Dunfermline Athletic are into Monday night’s fourth-round Scottish Cup draw.
Craig Wighton scored on either side of a first senior goal for Kane Ritchie-Hosler and Josh Edwards’ strike in a 4-0 victory over Forfar Atheltic at East End Park.
Being in the next round of the competition is the main thing but James McPake will be happy his side got the job done efficiently.
🎥 Watch the goals from yesterday's 4-0 win over Forfar Athletic.
Full Highlights Later! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/UzFtOMQFRA
— Dunfermline Athletic (@officialdafc) November 27, 2022
Another loan player is beginning to blossom, there is promise being shown in the academy but can the Pars replicate this kind of result at home in League 1?
Courier Sport takes a look at some talking points from Saturday’s win.
Good place to go on loan
East End Park has shown itself to be a good place for loan players this season.
Robbie Mahon was missing from the squad on Saturday which suggests Motherwell are keeping their options open for the player.
The forward has made four appearances so far, three from the bench.
Rangers loanee Kane Ritchie-Hosler had been pushing for his first start, impressing in the midweek win for the Pars reserves over Hibernian.
The 20-year-old marked his opportunity with a goal and was involved in the other two he was on the pitch for.
Assistant manager Dave Mackay said Ritchie-Hosler has done no harm to his chances of a league start.
Dundee United’s Chris Mochrie continues to stand out while Dundee’s Sam Fisher has made himself a permanent part of the defence.
Academy promise
Towards the end of the match 16-year-old Taylor Sutherland was brought on as a substitute.
Still part-time at the club, he had made his first senior appearance, and scored, against Celtic B in the SPFL Trust Trophy recently but this was his first outing against a senior side.
“It’s reward for how he’s done for the under-18 and also the reserve performances,” said Mackay.
“Against Celtic B, he got a goal in that game, so he’s deserved it.
“His attitude is different class and he’s one we’ve got high hopes for.”
There are exciting prospects at the club’s new academy – and the promise goes both ways.
McPake and Mackay have said that they want the academy to be part of the identity of the club and that, if they are good enough, players will get their chance.
Now do that in the league
It had been felt for a while that Dunfermline were going to inflict a heavy defeat on someone.
The Pars put five past Buckie Thistle in the Premier Sports Cup but haven’t scored more than three in a League 1 match.
They have managed three twice: 3-0 victories away at Edinburgh and Alloa Athletic.
Dunfermline haven’t scored more than two goals in a League 1 match at East End Park this season – which goes some way to explaining why there have been too many draws.
They put four past Forfar on Saturday, though Ray McKinnon’s priority is getting his team off the bottom of League 2.
The flip side is that the Pars have been so good defensively and so good away from home that they still enjoy a seven-point lead at the top.
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