Dunfermline Athletic 1 Aberdeen 4 Saturday 3rd October 2026 KDM Group East End Park Mo Hutton Testimonial

Aberdeen produced another fine performance on the road to beat the Pars 4-1.

In an even first half Jack Milne headed home a Connor Ronan corner, before the home side equalised on the stroke of half time despite some excellent saves from debutant Daniel Klein. Despite eight half time changes The Dons then produced an excellent second half showing with Ayoub Mouloua scoring two and setting up another for Lewis Smith.

On what was a very positive afternoon, Brad Lyons and Emmanuel Gyamfi returned to action.

Manager Stephen Robinson handed new German keeper Daniel Klien a first start. Young keeper Conlan Waldron was named on the bench. Jack Milne, Dan Happe and Gavin Molloy formed the defence with Chris Cadden and Nesta Guinness-Walker the wing backs. Connor Ronan and Afeez Aremu were the midfield sitting two; with Mitchy Ntelo, Tony Yogane and Kevin Nisbet ahead of them.

The first chance of the game fell to Ntelo inside the area but his snap shot sailed over the bar. A few minutes later Klein produced a brilliant double save to keep out Rudden and then Morrison from point blank range.

On 8 minutes Ntelo showed his pace to break free on the right, Chris Cadden eventually winning the first corner of the game which was easily dealt with by the Pars defence.

Then at the other end Guinness-Walker did really well to put in a foot and prevent Morrison getting a shot away after a dangerous cross had caused problems.

12 minutes in, Yogane produced a great turn on the half-way line and raced into the penalty area, and then appealed for a penalty when he was tackled from behind but referee Taylor Martin waved play on. On the quarter-hour mark Charlie Gilmour produced a powerful shot from distance which did not clear Klein’s bar by much.

It had certainly been very open game up to this point.

21 minutes in, Nisbet had a half chance and got a shot away in a tight area but John Tod produced a good block. Yogane’s trickery then won another free-kick on the left, and Cadden put in a clever low ball to the front post area from the set play but the home side were alive to the danger.

On the half hour mark a lovely ball over the top from Ronan found the run of Nisbet, he played the ball into the path of Yogane who won a corner. Ronan then curled a great ball to the back of the six yard box and Milne powered in a header to give Aberdeen the lead. A fine header from Jack.

Kevin Nisbet then went close but the flag had gone up for offside, Rudden went even closer and found the net but he was also offside.

37 minutes in, a nice flowing move from the Dons, Cadden heavily involved before Nisbet found Yogane, who really impressed in the first half. His cross was cleared to Molloy on the edge of the area and the Irishman’s first time shot was only inches over.

Within five minutes of the half remaining Dunfermline won their first corner. They took it short and eventually Klien produced a fine save to keep out Tod’s defected effort.

The keeper then produced another brilliant save from Tod’s acrobatic effort, and another two very good blocks but as pressure continued, and after another good save from the keeper, the ball eventually fell to Keith Bray after a scramble inside the area and he scored an equaliser right on the stroke of half-time.

Half-Time Dunfermline Athletic 1-1 Aberdeen

At the interval the Dons brought on Nicky Devlin, Mats Knoester, Ayoub Mouloua, Alex Briedl, Lewis Smith, Hicham Mahou, Stuart Armstrong and Findlay Marshall. So Klein, Milne and Happe were the three to remain on.

A chance thirty seconds into the second half when good play by Marshall and Mahou on the left set up Mouloua but his effort was deflected just over. Two minutes later he was not to be denied. He showed really good pace to break clear, then produced a fine tackle and strength to win the ball back before steading himself and curling a low shot across Oxborough into the far corner. A really good goal.

On 50 minutes a neat through ball from Armstrong almost found Marshall and then Mouloua very nearly dispossessed the last defender. A few minutes later Rudden had a shooting chance but his shot was well over. Lewis Smith then found Marshall side the area, his shot deflected behind for a corner. Aberdeen kept the pressure on before Lewis Smith weaved his way to a goal and then Happe might have had a penalty when he was bundled over in the area.

Aberdeen added a third on the hour mark. Really good play from Briedl and Marshall on the left set up Mahou and the winger did brilliantly to get to the bye-line before cutting the ball back for Mouloua and his first time shot crashed in off the underside of the cross bar. Another very good goal.

On the hour mark Emmanuel Gyamfi replaced Happe.

Lewis Smith was having a fine game and he almost got on the end of Armstrong chip over the top. With 15 minutes to go Chris Kane had a chance but Knoester produced a good block. Kane and Mats were having a good old fashioned battle in the second half!

On 77 minutes the return of Brad Lyons. He replaced Jack Milne. Despite all the changes the game continued to be played at a good tempo.

With just under ten minutes to go Aberdeen added a fourth and it was created by that man Mouloua. From a long ball over the top Mouloua did really well to win the ball, hold it up and then play in Lewis Smith who cooly slotted home.

A very good workout for the Dons.

Full-time Dunfermline Athletic 1-4 Aberdeen

STATS

Dunfermline Athletic; Oxborough, Tod, Abdulai, Morrison, Gilmour, Rudden, Shaw, Corbally, Bray, Donnelly, Fraser.

Subs: Dibaga (GK), Benedictus, Amade, Macleod, Kane, Jackson, Cooper, Adams.

Goal: Bray 44

Aberdeen (first half): Klein, Yogane, Nisbet, Molloy, Milne, Guinness-Walker, Ronan, Happe, Cadden, Ntelo, Aremu.

Aberdeen (second half): Klein, Devlin, Milne (Lyons 77), Happe (Gyamfi 60), Knoester, Briedl, Smith, Mahou, Armstrong, Marshall, Mouloua.

Subs: Waldron (GK), Devlin, Knoester, Lyons, Mouloua, Briedl, Smith, Mahou, Armstrong, Palversa, Olusanya, Marshall, Gyamfi.

Goals: Milne 30, Mouloua 47, 60, Smith 81.

Attendance 1143