Dunfermline Athletic dumped by Queen of the South

Dunfermline dropped out of the promotion play-off places after a heavy home defeat against Queen of the South.

Off the pace from the start, Allan Johnston's side were two goals down at the break after Chris Kane's brace.

Nicky Clark's strike early in the second half gave them hope but Stephen Dobbie, the best player on the pitch by far, hit a hat-trick - one from the penalty spot - to wrap up a comprehensive win.

Declan McManus nodded in from close range with a few minutes left but that was as good as it got. 

The Dumfries men leapfrogged Athletic into fourth place and Johnston's men are now 10 points behind league leaders Dundee United.

Dunfermline went into this match in fourth place but level on points with both Morton and Queens below them.

On a run of five games without a win in the league, Allan Johnston's men were desperate to return to form and stay in the promotion shake-up.

But they made it half a dozen without a league win with a poor performance that saw them tumble out of the top four. 

Gary Naysmith's men had a sprinkling of ex-Pars involved with Scott Mercer and Andy Stirling in from the start with Derek Lyle and Shaun Rooney on the bench.

And it was Stirling who threatened first but the winger's shot had the sting taken out of it by Jason Talbot and Sean Murdoch gathered comfortably.

He was involved in Queens opening the scoring in the eighth minute after a slick move from the visitors.

Dobbie found him and Stirling's clever flick put Kane through on goal as the Pars defence parted like the Red Sea.

His finish was accomplished and the Dumfries side went on to boss it, with a nervy Athletic side struggling to string any passes together or find a man in white.

A rare foray up field saw Ryan Williamson cut inside and slip a perfectly weighted ball in behind the Queens defence, but Alan Martin was out quick to narrow the angle and push Joe Cardle's shot away for a corner.

Dobbie was clearly enjoying himself and was a constant thorn in Pars side.

He set up the second goal in the 27th minute after mercilessly teasing poor Williamson, turning the full back at least three times before finding Kane, who turned and poked a low shot into the corner of the net.

Allan Johnston made an early change with Nat Wedderburn replaced by Dean Shiels in the 35th minute - you can only assume he was injured as he was one of the few to have gained pass marks in an insipid Pars showing.

Dunfermline improved slightly, you couldn't fault the effort, and Clark forced Martin to act and hold onto his header after Michael Paton's cross found him in the box.

One goal was all it needed to get back into the match, and sow a seed of doubt in the away side, and Dunfermline took their opportunity in the 47th minute.

Williamson skipped past his man and delivered a low ball into the box, which was expertly guided into the corner by Clark.

The ever dangerous Dobbie smacked a free kick into the wall after Callum Morris was booked for a foul on Kane and we had a real game, with the action swinging from end to end.

The Queens man sent in two more crosses just begging for a touch but luckily for Pars there was no-one in blue to capitalise.

The visitors weathered the brief storm of Pars attacks and had opprtunities to stretch the lead, but Jason Kerr's drive was blocked by Lewis Martin.

Shiels sent a shot spinning just wide and Johnston rang the changes, swapping Martin with Kallum Higginbotham in the 65th minute.

Pars shot themselves in the foot in the 75th minute and lost the third goal with a defensive horror show. After Kane was flagged offside, Lee Ashcroft took a quick free kick to Shiels, who was facing his own goal and under pressure.

He lost the ball and although Murdoch raced out to block the first pass, the ball bounced kindly for Dobbie to pass the ball into an empty net.

It got even worse when Morris pulled back Lyndon Dykes and Dobbie netted from the penalty spot. 

That was the cue for a number of Pars fans to leave although there was brief hope when Declan McManus scored in the 85th minute.

Shiels fierce shot was saved and the ball was recycled to Clark, who teed up his strike partner's close range finish.

But Queens and the impressive Dobbie had the last word, the striker completing his hat-trick with an emphatic finish.