Match Report

Annan suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of a rampant Dunfermline Athletic in this first round Scottish League Cup Match played under a torrent of rain. Dunfermline started well with El Bakhtaoui slipping past Swinglehurst in the third minute finishing with a dangerous cross which Steven Black cleared. Then just three minutes later Josh Falkingham picked up a loose ball 25 yards out and released Whittle an opportunity on the left side of the box that he released on target but Annan stopper Alex Mitchell beat the shot away to safety.

A long ball from Gregor Buchanan then led to Moffat forcing the first corner of the afternoon. El Bakhtaoui took that short to Falkingham and he teed it up for Williamson but the Annan defence blocked the effort.

In 18 minutes Annan won a free kick on the left after a rash challenge from Lewis Spence and when the ball was sent into the Pars box, Martin McNiff chested the ball down and as his chances to shoot were closed down, Josh Todd crashed in a superb shot that Ryan Scully somehow managed to deflect on to the crossbar. It was a real let off for Dunfermline.
The impressive Michael Moffat then threatened on the break and in front of goal was just denied by Swinglehurst who timely forced the ball away for a corner. The Pars first goal of the season however was to be scored by full back Alex Whittle who made a soaring run up the left and his shot at goal was deflected off Chisholm to give Alex Mitchell no chance.
Annan won a corner three minutes later and under pressure Scully did well to fist away David Hopkirk’s ball in from the left. Dunfermline extended their lead in 36th minute. Forbes sent in a cross from a set-piece on the left and close season signing Gregor Buchanan rose to head the ball into the right corner of the Annan net. The home side finished the half on top and in the 43rd minute El Bakhtaoui cracked a powerful attempt on target that Mitchell tipped over the crossbar, .

The second half couldn’t have started any better for the Pars with Michael Moffat scoring his first competitive goal for the club within two minutes of the restart. He totally deceived Black as he tried to tackle him on the edge of the box and then smashed the ball home to the keeper’s right. 3-0.
Annan responded with Derek Carcary testing and forcing Scully to save after Sloan knocked the ball down to him. Annan pulled a goal back in the 57th minute and it was a glorious goal scored by David Hopkirk who picked the ball up and drove forward finishing with a superb flighted shot into the keepers top right hand corner. The goal gave Annan a glimmer of hope but in the 71st minute any chances of a comeback were extinguished when substitute Ross Forbes combined with Moffat to finish with a shot into the roof of the net.
Annan suffered a real blow when substitute Scott Davidson was stretchered off in the 80th minute with suspected ligament damage to his knee.
Annan’s miserable afternoon at East End Park was completed in the 89th minute after a corner from the right saw the Pars perform a pre-prepared routine. Four players played ring a ring of roses and then peeled off to attack the ball Buchanan met with a header and Lewis Martin latched on to the blocked ball to drive the ball low and hard through a ruck of players and into the net.

DUNFERMLINE: Ryan Scully; Ryan Williamson, Gregor Buchanan, Lewis Martin, Alex Whittle; Andy Geggan (c), Josh Falkingham (Ryan Thomson 74), Lewis Spence, Ross Forbes (Ryan Wallace 65); Faissal El Bakhtaoui (Allan Smith 74), Michael Moffat. SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Goodfellow (GK), Jonathan Page, Ross Millen, Shaun Byrne.
ANNAN ATHLETIC: Alex Mitchell, Ian Chisholm, Martin McNiff, Steven Black, Steven Swinglehurst; Steven Sloan (Scott Davidson 64 (Kieran Brannan 82)), Ryan McStay, Steven Logan (Matthew Flynn 68), David Hopkirk; Derek Carcary, Josh Todd. SUBS NOT USED: Craig Murray, Peter Bradley, Dan Wood, Zak Caldwell.

REFEREE: John McKendrick
ATTENDANCE: 1544