Dunfermline: Pars beaten by Raith Rovers in play-off

ATHLETIC'S Premiership dream is over for another year after two second half goals sent them crashing out of the play-offs at Raith Rovers this afternoon.

Despite creating the better chances for much of the afternoon, their failure to score - as on Tuesday in the first leg at East End - came back to haunt them as Lewis Vaughan and former Par, Gozie Ugwu, sent Rovers into a semi-final clash with Dundee next week.

This was a crushing way to end the campaign for Stevie Crawford's side, who were the better side for long spells in this tie but couldn't find the goals their play merited.

Lewis Vaughan, after Owain Fon Williams had saved brilliantly from Reghan Tumilty, gave Raith a 64th minute lead from close range before Ugwu, chasing a long ball in the last minute, lashed in a superb half volley to seal it.

There will be decisions to be made on the future of members of the squad, but for now, the feeling will be of overriding disappointment for Dunfermline.

Neither side have progressed beyond the quarter-finals of the Premiership play-offs have been involved once each before; Rovers in 2016, the Pars two years later.

Something had to give at Stark's Park, where Raith had convincingly won 5-1 in March, and had not lost any of the previous three meetings between the clubs on their home turf.

Dunfermline, with just one win away from East End in the regular Championship season, were looking to turn those statistics around, with head coach Crawford talking after Tuesday's first leg about the need for his men to go to Kirkcaldy and win the match.

He made one to change to his starting line-up following that scoreless draw - Lewis Mayo coming in for Declan McManus, who dropped to the bench - while Fraser Murray was deemed fit enough to be named amongst the substitutes.

There was one change to the Raith Rovers line-up from the first leg too, with former Par, Dan Armstrong, coming in for Kai Kennedy.

It was a cagey opening - although Rovers were knocking it about well - with the first effort coming 10 minutes in.

And it was almost very unfortunate for Kyle Benedictus.

A long ball out of the visiting defence looked for Kevin O'Hara, but he made no attempt to go for it as he was returning from an offisde position.

However, the ball struck the back of the Raith defender and fell to the forward, who hit it from around 25 yards, with Jamie MacDonald saving.

Minutes later, Lewis Vaughan found himself in the book for a cynical foul that presented a free-kick opportunity for Dunfermline around 25-30 yards out, with Dom Thomas assuming responsibility.

His effort was hit with plenty of power and swerve as it flew towards goal, which required two, strong palms from MacDonald to put it over to safety.

There hadn't been many chances in the opening half hour - with Rovers unlucky there were no takers for Regan Hendry's vicious inswinging cross - but it was Dunfermline who were creating any that did appear.

On the half hour, O'Hara did well to hold the ball in and find Wighton infield, who showed excellent feet to move away from his marker and into the penalty area, only to be denied by more good goalkeeping by MacDonald.

Then Rovers showed more of their attacking threat, with Benedictus having a shot from the edge of the area blocked, before Armstrong couldn't direct a cross from the left on target with his head.

Benedictus soon came close again - but this time at the other end.

Good play between Ewan Henderson and O'Hara sent the latter running down the left, where he sent in a terrific cross.

His intended target was Craig Wighton but Benedictus, in looking to deal with it, sliced his clearance and only just cleared the bar for a corner.

The contest had begun to open up now and Kieran MacDonald forced a first save of the day from Owain Fon Williams after nicking the ball from Aaron Comrie and driving forward to the edge of the box for a shot.

Dunfermline came out after half-time on the front foot and Murray sent a header - via a deflection it looked like - wide from a corner after O'Hara had done brilliant work inside the box, before Thomas fired one from distance not too far over.

But, in 64 minutes, Rovers grabbed the lead against the run of play.

Reghan Tumilty fired a fine drive towards goal from the edge of the area, which took a deflection on its way through.

Fon Williams did brilliantly to save but, as he did so, Vaughan was lurking to net the loose ball from less than six yards.

With 20 minutes to go, Crawford sent on Scott Banks and McManus for Mayo and Wighton in a bid to find a route back into the tie, and McManus soon had a good opportunity to level.

It was worked brilliantly by Dunfermline, with O'Hara flicking the ball around an opponent into his team-mate's path, but the number 10 didn't catch his shot properly and it frustratingly went wide.

Jamie Gullan and Vaughan both went close for Rovers as the Pars had to chase the game, and whilst they continued to probe, they just couldn't find the final ball to carve out a chance.

And, to rub salt into their wounds, Raith sealed it with a minute to go.

They cleared their defensive line and substitute Ugwu, who had a spell with Dunfermline in season 2014-15, latched onto it with the Pars pushing men forward.

He took it on the half volley and sent a tremendous shot flying past Fon Williams to seal Rovers' place in the semi-final - and end Dunfermline's top flight dream for another year.

Raith Rovers: J. MacDonald, Tumilty, K. MacDonald, Davidson (Mendy 85), Benedictus, Armstrong, Hendry, Vaughan, Matthews (Tait 76), Spencer, Gullan (Ugwu 83).

Subs: Abraham, Cooney, King, Thomson.

Goal: Vaughan (64), Ugwu (89).

Booked: Vaughan (13), Davidson (62), Spencer (67), Matthews (75) Dunfermline: Fon Williams, Comrie, Watson, E. Murray (F. Murray 85), Edwards, Whittaker, Thomas, Mayo (Banks 70), Henderson, Wighton (McManus 70), O'Hara.

Subs: MacDonald, Gaspuitis, McInroy, Gill.

Referee: Greg Aitken.