
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