DUNFERMLINE 3
McCann (14, 52), Dow (40)
AYR UNITED 0
New Pars boss John Hughes has always been famed for his inspirational leadership style, but even by his standards, Yogi’s first week at East End Park has been a rip-roaring success.
Victory at Inverness last weekend finally gave the club its first league win of the season.
And with the monkey off their backs, they played with new freedom and confidence yesterday as they saw off Ayr United, scoring three times for no reply.
The visiting Honest Men were comfortably swatted aside and, having started the day at the foot of the table, Dunfermline have suddenly climbed four places to sit sixth on goal difference.
“The boys have given me everything since I arrived and won two out of two, so I couldn’t have asked for any better than that,” said Hughes.
“We’re off the bottom now, but it’s still early days and there’s a long way to go.”
The Somerset Park outfit are moving in a downward direction, however, with yesterday’s defeat following a four-goal thrashing last week as Jim Duffy’s side slid to a fourth loss in five games.
“They have some good players and John has obviously come in and got them firing,” said Duffy, who has a tough start to his tenure as boss of the Honest Men, winning only once since taking over in October.
“We’ve been struggling lately and we were definitely second-best today, so no excuses.”
Boosted by their Inverness win, the home side started on the front foot and almost took a secondminute lead through Josh Edwards.
They kept pressing and deservedly went ahead in the 14th minute when youngster Lewis McCann bulleted home a downward header from close range.
Jack Baird then headed narrowly wide for Ayr, and Dunfermline made United pay when Ryan Dow’s header made it 2-0 shortly before half-time.
Jon Afolabi twice threatened to pull one back for Ayr, but the Pars put the result beyond doubt early in the second period after McCann drilled home his second of the afternoon.