Match date: 30th July 2022 Kickoff: 14.30 pm
Rosyth FC 1 Dunbar United 2
After some very difficult pre-season Friendlies Dunbar United opened their League campaign on Saturday against Rosyth and made a first visit to their new ground at Fleets Community Centre’s artificial pitch. A bit different to many other surfaces with the length of it being shorter and narrower than others.
Early season suspensions and injuries hit the Dunbar squad hard and thankfully two of their new Under 20s side were named as substitutes, but it was the visitors who got off to the perfect start when Darren Handling latched on to a great through pass from Shaun Miller in just 49 seconds and buried the ball into the net to give Dunbar the lead.
Nine minutes later Handling went close with a header which rebounded off the crossbar, before James Redpath went close from a free kick which was well saved by the Rosyth keeper.
Dunbar kept up the pressure when Jordan Hopkinson had a shot deflected for a corner which Dean Whitson headed wide before Cammy Dawson got the ball stuck under his feet when in a great position to score. Rosyth weathered the early pressure and went close from a diving header from Matthew Gallacher which Sean Brennan did well to tip over the bar before Fraser Binnie had another chance saved by the Dunbar keeper.
Eight minutes before the break Rosyth equalised with a tremendous free kick from Fraser Binnie which was beautifully struck and gave the Dunbar keeper no chance.
All to play for in the second half with the scores level at the interval, and three minutes after the restart Dunbar’s Sean Brennan did well to deny Rosyth’s Greg Page before Shaun Miller almost opened his Dunbar goalscoring account but his shot rebounded from the post. Cammy Dawson went close with another effort which went inches wide before Aaron Congalton tried his luck with a shot which sailed over the bar.
Midway through the second half Johnny Edmond replaced Cammy Dawson in the Dunbar attack and within minutes Dunbar almost regained the lead when Darren Handling collected a long clearance from Brennan, but the Rosyth keeper brought out a great save to deny the Dunbar player his second goal.
Rosyth almost scored in the 69th minute when yet another Fraser Binnie free kick rebounded from the cross bar before being cleared. Dunbar still created chance after chance and Shaun Miller had a shot saved before they scored again in the 78th minute when Johnny Edmond controlled a long ball from defence, rounded the keeper and slotted it into the net to send the visitors into a 2-1 lead.
Things began to get a bit heated after the Dunbar goal with the referee having to dish out several yellow cards as frustration began to show in the home side and right on the final whistle Rosyth’s David Henderson blasted the ball high over the bar before the final whistle sounded for the end of the game.
A great three points for Dunbar in their opening League match at a very difficult venue and especially considering the amount of injuries and suspensions which limited the management’s team selection.
A special mention to Adrian Bentley the ex Dunbar kitman who produced the best header of the game when a stray ball bounced of his head and right out of the ground with him not knowing too much about it, but thankfully only his pride was injured before he took some good natured banter from some of the Dunbar support.
Hopefully this form will continue this Saturday when Whitehill Welfare are the visitors to New Countess Park with Kick off at 2.30 pm. Tickets for the match are on sale now via the club’s Fanbase app.
Rosyth FC :-Macauley Jarrett, Fraser Binnie, Matthew Gallacher, Daniel Hall, Thomas Hampson, Garry Leighton, Michael Ness, Graeme Nutt, Greg Page, Jason Penman, Callum Strang.
Substitutes :- Arran Dair, David Henderson, Blair Penman, Cameron Shaw, Myles Wilson.
Dunbar United :- Sean Brennan, James Redpath, Michael McFarlane, Bob Berry, Cammy Dawson, Darren Handling, Jordan Hopkinson, Willis Hare, Shaun Miller, Aaron Congalton, Dean Whitson.
Substitutes :- Shea Dowie, Daniel Hall, Gregor Goldie, Johnny Edmond, Fraser Neave.
Match report courtesy of Laurie Wood.
Photos by Dave Black and Gordon Maitland.
Mon the Seasiders!