Nisbet has bragging rights as Pars savour rare win over United
The pre-match billing from Dunfermline skipper Paul Paton hailed Kevin Nisbet as better than Lawrence Shankland and it was the Pars striker who emerged on top to help steer his side to a first home victory over Dundee United in 13 years.
Trailing the prolific Shankland in the goal charts, Nisbet’s all-round game led to Paton’s claim, but it was his 23rd goal of the season that proved crucial as the Pars swept aside an out-of-sorts United.
Jonathan Afolabi, signed on loan from Celtic in January, bagged his first goal for the Fifers after the break to ensure the long-awaited win, which stoked the home side’s hopes of securing a top-four finish and a stab at promotion.
They are still back in sixth in the table but in Nisbet, a January transfer target for Hibernian and United, they have someone capable of making the difference during the run-in.
‘Kevin Nisbet will get pats on the back for his display and he scored today again as well,’ said manager Stevie Crawford. ‘But if he continues in that vein of form, and he is willing to work back and do the defensive side like he is, he’s going to have a right good future ahead of him.
‘We’ve given ourselves an opportunity now over the next three or four games to start looking up the way and to get into the play-off positions, which is where we want to be.’
Dunfermine surged in front in the 26th minute. Kyle Turner unpicked the United defence with a stunning diagonal over the top and Nisbet looped a superb header over Benjamin Siegrist and into the net.
Nisbet again showcased his confidence after the break. The angle should have been too tight but the 22-year-old hammered his shot off the near post, with Siegrist appearing to get a crucial touch.
On the hour mark, the Pars doubled their advantage. A quick break released Dom Thomas down the right and the winger’s cross was knocked in at the back post by the unmarked Afolabi.
Home boss Robbie Neilson, yellow carded with two minutes remaining for moaning at referee Graham Beaton over Dunfermline time-wasting, has now seen his champions elect win just once in their last seven games.
‘We’re realy disappointed,’ he said. ‘We were second to the ball, we weren’t aggressive and we just didn’t perform to the levels we have done.’