Pars keep calm to dole out best sort of revenge
TASTELESS missiles on the pitch and compelling evidence of some genuine ‘rockets’ in the away support. Neither was enough to stop Dunfermline from crushing their most bitter rivals in a Championship grudge match mercifully short of explosive incidents on the field. Despite the best efforts of a few travelling loons.
Backed up brilliantly by new goalkeeper Lee Robinson — the former Ranger looking inspired on his debut — the Pars dominated struggling Bairns for long spells.
And they might have put some real gloss on a victory that kept them fourth in the table, leaving Falkirk firmly in contention for a place in the ‘wrong’ play-offs.
Ultimately, Dunfermline had to settle for a win that must have felt awfully sweet for the home contingent at East End Park.
Because this oddest of derbies, a local spat between two towns inhabiting different counties and regions, has been of the keenest variety since most can remember.
Given recent events, there was always going to be an extra edge to this one. The sizeable suspensions handed to Falkirk players Kevin O’Hara and Joe McKee for their shameful abuse of Dunfermline star Dean Shiels, both Bairns found guilty of taunting him about a childhood accident that eventually required the removal of one eye, obviously hung in the air ahead of this New Year clash.
Incredibly, a section of the travelling support not only booed Shiels — the innocent party, remember — but struck up a song making specific mention about his medical condition.
And they went further on their descent into disgrace, photographers later reporting that the missiles thrown on the pitch by away fans were false eyes, an obvious dig at a player who has overcome some pretty major obstacles to play at an elite level.
There was little on the pitch to console Falkirk boss Paul Hartley, who arrived in Fife feeling just a little better after gaining his first win in ten matches at the helm.
Sure, had Robinson been less than excellent, his team might have pinched at least one goal on the day.
The keeper certainly impressed more than Bairns goalie Robbie Mutch — at fault for the opener.
On balance of play, however, there could be no complaints about the final outcome — the better team won.
Pars boss Allan Johnston, who made a brave call by picking Robinson a full eight months after the ex-Queen of the South goalie’s previous competitive match, declared: ‘I had no qualms about throwing Lee straight in.
‘I had him at Queens and he was outstanding in the year when we won the league and the cup. He was a big part of that.
‘Overall, discipline was important, especially with everything going on around the game.’
Dunfermline took the lead after 16 minutes, having already carved open a couple of decent chances.
Declan McManus played a ball through to Nicky Clark. The striker shot quickly, his low effort took a deflection off Peter Grant — and Mutch should have done better than to let it squirm under his grasp and in off the post.
The home team went two up six minutes into the second half when Joe Cardle, who had embarked on a mesmerising run just moments earlier, lit up a dark, wet and freezing afternoon with a cheeky assist.
Flicking the ball over the static Falkirk defence with the outside of his boot, he found McManus sliding in to get a touch and steer the ball beyond the helpless Mutch.
Robinson, who had already made one superb stop from Aaron Muirhead just before half-time, made the save of the game soon after the break.
Louis Longridge was played in one-on-one with the goalie by a brilliant Jordan McGhee pass — and could hardly believe it when Robinson stretched out a hand to divert his goal-bound shot away and behind.
Hartley said: ‘Their goalkeeper had more saves than ours and he was the difference — but the two goals we lost were really sloppy.’