Dunfermline 4 - 1 Stirling Albion: Pars play their cards right

Published on Friday 18 March 2011 14:59

This was an incredible match of three red cards, two penalties and five goals. But, in the end, it is the two points separating Dunfermline from Raith Rovers at the top of the First Division that really matters.

Referee Steven Nicholls tried his best to deflect attention away from the Pars' promotion bid as he sent off Stirling pair Martyn Corrigan and Paul McHale along with the hosts' Gary Mason in a first half which was laden with controversy and saw the home team go in 2-0 up thanks to two Martin Hardie penalties.

Nicholls continued to baffle, confuse and frustrate both sides after the break as a deflected Liam Buchanan strike and the completion of Hardie's hat-trick in injury-time ensured the Fifers pegged back neighbours Raith, despite John Kane's consolation.

However, it is his side's position at the bottom of the table that makes it easy for referees to give decisions against them, according to Stirling's manager Jocky Scott, who could not hide his irritation following the full-time whistle.

He said: "It had the makings of a good game but unfortunately it got spoiled. The ref will not talk to anybody, other than to tell you that if you say another word you're up in the stand. That's it, that's what we're up against. Unfortunately, I can't say anything otherwise I get myself into bother.

"We seem to be getting the brunt of it. Whether it's because we're bottom of the league that decisions are going against us week-in, week-out I don't know. But it certainly seems that way."

Scott's Stirling had belied their lowly position with some enterprising play early on that made Hardie's 21st-minute header against the post a surprise for the Pars.

But the game then exploded in controversy and acrimony after half an hour. Corrigan was horribly short with a header back to keeper Scott Christie and bundled over Steven McDougall to earn the first red of the afternoon and allow Hardie to open the scoring from the spot.

But there was more drama and a second dismissal as McHale was immediately shown two yellow cards in quick succession for dissenting against the decision.

Only seven minutes later, Mason was given his marching orders for a lunge - mis-timed rather than malicious - on Tom Brighton before Dunfermline were awarded their second penalty when Sean Welsh pulled down Joe Cardle in the area and Hardie drilled in from the spot.

Buchanan's deflected drive eight minutes after the break ensured there would be no Stirling comeback but substitute Kane earned some comfort with his close-range strike before Hardie headed in his hat-trick in injury-time from Alex Burke's cross.

With Falkirk and Raith both drawing, it was a satisfying afternoon for Dunfermline manager Jim McIntyre, even if the officials' display remained the main talking point at full-time.

He said: "The game's definitely changing and there seem to be bookings willy-nilly now for innocuous challenges. But you've just got to get on with it. The referee makes his decisions and you've just got to adapt to that. I'm absolutely delighted with the three points. The league will continue to go like this and there will be points dropped."