Pars inspired by Yogi cameo
INVERNESS CT 1 Mckay (22) DUNFERMLINE ATH. 2 Devine (50 og), Thomas (64)
Greg Shield told how a touch of classic bit of John Hughes slapstick fun helped Dunfermline end almost four months of Championship misery.
The Pars’ appointee took a watching brief in the Caledonian Stadium stands and left technical area duties to caretakers Shields and Steven Whittaker.
But a Yogi dressing-room cameo appearance at the break helped turn a 1-0 deficit into a first win in 13 league matches after a Danny Devine own-goal and a classy winner from Dom Thomas.
Shields said: “John said a bit at the break, but he let me and Steven Whittaker have our place.
“It was just him tapping a few people on the shoulder and having a bit of fun.
“Three months down without that win, sometimes you forget to have that fun.
“He’s a big character and he’s been there and done it.
“Sometimes players need to hear a different voice and that’s certainly what he brought at half-time.
“It has been a long time coming. It becomes a habit, losing.”
While Pars ended 15 matches without a win in all competitions, Caley Thistle’s run without victory stretched to five as they slipped to third place.
Home manager Billy Dodds was posted missing, having felt unwell before the match.
The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute. Michael Gardyne burst forward towards the edge of the area and delivered a lovely, swerving strike against the right hand angle of bar and post.
Billy Mckay pounced on the rebound with Owain Fon Williams grounded.
The Fifers’ best chance of the half came on 35 minutes, with a Thomas corner knocked goalward by Rhys Breen’s connection.
As the ball spun high, Mark
Ridgers was Craig Gordon-esque with his reaction save.
Dunfermline were level inside five minutes of the second half.
Kevin O’Hara delivered a terrific low ball across the face of goal. With Lewis McCann sliding in to execute a close-range finish, the final touch seemed to come from home defender Danny Devine.
The Pars then caught them on the counter for a brilliant second.
Thomas wriggled niftily past several flailing legs into the left side of the home penalty area and then placed a dinked finish high into the top right of Ridgers’ net from 15 yards.
The Highlanders put huge effort into finding a way back but Caley Jags coach Barry Wilson said: “We couldn’t get the second goal. We said at the break we needed it, just to knock the stuffing out of them.
“We knew they would come with the new manager bounce but we dictated the first half without really creating enough in the final third.”
INVERNESS CT:
(4-2-3-1) Ridgers 7; Carson 7 (McDonald 80, 3), Broadfoot 7, Devine 6, Deas 6; Allardice 7, McAlear 6 (MacGregor 68, 5) ; Walsh 6 (Jamieson 68, 5), Doran 6, Gardyne 8; Mckay 7. Unused subs – MacKay, Harper.
DUNFERMLINE:
(4-4-2) Fon Williams 6; Comrie 6, Breen 6 (Graham 74, 4), Connolly 7, Edwards 7; Macdonald 6, Dorrans 6, Todd 6 (Pybus, 61, 5), Thomas 7, McCann 7 (Dow 84, 2), O’Hara 7. Unused subs – Mehmet, Wighton, Todorov, Allan.