Dunfermline 2 Raith Rovers 0

cinch Championship: one change as Jakub Stolarczyk returns from international call up. Kevin O’Hara (34) 1-0: Kevin O’Hara (79) 2-0:

Fifth placed Raith Rovers were the visitors for the fourth and final derby of the season. The ninth placed hosts were seeking to build on the success of a 4-1 win over Partick Thistle in the previous home match.

Manager John Hughes brought back in Jakub Stolarczyk after he returned with being with the Poland U21 side. Deniz Mehmet was back on the bench, as was striker Lewis McCann who returned from a shoulder injury.

Raith Rovers made four changes from the team that lifted the SPFL Trust Trophy on Sunday. Dropping out were Sean Mackie, Liam Dick, Ethan Ross and Ethon Varian making way for Dario Zanatta, Brad Spencer, David McKay and their captain Kyle Benedictus.

After the players went back in after the warm up rain came down as hard as it possibly could. The visitors kicked off attacking the goal at the home end but it was the Pars who would create the first danger after a challenge on Josh Edwards earned a sixth minute free kick on the left wing. Keeper Jamie Macdonald fisted away Liam Polworth’s delivery as referee Nick Walsh blew play up for some over enthusiastic challenging.

Both Edwards and Todd delivered balls into the Rovers box without anyone in a black and white shirt being able to get on the end of them before a Dan Pybus tackle on Frank Musonda handed the visitors a 16th minute free kick on the edge of the box. Aidan Connolly drove the ball on to the four man wall and the ball was cleared.

Steven Lawless drove a low effort narrowly wide right from 30 yards out and then Dom Thomas showed a couple of moments of flair football to keep the pressure on Raith. Dunfermline forced the first corner of the night but Thomas’ 27th minute delivery from the right was intercepted first by Ross Matthews.

The breakthrough came in 34 minutes after Liam Polworth won possession off Spencer just outside the Raith penalty box allowing Kevin O’HARA to latch on to the ball advance towards goal and smash it right footed past Macdonald. 1-0

The lead might have doubled nine minutes later after a fast break up the left with Polworth feeding Thomas who in turn picked out O’Hara his pass then put Lawless through with just the keeper to beat but he crashed the ball over the crossbar.

A good first half from the home side just a shame that the advantage was not greater.

Half time: Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 0

The first opportunity of the second half took just 90 seconds to come. A Thomas free kick on the right was attacked in the box by both Coll Donaldson and Efe Ambrose but unluckily neither could make the necessary contact to convert. Next there was a promising break with Thomas sending O’Hara deep down the left and he then flashed the ball in across the six yard box with half time sub Ethan Ross happy to turn the ball behind for a corner. Unfortunately that caused no problems for the Rovers defence.

Edwards tried a shot from distance that Macdonald held at his second attempt and Lawless then tried a similar shot but his was deflected for the keeper to take comfortably. John McGlynn’s side came more into the game as the hour mark passed and the Pars could count themselves extremely fortunate that Reghan Tumilty’s low cross managed to escape without a finish.

The Pars forced a corner where Donaldson headed wide but the Kirkcaldy side were not going to give up the points without a fight. They pushed up and although they kept the defenders busy they failed to trouble Stolarczyk. The one goal lead was beginning to look rather slender but O’Hara might have calmed the nerves from a 76th minute break but with Polworth available to his right, chose to shoot and the keeper blocked.

The striker quickly made up for not taking his chance. An in-swinging Thomas corner from the right three minutes later was cleverly forced over the line by O’HARA as he beat MacDonald at the near post. 2-0

Bobby Kamwa replaced the two goal striker for the final seven minutes plus time added on. Pybus made a 90th minute break but presented with the ball, Polworth’s shot was stopped by the keeper.

Three very welcome points as Dunfermline retain their undefeated home record in 2022. A six point gap now between them and tenth placed Queen of the South and more importantly just two behind Lee Bullen`s Ayr United.

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