Dunfermline 2 Stirling Albion 1

Pars notch three successive wins as they repeat scoreline of earlier in the season.

Scott Morrison for Bobby Ryan was the only change made by Caretaker Manager Jim McIntyre. For Stirling Albion, Allan Moore made two changes from the side that drew with St Johnstone on Boxing Day. Stuart Devine and Nicky Walker made way for Derek Lilley and Lawrie Ellis. The Pars started at their shortest odds for some time 4-6 the best available for a home win with the Binos 3-1 against.

The foot of the table team won the toss and made Dunfermline change ends and attack the goal at the town end. A sweet ball from Scott Morrison on the left was headed back across goal by Jim Hamilton and Mark BURCHILL ran in to head the ball down into the bottom right corner of the net. What a start just 75 seconds on the clock and the Pars faithful on song already.

The visitors were presented with a great chance in 14 minutes when Ross Forsyth intercepted a Calum Woods clearance deep down his right. Forsyth passed inside for Derek Lilley to fire a shot at Gallacher from the edge of the box. The keeper failed to hold cleanly but David McKenna was flagged for offside as Scott Thomson and his keeper frantically tried to block the follow up shot at goal from four yards.

The early lead seemed to suppress the urgency and it was 22nd minute before a diagonal ball out of defence from Danny Murphy released Michael McGlinchey on the right. The on-loan Celt cut across field and when Morrison let the ball travel to Stephen Glass, the skipper`s pass for McGlinchey on the left side of the penalty box was just cut out.

Dunfermline kept up the pressure and Burchill went over in the box; no penalty and Stephen Simmons shot was saved by Myles Hogarth. Next Morrison walloped a shot that swerved away left of target and on the half hour Hamilton won a corner as he challenged for a long pass into the left side of the Stirling box. Simmons rose to head Glass`s delivery but was off target with his header.

Stirling continued to battle away with McKenna`s cut back to Paul Hay warming Gallacher`s fingers. Their other effort was from long range and posed the on-loan keeper no problems.

Dunfermline were to increase their advantage with the last attack of the half. Burchill fed the ball out into space on the right for McGlinchey to run on to and drive the ball into the box. SIMMONS motored in and his left foot diverted the ball past the unfortunate Hogarth who appeared to get a touch on the ball as it made its way into the left side of the net.

Half Time: Dunfermline 2 Stirling Albion 0

Half time substitution for Dunfermline was Stevie Crawford for Stephen Glass. A Woods cross won an early corner down on the right and when Morrison picked out McGlinchey six yards out from the right goalpost he failed to connect and the glorious opportunity to bury the game at three goals up had gone.

The opposition came much more into the game with the territorial advantage for a spell during which Lilley severely tested Gallacher with a rocket of a shot in 53 minutes after Steven Bell`s backheeler from the right side had set up the chance.

The Pars keeper could do nothing about Stirling`s next effort, five minutes later. The ball was played back from the edge of the Pars box and Chris AITKEN hit a wicked shot from 23 yards that soared past Gallacher into the left corner of the net.

Spurred on by the goal Stirling rallied and Gallacher pulled off another fantastic save at point blank range when Forsyth laid off a fine ball for McKenna to blast at goal from eight yards. Lilley was yellow carded for a crude tackle on Jamie Harris but this only demonstrated the desire in Allan Moore`s team.

Panic seemed to appear in the home defence and in the 72nd minute there was some strange stuff as Gallacher, Thomson Morrison and then Gallacher again kick away the ball as it pinged about the penalty box. Jim McIntyre brought himself on in place of Jim Hamilton in an attempt to `steady the ship` but it was becoming increasingly nervous for the Fifers.

There was a welcome break in 81st minute when a surging run from McGlinchey took play back t0o the Albion half but only a corner was won by McManus and the setpiece was wasted.

A win is a win but really this should have been much more convincing. After a fine first half performance from the Pars it was like a different side that emerged for the second 45. Still three successive wins and Jim McIntyre remains undefeated in five.