SAN DESIDERIO - Dunfermline continued on their positive start to their pre-season, as they eased past Division C outfit Gymnasia San Martino by 5 goals to 3.
After the initial two friendly ties had seen open floodgates at both ends, with scorelines of 9-6 against Metropolitan Style and 11-10 against Rapid Sanchez, this was more like a real game of football, with a lot of tussles and tangles in the middle of the park, but unfortunately also featuring a number of high (too high) flying tackles on the part of a couple of Gymnasia players.
With a number of notable absentees (Semino, Frassinelli, Crosetti, Cantelli, Ducco, Finotti, Buccianti all missed out on the game), gaffer Vanin was forced to deploy himself as a defender, alongside Filippi, while Perugini made his season debut in goal and Rossi finally shrugged off his ankle injury and started upfront.
The midfield trio was then composed by Marletta in the middle of the park, Merello and Bovalino on the left and right flank respectively.
Marletta broke his goal drought with a powerful long range effort the goalkeeper could, and perhaps should, have dealt with better, but there was very little the keeper could do when the captain's second came, with an equally powerful, but even better crafted belter from distance, to make it 2-0.
Cicala pulled one back for the visitors, following a nice collective move, before Nicora even managed to equalise just before the break, with a powerful effort Perugini parried, but unfortunately into his own net's top corner.
During the course of the second half, Dunfermline did keep on playing some lovely football, knocking the ball about well enough to cause the opponents a few headaches.
Marletta made it 3-2 with another thunderbolt from range, then it was Rossi's turn to get off the mark, with a stubborn individual goal and an accurate right-footed finish from just outside the box.
Alberti pulled one back for Gymnasia, but it wasn't long before Filippi produced the goal of the night, chipping his marker before dispatching a lovely dipping shot into the top corner.
Just a couple of lines to highlight how a few Gymnasia players tried to develop the FRIENDLY game into something else.
While Alberti's behaviour on the pitch was absolutely fantastic and extremely correct, some of his team-mates weren't as kind.
Cammarere lunged at Bovalino feet-first towards the end of the game, and the Pars' No 11 was only lucky to escape unscathed.
Similarly, Bozano made a high-flying (and late) tackle once Marletta got past him on the edge of the box, forcing the captain to jump even higher not to get caught.
Finally, Nicora made a wide - and widely inappropriate - use of his elbows, perhaps he should concentrate a wee more on his football and just stick his backheel flicks up his arse.
One thing is for certain, Dunfermline's players didn't make a mess of it, they kept their cool, but they will not want play these same opponents ever again, unless they're forced to do so by some kind of Liguria Cup draw.
That is because Gymnasia won't make it anywhere near Division B, and that's another certainty.
DUNFERMLINE 5, GYMNASIA SAN MARTINO 3
DUNFERMLINE
13 Perugini
10 Vanin
8 Filippi
11 Bovalino
5 Marletta
4 Merello
7 Rossi
SCORERS: Marletta 3, Rossi, Filippi
MANAGER: Vanin
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GENOVA - Dunfermline's board, as announced, met with AICS yesterday in order to complete the club's registration for the 2009/10 Division B campaign.
As the preferred football ground, located in Via Ungaretti, was unavailable for choice except for matches starting at 10 pm, the board had to put their plan-b to effect, and the San Desiderio ground has been chosen as the one that'll host this season's home games, with ko's scheduled at 8 pm.
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