A dramatic late equaliser from Lee Bullen gave Dunfermline a share of the
points with Motherwell at Fir Park.
Stevie Crawford's first half penalty miss the visitors ensured both sides went
into the break goal-less.
But Motherwell turned the screw in the second half and were rewarded in the
68th minute when Lee McCulloch d the ball in from close range after a
Derek Adacome off the post.
However, with only a minute remaining Bullen was on hand toscore from a yard
out after Andy Gorm had tipped a Gary Mason head the bar.
The opening stages of me were fairly even with both sides mounting
attacks but it wasme closest in the ninth minute after
good work by John Spencer.
The ex-Scottish international picked out McCulloch with a precision pass at
the edge of the box but the striker's shot from 12 yards was saved by
Dunfermline keeper Marco Ruitenbeek who gathered at the second attempt.
A minute later, the home side had an even better chance when McCulloch took
Adams clean through but the midfielder blasted over from 10 yards when a goal
seemed inevitable.
The visitors composed themselves however, played some neat football, and in
the 17th minute a volley from the edge of the box by Barry Nicholson brought out
a good save from Motherwell keeper Goram who conceded the corner.
There was drama in the 32nd minute when the visitors were awarded a penalty
after Chris McGroarty was felled in the box by Motherwell defender Benito
Kemble.
But Crawford stepped up and smacked the ball off Goram's left hand post much
to the relief of the home fans.
This sparked life into the Motherwell side and a minute later Spencer was perfectly placed to blast home from 16 yards but Dunfermline defender Justin
Skinner took the ball off the striker's toe at the crucial moment.
There was little incident in the early stages of the second period but in the
67th minute the game came to life when Spencer came close with a thundering shot
from the edge of the box which Ruitenbeek did well to tip over for a corner.
But the home side eventually took the lead in the 68th minute with a goal
which owed much to poor defending from the visitors.
After a spell of home pressure Dunfermline failed to clear their lines and
Derek Adams quickly reacted to send a header over Ruitenbeek which came off the
post.
First to react was Lee McCulloch who followed in to bundle the ball over the
line from close range.
The visitors looked fragile and Motherwell substitute Don Goodman, on for
Spencer, should have scored in theth minute but his control let him down when
he was clean through on goal.
The home side continued to press and Goodman was unlucky not to get on to the
end of a Derek Townsley cross with the goal at his mercy.
Dunfermline tried desperately to get back into the game and just as it looked
as if they had run out of luck they got an equaliser in the 89th minute.
Crawford then his cross came in Gary Mason's header
was somehow saved by Goram who tipped the ball on to the bar.
But the ball fell kindly for onrushing Lee Bullen who had the simplest of
tap-ins from only a yard out.
Teams:
Motherwell: Goram, Corrigan, Kemble, Strong, McMillan,
Townsley, Brannan, Leitch, Adams, McCulloch (Twaddle 74),Spencer (Goodman 74).
Subs Not Used: Hammell, Woods, Lasley.
Booked: Adams, Goodman.
Goals: McCulloch 69.
Dunfermline: Ruitenbeek, Scott Y Thomson, Skerla, Skinner,
Doesburg (Dijkhuizen 81), Nicholson, Ferguson, Mason,
McGroarty (Dair 65), Bullen, Crawford.
Subs Not Used: Hampshire, Tod, Scott Thomson.
Booked: Mason, Nicholson.
Goals: Bullen 89.
Att: 4,601
Ref: Bobby Orr (Scotland).
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