PARS 2 Airdrieonians 1

PAUL ALLAN was 10-man Dunfermline's hero as they started their Championship campaign with a win over Airdrieonians.

The midfielder, on as a second half substituted, curled home a sensational winner midway through the second half to give James McPake's side a flying start to the new season.

Allan's first goal for the club proved decisive after Ewan Otoo, also with his first for the Pars, levelled matters after Craig Watson opened the scoring for the visitors.

Rhys Breen, who had been booked early on, was shown a second yellow card 13 minutes from time, but Athletic saw the game out to pick up three excellent points on the day they unfurled the League One championship flag.

McPake said: "A good three points against a very good team. They'll cause every team in this league problems.

"I felt like I've been in that movie before - just different stages of it. We go behind, get back into the game and Paul Allan scores a fantastic goal - his first goal for the club.

"Then we lose a man and they show character.

"We say we expect that from them now because they consistently do it - but it's some level of expectation to ask a group to do that week in, week out.

"And they've never once let me down yet.

"Those players have been magnificent. Those players, apart from Harry Sharp, were part of the squad that won the league last season as well.

“It’s easy to say we expect them to go out and work hard and do this and that - but they deliver.

“The best thing you can stand and say about your group is you’re proud of them. I’m super proud of them again."

Goalkeeper Harry Sharp, who arrived on Thursday on loan from Dundee until January, was handed his debut, with Deniz Mehmet ruled out for up to six weeks after picking up an ankle injury in training midweek.

He was one of three alterations to the side that took on Albion Rovers, in the Viaplay Cup, last time out, the others being the return of captain, Kyle Benedictus, and midfielder, Joe Chalmers, for Chris Hamilton and Allan, who dropped to the bench.

Rising academy star, Andrew Tod, was also included, after McPake had said his performances during pre-season had given him "food for thought" following the Albion win.

For the visitors, Nikolay Todorov - who joined Airdrie in the summer after leaving East End - missed out, having been substituted due to injury in their game with Bonnyrigg Rose last Saturday.

Player / boss, Rhys McCabe, and his number two, Callum Fordyce, both started against their former club, whilst another ex-Par, David Hutton, was on their bench.

The League One champions' flag was unfurled before kick-off - with former Dunfermline chairman, and recently director, Bob Garmory, doing the honours - and what followed was a frenetic start to the hosts' Championship return.

Both teams created opportunities in an entertaining opening half, with McPake's men beginning the brighter of the two.

Otoo had the game's first opportunity, having an effort blocked by Clarke after Edwards picked out his run into the box, whilst Lewis McCann saw a deflected shot palmed to safety by the keeper.

Tod was crowded out inside the box, before Chalmers had a curler saved, as Dunfermline probed, but Airdrie weren't without threat themselves.

Adam Frizzell had clipped the outside of the post with a shot from the edge of the box before Sharp did really well to parry Charlie Telfer's dangerous shot along the skiddy to surface out, with Josh O'Connor blazing the rebound over.

Chances continued to come, with McCann shooting over from a free-kick for Athletic, and Benedictus denying Callum Gallagher with a great block, but when one did find its way in, it fell for Airdrie.

They broke away down the right and, after picking the ball up at the edge of the box, Telfer cracked a superb shot the smacked the underside of the bar, to which Watson reacted quickest to nod home.

That goal seemed to stun Dunfermline, who struggled for a spell afterwards, but they pulled themselves level on the half hour mark.

McCann had done well to win back possession at the edge of the box and play the ball into the area, looking for Craig Wighton, but the Diamonds' defence cleared.

Athletic, though, quickly had it back on the left with Edwards, whose cross was met perfectly by Otoo, who guided a fine header into the far corner of the net for the equaliser.

That was just the lift the home players, and supporters, needed, and they proceeded to take more control of proceedings.

Edwards sliced a shot high and wide, and had another deflected for a corner, as an entertaining opening period drew to a close.

Tod was unlucky to shoot just over early in the second half, which became a bit firey when Airdrie - not for the first time - played out from the back from the goal kick.

They made a mess of it, and the ball ran loose, allowing Tod to go in and challenge as Clarke came out to block.

The midfielder, perfectly entitled to go for the ball, made contact with the keeper, who went down as McCabe sought medical assistance.

Clarke was ok to continue, but the Pars fans felt there was gamesmanship at play, with Tod having been booked at the end of the first half.

He was then taken off by McPake for Allan, and things continued to heat up.

Edwards was sent scampering clear on the left, but the assistant raised his flag - presumably for offside, although confusion reigned.

There were disagreements on the bench, then, moments later, Wighton was clearly impeded as he chased a deflected pass to run in on goal - only for referee, Grant Irvine, to ignore it.

However, in the 65th minute, Dunfermline hit the front - and what a goal it was.

Allan did well initially to find Edwards with a pass, allowing the full back to cross from the goal line.

Watson cleared, but only back to Allan, who swept a superb curling shot home beyond Clarke to send East End wild.

This game was not finished in terms of drama, however, as Airdrie came desperately close to an equaliser.

A lovely move down the left started a real scramble in the box, with Telfer and Lewis McGregor being blocked out by Fisher and Sharp, before Gallagher poked the loose ball wide.

Two minutes later, however, Dunfermline were down to 10 men when Breen - booked in the first half - bundled over McGregor at the right edge of the area, picking up a second yellow card in the process.

McPake sacrificed Wighton for Hamilton, before Chalmers cleared a Fordyce header off the line, whilst Dean McMaster fired wide as the Diamonds pushed for a leveller.

However, they couldn't find one as Dunfermline held out to secure an important victory to get their return to the Championship up-and-running in style.

Match stats

Pars: Sharp, Comrie, Fisher, Benedictus, Breen, Edwards, Otoo, Chalmers, Tod (Allan 55), Wighton (Hamilton 78), McCann.

Subs not used: Fenton, Sutherland, Hoggan, Little.

Goals: Otoo (30), Allan (65).

Red card: Breen (77).

Booked: Breen (14), Tod (45).

Airdrieonians: Clarke, Watson, Fordyce, Taylor-Sinclair, Ballantyne, McCabe (McMaster 64), Frizzell, Telfer (Aiken 74), O'Connor, Gallagher, McGregor.

Subs not used: Hancock, Devenny, Dunlop, Fellows, Spalding, Gunn, Hutton.

Goal: Watson (22).

Booked: McGregor (90).

Referee: Grant Irvine.

Attendance: 4,977.