THe CHAMpionSHip

A BREATHLESS bottom-ofthe-table encounter was settled six minutes from time when home sub Farid El Alagui capitalised on Rocco Quinn’s kamikaze passback to prod home the winner.

It was Dunfermline’s first win since the opening day of the season and halted a run of five defeats but St Mirren are still waiting for a first victory after caretaker manager Allan McManus got a taste of the misfortune that cost Alex Rae his job last weekend.

“It’s a difficult one to take,” he admitted.

“We’ve worked so hard and scored three goals away from home, yet we’ve still come away with nothing.”

Pars boss Allan Johnston was ecstatic: “The boys showed a lot of character in the second half. They could easily have gone into their shells but they kept looking for the ball.

“If we keep playing like we did today, then we’ll not be too far away.”

The home side bossed the opening half-hour without seriously threatening and, in the 33rd minute, they allowed the visitors to go ahead with their first attempt on goal, John Sutton side-footing home from close range.

Dunfermline produced a sublime equaliser, Michael Paton and Jason Talbot providing the ammo for Nicky Clark to direct a spectacular diving header past keeper Scott Gallagher.

But there was more slapstick comedy from the Pars defence as they failed to deal with a long punt which Sutton rattled into the net with a low, left-foot strike.

The second half provided entertainment aplenty as discipline and tactics were recklessly jettisoned.

Joe Cardle pressurised sub Andy Webster into a second Pars equaliser. Clark headed inches wide and then made it 3-2, only for Ryan Hardie to fire St Mirren level before El Alagui won it at the end.