ATHLETIC produced their "best overall home performance this season" to ensure that they went "out on a bang" in cliching the League One title.

That's the view of assistant manager, Dave Mackay, who also believes the team "should have earned a bit more respect" for their achievements over the course of the campaign.

First half goals from Kane Ritchie-Hosler and Matty Todd, followed by Craig Wighton's brace, and a Kevin O'Hara goal, secured a 5-0 win over Queen of the South at KDM Group East End Park to spark a championship party.

A joyous crowd savoured their favourites securing an immediate return to the Championship following last term's relegation with their biggest league win of the season, which matched their best across all competitions, against Buckie Thistle in the Viaplay Cup.

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Dunfermline are on a 21-game unbeaten run in League One, having lost only one of their 33 matches, whilst the 20 clean sheets recorded by goalkeeper, Deniz Mehmet, moves him level with Ian Westwater (1985/86) for the most recorded by a single goalkeeper for the Pars in a season.

They have conceded just 19 goals in the division and Mackay, speaking post-match alongside manager, James McPake, feels that the players deserve more plaudits for their efforts.

"It comes down to the players. I think the players should have earned a bit more respect for what we have done this season," he said.

"I think we are thirteen points clear at the minute with three games still to go. We have had about nineteen clean sheets, we are 21 (league) games unbeaten, but it just looks at times, although we don’t look too far into it, but I don’t think the players in there get enough respect for what they have achieved this season."

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On the match itself, he commented: "They (Queens) are the form team in the league. They've been the best team recently, so it was so important that we were right at it today, and it's probably our best overall home performance this season.

"We've had some really good performances away from home but, today, it finally clicked for us and we got the goals that some of our play's deserved over the season that we've not quite converted.

"We're delighted to go out on a bang like that.

"It's so important, and I don't think we've done it enough here, to start games on the front foot. We allow teams to settle, then at times crowds become edgy when the oppositon maybe get a chance.

"It's so important we came out, and it's something we've tried to emphasise. We've done it a wee bit better recently but, today is probably the best we've done it.

"I think it's probably a mistake from the Queen of the South captain to turn the team round and had us shooting into our own crowd, because I think it made a difference. Shooting towards our own end, we got a lot of pressure, a lot of corners, stuff like that.

"It gets the crowd right on top of everything and I think played into our hands as well a little bit, so thanks to him!"

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