DUNFERMLINE slipped to fourth in League One after a disappointing display consigned them to defeat at Stenhousemuir this afternoon.

Kris Faulds' 71st minute winner proved the difference in a match that featured the hosts hitting the woodwork three times, Ryan Scully suffering a serious looking injury and Michael Moffat passing up an opportunity to level in the dying seconds with an incredible miss.

Jim Jefferies named an unchanged starting line-up from last weekend's draw at Peterhead while Josh Falkingham replaced Lewis Martin on the bench.

The Pars boss was frustrated at losing a late equaliser at Balmoor and his team sought to make amends with a fast start but they were indebted to the woodwork three times in the first half to prevent them falling behind.

However the game was just six minutes old when Shaun Byrne slipped Andy Geggan clear inside the box but his low shot was well blocked by former Athletic number one Greg Fleming.

Ross Forbes then drove an effort over the bar before the Warriors came close to taking the lead after 21 minutes.

Good play released Ross Meechan on the right and his low cross into the box was met by Faulds but his first time effort from six yards bounced off Scully's crossbar and away to safety.

If that was a let-off for the visitors, then they endured two more nervous moments as Stenny struck the woodwork twice more in two minutes.

Just after the half hour, Lewis Spence hacked a clearance from Sean Dickson's corner into the air and Moffat sliced the ball against his own bar as the Pars failed to clear before Colin McMenamin saw a shot from just inside the box clip Scully's right hand post after he was played in well by Gary Oliver.

Spence then hobbled with injury 10 minutes before half-time to be replaced by Falkingham and the Yorkshireman almost created the breakthrough for the Pars.

His cross to the near post was flicked well towards goal by Moffat but Fleming produced a smart block, before El Bakhtaoui blazed over from six yards after Stenhousemuir had failed to clear a Ross Millen corner.

Stung by the hosts' first-half efforts it was a fired-up Athletic who remerged and Stenny had Fleming to thank for a brilliant double save to keep the scores level eight minutes after the interval.

Geggan released Falkingham from midfield with a well-weighted pass and after his shot was pushed out by Fleming, he then reacted well to block Forbes' follow-up from the edge of the area.

Jefferies then replaced Forbes with Andy Stirling on the hour mark but he quickly had to make his final change as Scully had to helped off the field to be replaced by Ryan Goodfellow after a nasty collision with McMenamin as he chased a through ball.

The game began to open up and with 19 minutes to go the home side broke the deadlock. A break down the right hand side freed Oliver and as the Pars desperately tried to block, the ball deflected to the onrushing Faulds who made no mistake from 12 yards.

Athletic tried to respond and after breaking clear into the box on the goal line, Stirling's low ball across the six yard line was begging to be touched home but there were no takers in a black and white shirt.

El Bakhtaoui then won the ball from substitute Tom Walsh on the right before clipping the ball into the area. Geggan layed it off to Stuart Urquhart but his effort from the penalty spot was comfortably saved by Fleming.

The Warriors could have clinched the game with three minutes left as Faulds sent McMenamin clear, but a heavy touch allowed Goodfellow to race from his line and smother.

But in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Moffat wasted a golden opportunity to rescue a point. Tenacious play from Falkingham saw him chip the ball to the far post but the striker somehow headed wide from two yards to consign the Pars to a second defeat in four league games and earn boos from their disgruntled travelling support.

Pars: Scully, Millen, Whittle, Urquhart, Buchanan, Geggan, El Bakhtaoui, Spence, Moffat, Forbes, Byrne. Subs: Thomson, Stirling, Falkingham, Ugwu, Smith, Williamson, Goodfellow.

Stenhousemuir: Fleming, Meechan, Greacen, McMillan, Lithgow, Millar, Reid, Faulds, McMenamin, Oliver, Dickson. Subs: Duncan, Summers, Fotheringham, Walsh, Watt, Eddington, Smith.

Attendance: 1177.

Referee: Nick Walsh.