Dunfermline 1 Hamilton 0

RYAN Dow’s first half goal gave Dunfermline a precious win in their bid to beat the drop from the Championship.

The wide man nodded in the rebound after Lewis McCann’s header was saved to give Athletic just a second home victory in the league this season.

Dunfermline were made to hang on, with Owain Fon Williams making a number of good saves, but held firm to claim three points that lifted them level on points with Queen of the South.

John Hughes made just one change to the side that was hammered 5-0 at Morton last week, with Mark Connolly replacing Lewis Martin.

The Irish centre back looks to be on his way back to Ireland after this match, his loan spell at East End Park is up, and Pars were looking to him to shore up their porous defence.

He did that and then some. He’ll be a big miss.

And there was an immediate return for Kai Kennedy, the Rangers winger who was on loan at Athletic until last week, who has joined Accies until the end of the season.

He began on the bench for Stuart Taylor’s side and was given 25 minutes to try and rescue the game for Hamilton. He couldn't.

Ahead of the crowd restrictions being lifted on Monday, there were 500 home fans allowed in for this match, luck of the draw for season ticket holders and a handful that had booked in for hospitality.

They must have feared the worst as the visitors could have been ahead in the second minute when a corner was swung in and the ball dropped to Mihai Popescu all alone at the back post.

Perhaps surprised at how much space he was in, the centre back scuffed his shot at Fon Williams who gratefully flopped on the ball.

Dunfermline began to settle into the game and Matty Todd couldn’t believe he didn’t give them the lead in the 11th minute.

Lewis McCann battled to win the ball and lifted it to the midfielder on the edge of the Accies box, he checked inside and hammered a shot that seemed to hit Joe Hilton and then get stuck underneath the keeper.

Dow had the fans on their feet when he escaped down the left flank with just one man to beat. He stepped inside on to his right foot but his attempt to find the top corner fell disappointingly short and Hilton wasn’t unduly troubled.

Athletic countered at speed and an injection of pace from Aaron Comrie took him clear. His cross was met by McCann who thumped a header down into the turf but too close to the goalie.

Hamilton had plenty of set pieces with Reegan Mimnaugh’s inswinging deliveries causing a few anxious moments in the Athletic rearguard, with Connolly forced to head a free kick over his own bar in the 24th minute.

The goal was well crafted and it arrived in the 31st minute. Todd quickly switched the play to Josh Edwards on the left, he made half a yard and whipped in a great cross that was met by McCann.

The young striker’s downward header was saved by Hilton but the ball popped up for Dow to nod in the rebound, despite the efforts of the Accies defence to clear.

It should have been 2-0 in the 50th minute when Steven Lawless evaded three challenges and slipped the ball to Comrie. Pybus ran in behind and instead of shooting from a tight angle he cleverly pulled the ball across goal with Dow running on to it and looking a cert to net.

However Matthew Shiels managed to block on the line and smuggle the ball away for a corner.

It was then Dunfermline’s turn to hold their breath as both Andy Ryan and Shiels attacked the ball at the back post with the home defence posted missing and a goal looking inevitable.

But Fon Willams made up the ground to race across his line and throw himself down at his post to block.

Hamilton were pushing for a leveller and Ronan Hughes had a chance on the hour mark when a clearance fell his way but he didn’t catch his effort sweetly enough and the Pars goalie saved easily.

Dow was snuffed out as he tried to break into the box and McCann mis-hit a 68th minute shot that bounced wide as Athletic tried to kill off their challenge.

Ryan had a chance in the 75th minute after Coll Donaldson missed the ball and his attempted chip lacked the loft to get over Fon Williams.

There was an anxious moment when Connolly headed the ball out for a corner, as Ryan tried to steal in behind him, and Edwards was forced into another clearing header as Accies opted for an aerial bombardment.

Pars could have made it safe, Lawless finding McCann in the box but the striker miscued and his shot was heading out for a throw.

The ref allowed more than four minutes of injury time but Athletic held on.