First Division: Derby win keeps Dunfermline in promotion hunt

WHILE Dundee were slipping up at Airdrie and Jocky Scott was getting his marching orders, Dunfermline Athletic moved into promotion contention after their second Fife derby win in four days and their fifth victory in six games. David Graham's goal seven minutes from time sealed a vital 2-1 success at Raith Rovers.

The home side lost Stephen Simmons to two yellow cards in quick time as the midfielder was booked for fouling Alex Burke and then for simulation in an incident with former team-mate Austin McCann with 33 minutes gone.

Gary Mason shot Dunfermline in front five minutes into the second half, however ten man Raith rallied and Gregory Tade equalised with quarter of the game to go when he headed home an Allan Walker corner. Graham then ran onto a pass from substitute Ross Campbell to strike home the winner.

Dunfermline manager Jim McIntyre said: "Results elsewhere have worked out well for us but we are still playing catch up. All we can do is concentrate on our own performances and results."

Stark's Park manager John McGlynn was trying to be upbeat. "I have no complaints about how my players played," he said.

The Dingwall clash between Ross County and Inverness Caledonian Thistle ended in a goalless stalemate.

County manager Derek Adams was surprised by the approach taken by counterpart Terry Butcher saying: "We were the only team that went to win the game from the off ... if it had been a boxing match it would have been stopped."

In what may have been his last match in charge before taking over at Dundee, Partick Thistle's Ian McCall saw his side beaten 1-0 on Saturday by Morton to make it three defeats in a row.

McCall said: "We did not deserve to win the game but it was a cruel day in a cruel season."

The Greenock side's win came courtesy of an injury time winner from Jim McAlister.

Ayr United also won as they defeated Queen of the South 3-0 to move their unbeaten run to seven games with Tam McManus, Danny McKay and a Mark Roberts penalty proving decisive.

Queen of the South's Sean O'Connor played as a trialist for the final 17 minutes, just less than a year after giving up the game because of a knee problem.