Kilmarnock 2 Dunfermline 0

cinch Championship: Ryan Dow starts in place of Liam Polworth. Kyle Lafferty (26) 1-0: Oli Shaw (76) 2-0:

It was a disappointing afternoon for the Pars in Ayrshire as Derek McInnes’ side put on one of their best performances of the season to strengthen their promotion aspirations.

Match 32 of the 36 schedule took Dunfermline to the BBSP Rugby Park Stadium in search of three more precious league points. There was plenty at stake for both sides, the Fifers trying to preserve their league status and Kilmarnock after three more points towards the title and a return to the Premier League after a season’s absence.

On loan Kilmarnock player Liam Polworth dropped out of the Dunfermline side and Ryan Dow came in, the only change from the side that defeated Raith Rovers on Wednesday night.

Killie manager Derek McInnes made two changes, Calum Waters was out through injury, Jack Sanders was on the bench and in came Dean Campbell and Lee Hodson.

The Fifers kicked off through Kevin O’Hara defending the goal immediately in front of the 419 strong, travelling support in the Chadwick Stand. Within two minutes Jakub Stolarczyk was tested by Blair Alston, the on loan Leicester City keeper tipping the fierce 30 yard shot over his crossbar.

Dunfermline’s first threat came from an eighth minute free kick that Dom Thomas lobbed in towards the far post with Coll Donaldson the target. His effort was deflected into the sidenetting and the corner did not make any impact. The visitors relied on their keeper and the crossbar to keep Killie out two minutes later. Kyle Lafferty’s header was palmed away and then Brad Lyons smashed the follow up from an angle on to the woodwork.

The Pars then had two chances, the first when Steven Lawless cut back for O’Hara but the shot went wide and then from a quickly taken free kick Thomas presented with the chance from Dow, found keeper Zach Hemming with his shot.

Killie had seen more of the ball and in 26 minutes when the ball was played in from the right, LAFFERTY was on hand to stick the ball home for the opener. A driving run from Lyons and the lay off to Alston allowed the Killie man to chip the ball for the Northern Ireland striker at the far post. 1-0

Dan Pybus handled the ball 20 yards out on the left side giving Lafferty to try and find the target from the 32nd minute free kick. The striker’s right footed shot came off the back of Pybus on the end of a five man wall, and behind for a corner that changed nothing.

A free kick 8 yards out on the right side then gave Thomas another chance to play the ball into the Killie box but with all eleven home players in their own box it was no surprise that it was a home boot that cleared.

Half time: Kilmarnock 1 Dunfermline 0

Dow forced a corner just four minutes into the second period and when delivered into the Killie box there was a very obvious tug on Efe Ambrose’s jersey but no penalty was given. Instead skipper Lawless collected a yellow card for his protests.

At the other end Oli Shaw got a good connection on a Lafferty pass but Stolarczyk pulled off an excellent diving save to his right. Lafferty then came close from a 56th minute corner, the Irishman’s low drive grazing right upright. The pressure continued on the Dunfermline goal with Lyons teeing up Shaw and his powerful shot broke off Ambrose for a corner on the left.

Next Stephen McGinn set up Shaw for a header at the right post and Stolarczyk made a miraculous save to keep the ball out. Dunfermline made two substitutions before the hour mark Aaron Comrie and Lewis McCann replacing Dan Pybus and Steven Lawless but Stolarczyk was called upon to make yet another superb save this time to prevent McGinn finding the top left corner of his net.

Nikolay Todorov came on for Kevin O’Hara in 65 minutes but still Kilmarnock push up deep into the Pars final third and again Stolarczyk pulled off a fantastic save from Shaw. Two more Dunfermline subs followed with Rhys Breen and Bobby Kamwa taking over from Joe Chalmers and Dom Thomas.

It was Kilmarnock who made the difference however from a Fraser Murray corner. When the ball came over from the right SHAW headed forcefully home giving Stolarczyk little chance this time. The 23 year old former Hibs youth’s fifteenth goal of the season made it 2-0.

There were 14 minutes remaining but that second goal gave the home side a comfortable cushion. No matter what the Fifers did the Ayrshire team snuffed out the danger although Hemming did have to parry away an on target Kamwa shot in the final minute.

The result left Dunfermline in ninth place, three points behind Ayr United whose came back from two down to hold Inverness Caley Thistle to a draw at Somerset Park.

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