Brechin City 0 PARS 3

TWO goals inside 60 seconds from hat-trick hero Nicky Clark saw Dunfermline ease to victory at Brechin City and keep their play-off push alive tonight.

His quick-fire double less than 10 minutes into the game gave the Pars a lead that they never looked like relinquishing and, after completing his treble shortly after half-time, sealed a win that moves Athletic to within a point of fourth-placed Morton.

With Dundee United - who have played three games fewer - losing at home to Queen of the South, a victory for Athletic against them at Tannadice on Saturday will see them leapfrog their as the promotion play-off race heats up.

This was a professional and workmanlike performance by Allan Johnston's team against the league's basement club, but seven points from their last nine has given them grounds for optimism that they can be in the top four spots by the end of the campaign.

Johnston stuck with the same eleven that played in Saturday's stalemate with Morton, but there was an alteration on the bench.

Andy Ryan, who missed that game with a hip complaint, returned in favour of Dean Shiels.

The home side, who included ex-Pars Finn Graham and Euan Spark from the start, were seeking their first win in this season's Championship and made some decent early running.

Yet, in a quite incredible start, Dunfermline scored twice in 60 seconds to take a two-goal lead after eight minutes.

A long kick from Lee Robinson was played on by McManus for Clark, who drilled a fine shot low across Graeme Smith and into the far corner of the night from the right-hand side of the box.

Just as the Athletic fans were cheering the opener, they were celebrating another when Dunfermline won back possession and Clark, having held off Gary Fusco, curled a ball into Smith's left-hand corner from 12 yards.

It was just the start Johnston was looking for from his side, and they could even have been further clear by the quarter hour as James Craigen saw a decent effort saved, as did treble hunting Clark, while Declan McManus wasn't far away with a shot off target.

Brechin, however, to their credit didn't crumble and peppered the Pars goal, with Robinson forced into a smart near post stop from Kalvin Orsi before producing an even better save to prevent Willie Dyer's well-hit shot from flashing home.

The hosts subbed Spark after just 24 minutes in favour of Sean Crighton as they tried to work their back into it, and Callum Tapping - again from outside the area - tested the palms of Robinson.

Moments later, the offside flag spared the blushes of Clark when, after McManus put the ball on a plate for him six yards out, he blazed over.

There were plenty of shouts from both the visiting players and dugouts to up the tempo and they twice came close to adding to their advantage before the break.

Neat footwork by Ryan Williamson eventually saw him find Kallum Higginbotham at the right edge of the box, whose pass found Craigen, but his volley flashed wide.

The visitors were then inches away from adding a third just on half-time when, from a Craigen corner, Lee Ashcroft headed the ball back into the middle of the goal for McManus, whose flicked effort was unfortunate to bounce back off the bar.

But a third goal - and Clark's hat-trick - duly arrived nine minutes into the second half.

A lovely assist from Tom Beadling saw him lift the ball over the City defence on the left, which allowed Clark to race on to before sending a well-taken shot low across the helpless Smith's goal.

The goal-hungry hitman then went close to a fourth shortly afterwards when he fired a good, first-time shot wide after McManus found him lurking at the edge of the box, before both he and McManus made way for Andy Ryan and Dan Armstrong in the 64th minute.

Fraser Aird was introduced for James Vincent with 18 minutes left as the game slowed to training pace, but Williamson split the home defence with an excellent pace for Armstrong to run on to, but he missed the target.

Graham then almost enjoyed a memorable personal moment against his old club when, after picking up possession midway inside the Pars half, he showed good skill to advance into the area before shooting not too far wide of Robinson's goal.

Tapping shot wide from the edge of the box as the hosts searched for a consolation, but Athletic comfortably saw the game out to move within a point of Morton - and two of Dundee United.

Brechin City: G. Smith, Dyer, Fusco, Dale, Tapping, Graham, Watt, Spark, Orsi, Mackin, E. Smith.

Subs: McLean, Lynas, Morrison, O'Neil, Crighton, Sinclair, Costello.

Pars: Robinson, Williamson, Martin, Morris, Ashcroft, Higginbotham, McManus, Clark, Vincent, Craigen, Beadling.

Subs: M'Voto, Wedderburn, Armstrong, Talbot, Ryan, Aird, Gill.

Referee: Barry Cook.