St Johnstone vs Dunfermline – Match Report

Top of the league St Johnstone welcomed fifth place Dunfermline to Perth as the hosts hope to steer away from second place Partick Thistle with the Pars keen on keeping promotion dreams alive The opening exchanges were scrappy and stop-start, with no side creating any chances and no side able to keep possession for long spells. On 7 minutes, Rudden got on the end of a Morrison cross that goalkeeper Steward came for, but headed over. The offside flag was raised in any case. McPake found himself in a good position close to goal, but Chilokoa-Mullen came in with a last ditch challenge to deny the Hearts bound winger. Tod found himself in a shooting position just outside the St Johnstone box, but his low effort was easily saved by Steward. The Saints worked the ball well to Gullan, whose shot from inside the area was saved by the foot of Mehmet. Fraser whipped a ball into the box, which found Rudden who found himself free at the back post, but his headed effort across goal went wide. Gilmour found Morrison on the wing, who once again played a cross into Rudden, who headed wide. Into the second period, Dunfermline opened the scoring. Fraser got on the end of a loose pass from keeper Steward and smashed the ball into the roof of the net on the keeper’s side. McAlear’s corner found Boyes, whose header was goal-bound, but was cleared off the line. Ngwenya got on the end of Todd’s corner, which Steward came out for but failed to connect with, but headed over. Rudden found Tod, whose curling effort went narrowly over the bar. Morrison played a teasing ball across the Dunfermline goal, but no player in blue was there to convert. St Johnstone worked the ball into Forrester, who found himself with space on the edge of the Dunfermline box, but his effort, which worried Mehmet, went narrowly past the post. St Johnstone: Steward (3), Diabate (4), Boyes (5), Holt (C), (5), Gullan (6), Stanton (6), McPake (6), Agyeman (6), Smith (5), Forrester (5), McAlear (6) Substitutes: Ikpeazu (6), Mallan (6), Boyd (6), Fotheringham (6) Dunfermline: Mehmet (7), Chilokoa-Mullen (C) (7), Ngwenya (7), Gilmour (6), Rudden (7), Todd (7), Abdulai (7), Tod (6), Oakley-Boothe (7), Morrison (8), Fraser (9). Substitutes: Hamilton (7), Thomas (6), Kearney (6).