ZENA CAPUT MUNDI 2 DUNFERMLINE 4

Alberto Buccianti produced a vintage performance, scoring three times, as Dunfermline ended a losing streak stretching back to three successive league defeats.
The Pars contextually climbed back into the playoff zone, now established in sixth place ahead of Zena CM, the night's opponents.
Was it a convincing performance? Partly, it was. Was it a relaxed run out? Far from it, as the game's proceedings were tarnished with no remedy by a sort of frenzy which was sparked a few minutes from time, with Daniele De Maria and Matteo Bovalino sent off for Dunfermline and a red card hitting one of Zena CM's midfielders.

First things first, though, and Dunfermline's manager Leonardo Perugini had deploy himself in goal owing to the absence of No 1 Marco Semino. Davide Filippi recovered more quickly than expected from his neck injury and was in defence alongside Fabio Frassinelli, while Aldo Marletta was given back his centre-slot in midfield, joined on the flanks by Matteo Bovalino and debutant Daniele De Maria. Alberto Buccianti completed the starting VII upfront, with Fausto Crosetti initially on the bench.
Perugini had to produce a couple of decent saves from a few opponents' attacks, while Dunfermline found an opener midway through the first half, as Bovalino took charge of a corner kick and Buccianti notched home with a powerful header.
Zena tried to send their charges forward, but they were made to pay for some sloppy defending soon afterwards, as Perugini collected the ball and launched it towards De Maria, whose brilliant run on the left flank was capped by a square delivery towards Buccianti, who made no mistake in front of goal to make it 2-0.

HALF TIME: Zena Caput Mundi 0, Dunfermline 2

Proceedings were resumed and Dunfermline hit again, when Buccianti fed the ball into the path of Marletta, who got past two men coolly before sidefooting home with his left, after the ball took a wicked deflection off one of Zena's defenders.
At three-nil up, Dunfermline looked very much in control of the game, although, to be fair, Zena had a number of chances, and half-chances, to reduce their arrears, which happened from close range after a poor clearance.
By that time, Crosetti had been thrust on the pitch for Filippi, the opponents having shuffled their pack a wee bit as well.
Dunfermline had a couple of chances of their own and hit the woodwork twice. De Maria could've marked his debut with a dream goal, but his perfectly taken free-kick rattled the crossbar, before Marletta fed the ball into Buccianti's path, the Tuscan striker's shot skimming the near post.
Buccianti then produced the finest moment of the game, as he kept hold of a loose ball and physically outmuscled at least two opponents, before firing home from long range to make it 4-1 and all but seal victory for the Scots.

Just as the game was about to ebb away, the unexpected struck. Fabio Nicoli, Zena's captain, showed some real cowardice, as he attempted to provoke De Maria, whose reaction was far from violent, but nevertheless earned him a red-card, an overall poor performance by referee Renzo Nicolini.
Few instants later, Nicoli was once again at fault, as he kicked Bovalino when the ref was looking the other way.
The incident sparked a massive brawl, with many of the Red&Blue players punching their Dunfermline counterparts, notably Bovalino was literally assaulted by at least 4 opponents, while Buccianti and Filippi took part in trying to calm the whole thing down, without much success, though.
By the time order was re-established, Bovalino had been sent off together with one of the most peripheral figures in amongst Zena's ranks in the fight, which only went to underline the man in charge's struggle.
4 minutes of stoppage time were given and Zena pulled one back, after Marletta had squandered a glorious chance to make it 5-1.

FULL TIME: Zena Caput Mundi 2, Dunfermline 4


DUNFERMLINE
46 Perugini; 2 Filippi (17 Crosetti), 10 Frassinelli; 11 Bovalino (c), 5 Marletta, 23 De Maria; 9 Buccianti
SCORERS: Buccianti 3 (0-1, 0-2, 1-4), Marletta (0-3)
CAUTIONS: Marletta (Y), Frassinelli (Y), De Maria (R), Bovalino (R)