Pars win tinged with frustration

Dunfermline sent their fans home happy as they rounded off their home campaign with a 3-1 victory over play-off bound Morton at East End Park.

The Pars are still playing for fifth but striker Michael Moffat feels there is a little bit of frustration in the camp that they have not gone one better.

“It’s always nice to get a win, especially in the last home match. It was a little bit of a strange atmosphere with both teams not having a huge amount to play.

“That’s nine points we have taken off them that we have obviously lost elsewhere. If we had not had as bad a start to the season we would have been right in there.

“If we can get fifth it will be an OK season to consolidate and we can kick on next season.

“With the team we have got we feel like we should be right up there but, when you go on an unbeaten run like we did but not get any closer it’s disappointing.”

Moffat helped his team get off to a dream start being involved in the build-up for the opening goal in three minutes.

The marksman found Rhys McCabe 20 yards out and he unleashed a powerful shot that Derek Gaston in the Morton goal could only palm away. The ball fell to Nicky Clark whose first effort came back off the bar only to fall right back to him to prod into an empty net.

That seemed to spur the visitors on, though, and they were level in the 37th minute.

A long throw-in was nodded into the danger area by Ricki Lamie with on-loan Aberdeen forward Lawrence Shankland finding space to head home.

Jason Talbot prevented the hosts going into the break behind as he cleared a Michael Doyle effort off the line.

The second half started off much the same way as the first as Moffat restored the Pars’ advantage five minutes in.

Kallum Higginbotham was the architect with a delightful ball in from the right that left the former Ayr man with the task of prodding home from four yards.

The game was wrapped up four minutes from time when McCabe took aim from 25 yards, his effort taking a deflection on the way into the net.