Two striking displays

NICKY CLARK rightly took centre stage with a magnificent display of striking as Dunfermline pulled five points clear of the Championship danger zone.

However, the main talking point was the incredible on-field row between Mark Docherty and Stuart Carswell when Docherty appeared to head-butt his team mate as they squabbled over the second goal.

Carswell had to be substituted with a bloody nose but manager Stevie Aitken says he needs to study video footage before he takes any disciplinary action.

He said: “There was disappointment after losing the goal and there was an argument and a coming together. I will need to look back at the footage but what happened shouldn’t happen.

“It seems the two of them squared up. It’s disappointing. We have good spirit in this squad and that’s why we are sitting where we are in the league because we are all fighting for our lives. It’s a passionate game but if it did happen then we can’t condone it.

“Players were frustrated and were maybe too fired up and that’s maybe why it’s boiled over. But it should never happen on a football park.”

The bust-up occurred after Paul McMullan had scored Dunfermline’s second goal in 27 minutes when he took a pass from Clark and drove a right foot shot into the top right.

Clark had started the goal spree in seven minutes when Michael Moffat cleverly picked him out at the back post and he punished the woeful Dumbarton defending with a textbook downward header.

The Fifers were out of sight in 61 minutes when Clark grabbed his second goal of the game. Again it was down to poor defending. Higginbotham’s corner came in from the left and no-one tracked Clark’s run as he squeezed a header home.

With 11 minutes remaining Clark completed his hat-trick when sub Lewis Spence crossed and he angled another great header past Martin. Then in 84 minutes he made it a special day when he slammed his fourth goal, finding the left corner after being set up by Higginbotham.

Two minutes later Daniel Harvie netted a consolation for Sons.

Pars manager Allan Johnston said: “I thought the boys were outstanding. Nicky will take the headlines and there were some fantastic finishes but it was a great team performance too.

“Michael Moffat and Nicky were a great partnership. We’re playing well now and we want to continue that as we have a massive couple of games coming up.”