Falkirk 0-1 Dunfermline: Sell-out crowd aren't given a performance to remember as Bairns fall short against rivals

Craig Wighton stooped low to head home in the box on the hour mark to give the Pars a massive three points in the race for the title – with the Fifers now seven points clear at the top.

The match was played out like a typical derby affair with little goalmouth action in the opening half an hour.

Rangers loanee Kai Kennedy had the best opportunity for the Bairns when he burst forward against a Pars defence tracking back.

However, he eventually ran the ball out of play when he had two teammates in the box free.

Dunfermline had their first real effort on 35 minutes when Wighton saw a header flash by the post after a Joe Chalmers cross found him at the near post.

After the interval, the away side stepped it up a notch and they looked comfortable despite not having the majority of the ball.

It felt like a goal was coming and it did on the hour mark from a corner kick.

Chalmers floated a ball into the box and Wighton peeled free to head home in the six-yard box.

Falkirk completely switched off and they were duly punished.

With the onus on Falkirk to get back into the match, they pushed forward but they struggled to break down a rigid Pars backline.

Liam Henderson saw two headers in the box narrowly go wide of target – but outwith that John McGlynn’s men failed to create any meaningful chances.

The away side should have made it two on 82 minutes when Matthew Todd found himself one-on-one with Nicky Hogarth.

He smashed his effort straight into the arms of the stopper.

In the final moments of the match, substitute Craig McGuffie forced Deniz Mehmet into a smart stop but it was all too little too late.

Teams

Falkirk: Nicky Hogarth, Brad McKay, Coll Donaldson, Liam Henderson, Leon McCann, Finn Yeats, Stephen McGinn, Aidan Nesbitt, Callumn Morrison, Rumarn Burrell, Kai Kennedy.

Subs: Paddy Martin, Steven Hetherington, Juan Alegria, Craig McGuffie, Seb Ross, Gary Oliver, Ola Lawal, Blair Sneddon.

Dunfermline: Deniz Mehmet, Aaron Comrie, Josh Edwards, Kyle Benedictus, Chris Hamilton, Kyle McDonald, Joe Chalmers, Craig Wighton, Chris Mochrie, Sam Fisher, Matthew Todd.

Subs: Nikolay Todorov, Rhys Breen, Paul Allan, Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Sam Young, Andrew Tod, Taylor Sutherland, Robbie Mahon, Max Little.

Referee: Alan Newlands.

Attendance: 7279.