Dunfermline 4 Partick Thistle 1

cinch Championship: Mehmet in for Stolarczyk. Ross Docherty (5) 0-1: Lewis Mayo og (10) 1-1: Matty Todd (22) 2-1: Josh Edwards (27) 3-1: Dom Thomas (82) 4-1:

A good performance allowed Dunfermline to register their best result of the league season to lift themselves off the bottom of the table. Notably Josh Edwards chipped in to record his first senior goal.

For both Dunfermline and Partick Thistle the points from this ‘game in hand’ were sorely sought after. Thistle were hoping to consolidate a play off spot while Dunfermline were needing points to ensure their Championship survival.

There was an enforced change to the Dunfermline starting eleven, Deniz Mehmet in for Jakub Stolarczyk who was away on international duty for Poland U21s. Only other change was to the bench with Neil Alexander named as sub keeper and Lewis Martin listed in place of the injured Lewis McCann.

Thistle’s Ian McCall made two changes to his starting eleven Richard Foster and Scott Tiffoney replacing former Par Kyle Turner and Olatunji Akinola.

It was the visitors who hit first when a Ross Docherty cross was missed by Edwards and Ciaran McKenna latched on to the ball deep up the right to deliver a cross that Tiffoney touched back for his captain, DOCHERTY, to smash the ball home from the edge of the box. 0-1

The luck that had deserted Dunfermline all season changed in the tenth minute when Lewis MAYO swished at a powerful Matty Todd cross and sent the ball into his own net. The chance came after a misguided pass found Joe Chalmers and the ball was sent from him through Steven Lawless and on for Kevin O’Hara to chase up the right. The striker’s cut back was then driven into the Jags box inviting the fatal mistake from the former Pars loan player. 1-1

Dunfermline played with confidence and made their commitment pay with a second goal midway through the first half. It came from a great cross in from the left that Matty TODD timed his run to head the ball downwards and past Thistle keeper Jamie Sneddon. 2-1

Five minutes past and another Dunfermline goal arrived. Again it was the magic of Thomas on the left wing that created the opportunity. His pass into the Partick box found EDWARDS and he took a touch with his right foot to sit the ball up for him to strike with his preferred left. The left back drilled a powerful effort past Mayo and through Sneddon to score his first ever senior goal.

There was a big chance to make it four on the half hour when Lawless and Polworth combined to play in O’Hara. His cut back travelled to Lawless in front of goal but his shot was deflected into the hands of Sneddon as both Lawless and Polworth tried to get on the killer touch required.

The visitors had several corners as the half came to an end, Mehmet made a good touch over his crossbar in conceding one them and then he had a good block on an on target Tiffoney effort from an acute angle. Last Pars effort of the half came from Polworth who made Sneddon save.

Half time: Dunfermline 3 Partick Thistle 1

Ian McCall made two substitutions before the restart and would make another three in the course of the half but although they enjoyed more of the ball than they did in the first half, rarely did they get close to the Dunfermline goal.

A 54th free kick was given after Kevin Holt had been shown a yellow card for hauling down O’Hara, saw Thomas try to surprise Sneddon at the near post but the 24 year old former Cowdenbeath stopper read the danger and gathered the attempt.

Foster’s tackle on Thomas earned the Thistle player a 59th minute yellow card and the Pars another free kick that Thomas sent into the visitors box but the defence cleared.

Partick were pushing for a second goal that would have created a nervy finish when Dan Pybus provided the ball for a productive counterattack. Dan was actually in the D on the top of his own box when he launched the long ball that THOMAS latched on to. He outstripped sub Steven Bell as he made it to the Jags box and thrashed it into the net. 4-1

Five Dunfermline substitutions in the last five minutes disrupted play and a nasty cut to Lawless meant that the Pars saw the game out with just ten men for the five minutes of added time.

The win takes Dunfermline to 29 points now three ahead of Queen of the South and just three behind Ayr United. Six matches remaining and both these sides yet to face at East End Park.

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