Yet another lacklustre performance from a 'Well side struggling to get the season started. Yet another match where the opposition goalie was not troubled. Greg Strong (presumably injured) was in the stand supporting the team and he will report to his team mates that the troops are not at all happy!
The inclusion of Derek Townsley in the starting line-up came as a bit of a shock to 'Well fans tonight, maybe Elliott was still recovering from his efforts at the weekend international and he had a place on the bench.
Dunfermline started very well and went 1-0 up inside the opening quarter when Scott Thomson had the freedom of the left hand side. He played a neat one-two to rush into the box and lashed a tremendous shot high into the net. It could have been worse when Jason Dair's cross found the head of David Moss. His header beat Goram but not the post and the 'Well defence recovered to clear. When you consider that Goram also made a great double save from Mendes and Crawford we were fortunate only to be trailing by one. The rest of the first half was very equal with nothing separating the sides.
Then the bit we've heard so often before. We started the second half very well and should have equalised. The fight back was started by some ferocious work on the left wing by Hammell who's hard graft inspired the rest to change up a gear.
Lee McCulloch found space in the box but his downward header grazed the side netting. The next chance fell to Don Goodman after a defensive error but with options in the box he blazed his shot wide. And then the final chance to John Spencer. A Corrgian cross found him with acres of space six yards out but with the 'Well fans on their feet he completely missed his kick (he didn't even make contact with the ball) and the danger was cleared. By this stage, we had had about twenty minutes of solid, attacking football. Everyone can guess what's coming next - a Dunfermline goal.
After our long period of intense pressure the ball broke to Ferguson who passed to Dair on the left wing - a good cross and the unmarked Moss sent the header cleanly into the net. (He scored against us with a header at Fir Park a few games ago!).
Strong's absence in the back four was filled by McMillan. Elliott replaced the ineffectual McCulloch with half an hour to go and Brannan swapped a midfield role with Davies immediately after the second goal.
Billy said after the match "We've got to keep working away and look now to Saturday to try to get that vital first win". How true!
Dunfermline 2 Motherwell 0
Attendance 3,428
6 September 2000