Dumbarton 0 Dunfermline 1

Pars travel to meet the Sons of the Rock and make three changes. Barrowman (50 sec) 1-0

Dunfermline Manager Jim Jefferies made three changes from the side that defeated Raith Rovers four days before. Andy Barrowman and Alex Whittle came in to replace Andy Kirk and Joe Cardle. Captain Jordan McMillan returned from suspension meaning Andy Geggan was back in midfield and Ryan Thomson dropped to the bench. Dumbarton manager Ian Murray named an unchanged team.

The teams changed ends after the toss of referee Iain Brines coin and Dunfermline in their red away strip, kicked off attacking the goal at the river end and had immediate success.  There was only 50 seconds on the clock when Alex Whittle`s cross from the left was sclaffed by a defender and Andy BARROWMAN was ready to stick the ball in the net at the far post. 1-0

Paul Gallacher was called upon to make a save within a minute and Dumbarton kept up the pressure with McMillan blocking a well driven shot by Steven McDougall.  In ninth minute Sons top goalscorer Jim Lister had his 20 yard shot turned on to the right goalpost by Gallacher.

Next Falkingham sent the ball wide right from where Wallace crossed but Barrowman narrowly failed to get a connection.  The return from Whittle fed Shaun Byrne and his shot towards the top right was tipped over the bar by Jamie Ewings.  At the other end Garry Fleming had a great chance as he wrong footed Andy Dowie but took one touch too many and it was gone.

In 18 minutes Andy Geggan made a penetrating pass to send Wallace through on the keeper but he was beaten by the angle and his left footed effort slipped wide right.  Mark Gilhaney was the next Dumbnarton player to beat the Pars offside trap but Callum Morris got back and made it easy for Gallacher to sweep away the clearance. At the other end Ewings held a low Falkingham delivery albeit at the second attempt.

Dumbarton were getting a concerning amount of play around the Pars penalty box with Gilhaney and Agnew getting unlucky at just the wrong / right moment.  When Falkingham was chopped down on the right in 33 minutes, Whittle sent over a ball from the free kick that was headed inches over the bar by Barrowman.

Referee Brines was unpopular for his decision three minutes later. Falkingham played the ball forward for Wallace and he went down under a challenge from his marker and Josh broke through on goal as he latched on to the loose ball but Wallace was penalised for something.

Dumbarton came close to scoring the equaliser they had threatened but Gallacher kept them out with good support from his back four. In 41 minutes McMillan headed a Lister cross behind for a corner on the left but when that came over the ball was sent over the bar.  After a great start the Fifers had not had it easy and Dumbarton have shown just why Falkirk and Morton failed to beat them in the last week.

Half Time: Dumbarton 0 Dunfermline 1

Ryan Thomson replaced Jordan McMillan for the restart and that sent Andy Geggan back to right back.The Scottish `monsoon` arrived as the Pars forced the first corner of the second half but Ewings held Falkingham`s long hanging delivery to the far post.

Dunfermline had made a better start to the second 45 but found it hard to get close enough for efforts on goal.  Thomson tested Ewings however in 58 minutes after good build up play. Falkingham won the ball off Chris Turner at the third attempt but when he teed up Wallace for the cross the Pars just couldn`t cash in on the opportunity.

On 65 minutes Whittle crossed a fine ball in from the right that was belted back out but that set up Geggan for a 35 yarder that just slipped wide left. Ewings then did well when he saved from Wallace who had raced away from the defenders on halfway.

Barrowman netted in 73 minutes after fine connecting play between Byrne and Wallace but there was no doubt that he was in an offside position.  He should then have found the net again three minutes later but when set up by Wallace and onside, he sclaffed his shot wide left. Agnew fired a Dumbarton free kick narrowly over the top before play switched to the other end where the Pars earned another corner. They badly needed to notch a second but Dumbarton got Stephen Jordan`s delivery from the right away all too easily.

Shaun Byrne takes a last minute yellow card for the team

Craig Dargo replaced Alex Whittle who went down with cramp with five minutes to go and although there were some nervy moments in the added three minutes it ended with Andy Barrowman`s 12th goal of the season being enough to take all three points.

Results elsewhere went the Pars way. Morton were held to a 1-1 draw at Central Park and Livingston scored a late equaliser to deny Partick a win.  So Dunfermline go top of the First Division on goal difference, only problem for those there recently is staying there!.