Pars suffer defeat at the hands of rivals Falkirk

ALL eyes are now on Cappielow as the Pars look to see whether their bitterly disappointing 1-0 defeat to Falkirk ended their very faint play-off hopes.

Morton welcome Inverness to Greenock on Tuesday evening and should the visitors walk away without defeat, it would spell the end for Dunfermline's season, with a fifth place finish the best outcome.

The worst outcome? A ninth place relegation play-off finish.

In truth, Stevie Crawford's men don't deserve to finish in the top four.

A five-match winning run starting in mid-February and ending in early March injected promise, but the majority of the damage had been done before Christmas and in the past five games.

The full-time whistle at East End Park today consigned Athletic to their fourth 1-0 defeat in five.

In contrast, Inverness notched three wins, a draw and loss in the same number of matches, more than enough to claim the last play-off position.

As Caley crashed at Hampden to Premiership opposition, the Pars done likewise to the worst team in the Championship, missing a first-half penalty on their way to another defeat.

Bruce Anderson was fouled inside the box but he couldn't convert from the spot as Harry Burgoyne tipped the striker's effort round the post.

Davis Keillor-Dunn emerged from the bench in the second-half to be Falkirk's hero as he tucked home from 12 yards out for a crucial win.

The result leaves the Pars eight points Inverness, and just six in front of Falkirk, who now find themselves in ninth spot after today's win.

It was Ray McKinnon's men who were first to threaten through Abdul Osman on 12 minutes, but the midfielder's low drive from 25 yards trickled past Ryan Scully's goal.

Anderson had been causing Falkirk problems with his running in the channels throughout the opening quarter of an hour, and it was the on-loan Aberdeen striker who earned his side a penalty on 16 minutes.

His first touch took the ball away from the outstretched leg of Ciaran McKenna who caught him inside the box with a clumsy lunge.

Anderson was quick to dust himself down and grab the ball, eager to net his sixth goal in Pars colours.

He struck his penalty low to the keeper's right but Harry Burgoyne got both hands on the strike to tip it past the post for a corner much to the delight of the 1,000 travelling fans.

Anderson looked dejected following his miss but he nearly redeemed himself 10 minutes later.

James Craigen's driven cross from the right found the striker in space 12 yards from goal. He took a touch before firing just wide with Burgoyne rooted.

It was the first of two good chances which the Pars failed to take as Jackson Longridge was next to go close.

He linked well with Ryan Blair down the left flank and after capitalising on a slip from a yellow shirt, he stung the palms of Burgoyne from six yards out. It was a poor effort from a promising position.

It was the last talking point of the first half, but Stevie Crawford was forced into an early change as Tom Beadling made way for Kallum Higginbotham moments before half-time due to injury.

Dunfermline should have been ahead at the interval but were guilty of wasting good opportunities.

Falkirk came out after the break re-energised and were only denied from taking the lead by a superb stop by Ryan Scully.

Aaron Jarvis had rose well in the box but his downward header was thwarted and palmed to safety by the Pars stopper.

An unlikely hero then emerged from defence for Dunfermline as Lee Ashcroft got on the end of a Blair free-kick.

The captain met the set-piece flush and his header looked goalbound, but the sound of the woodwork was heard as the far post denied him.

A frantic couple of minutes would then occur as William Edjenguele's back-pass to Burgoyne was slack and nearly gifted Anderson a glorious chance to net from four yards.

However, the keeper booted it clear only as far as Higginbotham whose shot from distance was deflected over for a corner.

Dunfermline's wastefulness in front of goal was soon punished as Falkirk grabbed an undeserved opener.

It all came out of nothing as an aimless long ball wasn't dealt with by the Pars backline. From the right wing, Zack Rudden played the ball into the path of substitute Davis Keillor-Dunn.

The on-loan Ross County winger kept his cool to slot the ball away from 14 yards after riding a challenge on the edge of the area and capitaising on the break of the ball to fire the basement side into the lead.

It came completely against the run of play but those housed in the away stand couldn't care less as they watched their side score a crucial goal in their battle to avoid the drop.

They nearly shot themselves in the foot though as the Pars sought the equaliser.

A Falkirk defender appeared to chest or handle the ball off his own goal's right post before Myles Hippolyte, on as a sub for Faissal El Bakhtaoui, missed a sitter on the rebound.

Just like against Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup earlier this year, he failed to find the net from just yards out with the goal at his mercy.

It proved to be the last chance for the Pars as Willie Collum blew for full-time.

The home support made their disappointment known as the men in black and white left the field to a chorus of booing.

Dunfermline: Scully, Craigen, Ashcroft, Devine, J.Longridge, Blair, Todd (Muirhead 86), Vincent, Beadling (Higginbotham 37), Anderson, El Bakhtaoui (Hippolyte 72)

Subs not used: Gill, Durnan, Connolly, Morrison.

Falkirk: Burgoyne, McGhee, Edjenguele, McKenna, Dixon, Paton, Osman, Petravicius (Keillor-Dunn 50), Jarvis (McShane 58) , Maclean, Rudden (Waddington 89).

Subs not used: Mitchell, Todorov, Robson, Lavery.

Booking: Maclean

Goal: Davis Keillor-Dunn (75)

Attendance: 6,089

Referee: Willie Collum