Alloa Athletic 0 PARS 2

ATHLETIC rounded off a memorable League One season by defeating Alloa Athletic at the Indodrill Stadium this afternoon.

Second half goals from Craig Wighton - his 20th of the campaign - and Paul McGowan, with his first for the club, gave the champions a perfect ending to an almost flawless year.

Only Montrose, way back in October, got the better of James McPake's side on their march to the title.

They've racked up 81 points, bettering the total from 2015/16, when Dunfermline last won League One, and have extended their unbeaten league run to 24.

That is also the number of clean sheets they've kept this season - 21 of which have been in the league - and they have now conceded the fewest goals overall, and at home and away, for the duration of a season.

It's been an outstanding season, and McPake said: "That's 24 unbeaten. It's not the be-all and end-all, winning the league against Queen of the South was the important one, and the trophy day last week.

"When you've got these wee records in sight, it gives you that wee bit of motivation to go and break them.

"To be fair, that comes from the players as well - they've been excellent. Another clean sheet, stuff like that, the fewest goals we've conceded in a season.

"We're proud of all of that but proud of the team for the season they've had, they've been excellent and they can now enjoy their break."

Visiting boss McPake made two changes to his starting line-up following last weekend's last-gasp win at home to Clyde, after which they were presented with the League One trophy.

Skipper Kyle Benedictus returned from a one-match ban, imposed after his red card the week prior at Airdrieonians, whilst there was also a start for Lewis McCann, who bagged the winning goal.

Chris Hamilton and Chris Mochrie dropped to the bench for the champions, who were backed by a large travelling support to watch their heroes for the final time this season.

They were chasing a win that would see them set a best points total, of 81, since 1912/13, as well as records for the fewest goals conceded on the road, and overall, in a league season.

Dunfermline were also seeking to extend their unbeaten league run to 24 matches, but their opponents, despite making four changes, still had something to play for.

Although they secured a place in the Championship play-offs by beating Montrose last weekend, they went into the day only behind third-placed Airdrieonians on goal difference.

A fourth place finish would see Brian Rice's side take on Hamilton Academical in the semi-finals, whilst moving up into third would set up a tie with Falkirk.

All that being side, much of the opening period had the feel of an end-of-season encounter, although the champions certainly enjoyed the majority of the ball.

McCann was unfortunate early on not to get more than a glancing header, which ended with the ball going wide, on a Joe Chalmers centre, whilst Wighton, searching for his 20th goal of the season, was unfortunate to have a far post effort blocked by Wasps keeper, Jay Hogarth, from Paul Allan's cross.

He came even closer in the 25th minute when, after being played through by Aaron Comrie, the Pars number nine brushed off his opponent and got a shot away, but Hogarth again was equal to it.

Alloa's best opportunities had amounted to a couple of long-range efforts from Murray Miller - one saved comfortably by Deniz Mehmet, one deflected wide by Ewan Otoo - and a header over by ex-Par, Mark Durnan, from a corner.

Durnan, though, had another chance just before the break, firing over from the edge of the area after the ball was laid into his path following a good Wasps move.

At the start of the second period, Dunfermline almost immediately had another chance through Wighton, but an Alloa defender did well to slide and block his effort from inside the box.

Paul McGowan drove forward and fired wide from 20 yards shortly afterwards, before McCann saw an effort pushed over by Hogarth, after he had done well to win the ball and move away from Andy Graham.

Just shy of the hour mark, the Wasps had their goalkeeper to keep them level.

From a Chalmers corner, Hogarth, somehow, got a superb left-hand onto McCann's header, that looked net-bound, to claw it away to safety.

The forward had another excellent opportunity minutes later when Kane Ritchie-Hosler, having robbed an opponent of possession played it forward looking for his run.

McCann got in behind the home rearguard, and found himself one-on-one with Hogarth, but fired wide from 18 yards.

However, in the 64th minute, the champions did make the breakthrough.

Ritchie-Hosler, perhaps unsurprisingly, had a part to play, sliding a lovely pass through for McCann.

The forward fired a shot across goal which, although Hogarth saved, he palmed the ball straight into the path of Wighton, who said thank you very much as he tapped in goal 20 of the campaign from a couple of yards out.

Then, shortly afterwards, a touch of class from McGowan doubled Dunfermline's advantage.

As the ball dropped to him inside the box, on the right, the on-loan Dundee midfielder hooked a tremendous lob back across goal towards the far post, over Hogarth and into the net.

It was his first goal for the Pars, in the last appearance of his loan spell, and it was nearly added to by McCann, who ran clear before being denied at the near post by Hogarth.

The champions, by this stage, were enjoying themselves, and substitute, Kyle MacDonald, fired a low drive towards goal that was blocked as they still looked for a third goal.

Although substitute, Miller Fenton, almost added gloss in the final minute, it didn't matter as Dunfermline's memorable season came to a winning, and fitting, conclusion.

Following the end of the game, however, forward Kevin O'Hara - out of contract at the end of the season - has confirmed that he is leaving the club.

Match stats

Alloa Athletic

Hogarth, Miller, Coulson (Rankin 88), Durnan (Buchanan 82), Cawley (Sammon 66), Graham, MacIver (Donnelly 66), O'Donnell, King, Devine (Stanger 45), Doyle.

Subs not used: Cannon, Muir.

Pars

Mehmet, Comrie, Benedictus, Otoo, Edwards (Fenton 80), Chalmers (Mahon 80), Allan (Mochrie 59), Ritchie-Hosler (MacDonald 74), McGowan, McCann (Todorov 74), Wighton.

Subs not used: Hamilton, Sutherland, Little.

Goals: Wighton (64), McGowan (69).

Booked: Allan (51).

Referee: Calum Scott.