Dunipace 1-0 Leith Athletic: Pace beat early pacesetters thanks to McFadden

McFadden powered a header into the net on 75 minutes to separate the two sides and move Pace up to fourth with the win.

Dunipace manager Gary MacMillan said: “It wasn’t a classic, by any stretch of the imagination, but if we want to go on to meet our targets this season then these are the sorts of games we need to win.

“We’ve played better football this season, no doubt, but we have to acknowledge that we were up against a very good side in Leith so we were never likely to dominate the game or the ball in the way we did the previous two home games.

“It was clear from pretty early on that it was going to be a game won by a single goal and that we found a way to be the ones to get it showed huge progress for us from last season.

“Overall, we’re very happy with the win and that we showed another side of our game to find a way to get it in a tight encounter against a good side.”

The decisive moment came shortly after the Pace brought on top scorer MacPherson to replace Nash, Henderson moving in one and it would prove to be a game winning change.

With 15 minutes to go Henderson picked up 30 yards out and looked for goal, his shot mis-hit but finding MacPherson on the right, just inside the box. The wide man delivered a sumptuous cross which tempted the keeper out, McFadden nipping in ahead of him with an excellent header to open the scoring.

The remainder of the game brought nothing in the way of clear cut chances for either side, both having a couple of efforts from distance fielded comfortably by the respective number ones.

The home defence was resolute, standing up to balls thrown into the box allowing their teammates to see the game out professionally.

MacMillan added: “He deserved that goal, Alan. I thought he led the line brilliantly all afternoon, creating three or four good chances for others before scoring the winner himself.”