DUNFERMLINE came out on top in a bad-tempered match at East End Park this afternoon which saw seven yellow cards handed out.

The Pars' Jason Talbot, Ryan Wallace, Josh Falkingham and Callum Fordyce were all booked, as were Stranraer's Lee Mair, Scott Robertson and Steven Bell, as the trip-ups and tempers flew.

Not surprisingly, speedy Faissal El Bakhtaoui was a favourite target for the visitors, suffering the brunt of the knocks and even a blatant neck grab as the Pars dominated the first half, going 2-0 in barely 20 minutes.

The first 10 minutes started slowly, before Michael Moffat got the first real chance of the game when he rounded defence to shoot from the edge of the box, to see it saved by David McGurn.

From a 25-yard free kick two minutes later, Chris Aitken picked up the ball only to send it wide past Sean Murdoch.

Dunfermline went 1-0 up on 13 minutes – Michael Paton on the right picked out El Bakhtaoui in the middle, and the hitman whacked it in past a hapless McGurn from the centre of the box.

The goal clearly lifted the Pars and they kept their foot firmly on the gas. It paid off nine minutes later, as Joe Cardle raced down the left to cross to Jason Talbot, who headed it in amid a sea of black and white in the box to notch up his first goal for Dunfermline and make it 2-0.

Cardle himself nearly got on the scoresheet on 30 minutes, as he sped in on the left, but his shot from five yards out was deflected.

Dunfermline always looked likelier to score and didn't give Stranraer much time on the ball, and the visitors retaliated physically. Home fans were incensed when Mair was only yellow-carded for his 34th minute grab on El Bakhtaoui right in front of the Pars bench. Robertson followed three minutes later, again for a challenge on El Bakhtaoui.

Stranraer had a couple of looks in right before the half-time whistle, with Bell's header zinging wide then Murdoch saving Andy Stirling's shot from seven yards out.

Dunfermline got off to a flyer after the break, going 3-0 up just six minutes after the restart. In a one-two move, El Bakhtaoui laid up Cardle, but from McGurn's block the ball rebounded to Andy Geggan, who volleyed it in from 10 yards.

However that lead was reduced just five minutes later. Out of nowhere, a ball fed up field landed for Jamie Longworth to put it past Murdoch and make it 3-1.

It felt like Dunfermline had eased off a bit in the last 30 minutes, not having as much possession as in the first half, as the game got increasingly physical.

In the midst of the tension, Paton had two good chances in as many minutes. His 73rd minute shot was palmed away by McGurn, then on 76 minutes, Geggan sliced down the middle to feed Paton, but again McGurn saved.

Former Par Bell had the last goal attempt of the game, ending the match by heading it wide.

Highlights of the match, courtesy of Dunfermline Athletic FC, can be viewed below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRmN6i1n-ZI