Football returned to East End Park for the pre season friendly against Hibernian. After just one friendly at Forfar and a hastily arranged bounce match. Stevie Crawford’s new squad were pitched against Premiership opposition in the shape of Paul Heckingbottom’s newly assembled team. It was the sixth time in ten years that Hibs have been pre season visitors to Dunfermline.

The Pars named two trialists but purely due to registrations not being complete. Josh Coley on loan from Norwich City starts and young Matty Bowman was on the bench.

Hibs kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end but when Sean Mackie dragged back Andy Ryan on the right edge of the Hibs box the home side had a chance from the second minute free kick. Ryan cut the ball back for the unmarked Paul Paton and his fierce shot from 20 yards out was deflected behind for a corner.

Two corners ensued one from either side, both taken by Andy Ryan and from the second the cross from the right was met by the inrunning Euan MURRAY who headed in the opener from inside the six yard box. 1-0

Hibs responded with Stephen Mallan trying a shot and then Martin Boyle racing away down the right to centre but Lee Ashcroft’s diving header led to a ninth minute corner for the visitors on the right. Darren McGregor rose to try and reach the corner but Dunfermline got it away.

Boyle forced a 12th minute corner but with four players from both sides jostling for position in the centre of the penalty box it was Ryan who headed clear. Three minutes later there was another great chance for the Championship side. Ryan Dow beat off the challenge of Mackie to cut back from the right byeline, Ryan connected but his on target effort from 12 yards was blocked and Kevin Nisbet just couldn’t get to the loose ball before the Hibs defence.

In 23 minutes there was a glorious chance for Dunfermline to make it 2-0. On the edge of the Hibs box, Josh Coley latched on to a misplaced Mackie pass drove on and having beaten one man laid the ball off to his left where Nisbet connected only for his shot to be deflected over the bat on to the stantion supporting the right side of the net.

Hibs survived the corner and in 29th minute had a good effort of their own. Tom James got the opportunity to shoot from 20 yards out and Ryan Scully dived to his left to turn the ball behind for a corner. When Joe Newell produces the cross McGregor got his head to the ball but directed it wide left.

Scully was called upon again in 32 minutes when Newell took advantage of some hesitancy in the home defence to drive in from the right and release a powerful shot that fortunately the Pars keeper turned away.

Beadling and Martin combined to win back possession in their own half and released Ryan through the middle. The striker had options but chose to have the shot himself but from 25 yards out he was well wide right.

There was danger when Hibs were awarded a 39th minute free kick 28 yards out. Stephen Mallan popped the ball in towards the Pars six yard box where Ashcroft’s diving header earned Hibs a corner. McGregor met that on the far side of the six yard box but headed high.

At the other end Dow swung in a ball from the left that Nisbet headed on target but Chris Maxwell held the attempt. It has been a good first half from Dunfermline, some solid defending and also creating several good chances.

Half Time: Dunfermline 1 Hibernian 0

Tom Lang came on before the restart in place of Euan Murray and Hibs introduced Adam JACKSON for Paul Hanlon. It was the Hibs substitute who was to have the immediate impact, meeting Mallan’s corner in from the left with an overhead kick from eight yards out. 1-1

Lewis Martin was forced into conceding a 52nd minute and Scully had to deny McGregor at the far post. The second corner was cleared. Nisbet was given an opportunity when Beadling broke forward but the keeper stopped the shot.

In 62 minutes Hibs made six substitutions while Dunfermline also made two withdrawing Kevin Nisbet and Aaron Comrie to bring on Gabby McGill and Matty Bowman. Six minutes later Scully pulled off a one handed save to cover a slip from Ashcroft before another four Pars substitutions. Off went Paul Paton, Tom Beadling, Josh Colley and Andy Ryan and on came Matty Todd, Lewis McCann, Paul Allan and Kyle Turner.

Unfortunately it was Hibs who took the benefit from the changes with Daryl Horgan speeding in on the left side of the Pars box where Ashcroft slid in but conceded a penalty. HORGAN grabbed the ball and sent it to the keeper’s right and although Scully dived the right way the speed of the ball beat him. 1-2

A third Hibs goal came from a cross from the left wing that picked out Florian KAMBERI and his header dropped inside the left upright to make it 1-3.

Further substitutions for both sides before Turner had a shot on target but easily dealt with by Chris Maxwell. In the final minute Turner tried another from 20 yards out but sadly the shot slipped wide right.

DUNFERMLINE: Ryan Scully (Cammy Gill 78): Aaron Comrie (Trialist 62), Lewis Martin (Stuart Morrison 78), Lee Ashcroft (c)(Paul Brown 87), Euan Murray (Tom Lang HT), Paul Paton (Paul Allan 68), Ryan Dow (Callum Smith 78), Tom Beadling (Matty Todd 68), Kevin Nisbet (Gabby McGill 62), Andy Ryan (Kyle Turner 68), Trialist (Lewis McCann 68)
SUBS NOT USED:
SCORERS: Murray (4)

HIBERNIAN: Chris Maxwell: Tom James (Ben Stirling 68), Darren McGregor (Josh Doig 87), Paul Hanlon (Adam Jackson HT), Sean Mackie (Kosivar Sadiki 87), Stephen Mallan, Scott Allan (Trialist 68), Fraser Murray (Daryl Horgan 68), Martin Boyle (Josh Campbell 68), Joe Newell (Olly Shaw 68), Christian Doidge (Florian Kamberi 68)
SUBS NOT USED: Paddy Martin (GK).
SCORERS: Jackson (48), Horgan (72 pen.), Kamberi (77)

REFEREE: Barry Cook
WEATHER: Bright 15C
ATTENDANCE 3200

NEXT MATCH: Betfred Cup (away) Sunday 14th July 2019 kick off 3.00pm at The Simple Digital Arena PA3 1RU