Dunfermline 2 Queens Park 1

DUNFERMLINE edged into the quarter finals of the Irn Bru cup after a game which was certainly the proverbial game of two halves.

Super sub Farid El Alagui was the difference between the two sides and managed to bag a hat-trick – unfortunately one of his goals was in the wrong end.

The Pars made just one change from last week's team which drew with Ayr United with Rhys McCabe coming in for John Herron.

The first half was something of a bleak encounter with Queens Park frustrating the Pars and chances for either side were rare.

The closest Dunfermline came was in the 38th minute when Williamson was put through after a deft back heel from Paton however his effort went wide of the mark.

They continued the pressure and had another effort, this time from Jason Talbot, deflected for a corner five minutes later.

The second half brought the introduction of French-Moroccan striker El Alagui who replaced Gavin Reilly.

He immediately brought an energy which had been severely lacking in the first half and, within a minute, he laid the ball off to Nicky Clark whose shot from the edge of the box went wide.

The East End Park faithful were provided with a long-awaited goal only two minutes later.

Michael Paton's corner was headed down to El Alagui who blasted the ball in from close range.

Queens Park could have levelled it two minutes later when a corner was saved by Murdoch who appeared to kick the ball away. Queens Park players believed the ball had gone over the line however their protests fell on deaf ears.

Another Queens Park corner called Murdoch into action again in the 59th minute when he parried one shot before collecting the ball safely in his hands from a second Queens Park effort.

Athletic doubled their lead in the 62nd minute when Joe Cardle whipped in a cross which El Alagui rose to nod into the net.

Ryan Williamson did have the ball in the back of the net after being put through by sub Callum Higginbotham but the assistant referee deemed his effort offside.

El Alagui bagged his third goal – unfortunately in the wrong end – after Queens Park had won a corner when a high ball into the box was cleared out to safety.

Darren Miller's corner was whipped into the box and the Pars striker rose to meet it and sent it past Sean Murdoch.

The goal gave Queens Park added confidence and Dunfermline did find themselves under an amount of pressure.

Sub Ewan McPherson attempted to get past the Pars defence and he found his effort cleared frantically in the 70th minute.

El Alagui had another chance just before the 80 minute mark after another Cardle cross however his header this time went over.

It could have been three a minute later when El Alagui turned provider and put Cardle through but his cheeky chip was saved.

El Alagui found himself in the referee's book in the closing minutes for a challenge on defender Craig McLeish who received lengthy treatment for a head injury.

Pars: Murdoch, Talbot, Martin, Ashcroft, Williamson, Geggan, Cardle, Reilly, Clark, McCabe, Paton.

Subs: Hutton, Richards-Everton, Higginbotham, Hopkirk, El Alagui, McMullen, Moffat.

Goals: El Alagui (48, 62) Queens Park: Muir, Millen, McLeish, Fotheringham, McGeever, Cummins, Woods, Miller, Carter, Brady, Burns.

Subs: Malone, Gibson, Wharton, McVey, Brown, MacPherson, Murphy.

Goals: El Alagui og (69)

Referee: Nick Walsh

Attendance: 1930.