Dunfermline 0-2 Motherwell: Motherwell march on Europe as Dunfermline surrender home front

While Motherwell’s supporters are dreaming of Champions League football – and the odds on them overtaking Rangers in second place and not having to rely on the SFA refusing to grant the Ibrox club a licence to compete in Europe are diminishing by the day – poor old Dunfermline continue to suffer.

They are still waiting for their first victory at East End Park this season after 16 attempts and it didn’t help that they were up against a Motherwell team which has taken more points on the road than at Fir Park.

Even so, Dunfermline’s Achilles heel, their penchant for goalkeeping blunders, was once again to the fore as Chris Smith, who has become a tortured figure during this cruel campaign, gifted the visitors the opening goal in a match which his own team had controlled for long spells.

The first half effectively belonged to the hosts, who sprayed the ball around confidently and came close to opening the scoring when a swerving shot from Martin Hardie was brilliantly turned behind by the impressive Darren Randolph.

How Jim McIntyre must wish he had someone as reliable between the sticks. With the game still finely balanced, Smith contributed yet another blooper to his own personal DVD.

Substitute Chris Humphrey, whose introduction at half-time seemed to galvanise the visitors, released Henrik Ojaama, pictured, on the right. Michael Higdon managed to get on the end of the Estonian’s driven cross but couldn’t gain much purchase on his shot. Even so, Smith, who appeared to have the ball safely in his hands, somehow contrived to spill it over the line at his near post.

“I think we were comfortable up until the goal,” said McIntyre. “The boys were excellent and I was really pleased with the reaction to a poor performance at St Johnstone.

“We were on the front foot against a very good Motherwell side but the first goal changes everything. The big man knows he’s got to save it – it’s a bread-and-butter save and he should make it.

“He’s bounced back before, though. Goalkeeper is a horrible position and I don’t know why any young m,an would want to play there: you don’t get a lot of plaudits.

“The defending was also poor at the second goal and Ojaama has drifted into an area where he should be picked up.

“It was disappointing because they were the only times we gave them space.”

Ojaama put the outcome beyond doubt just six minutes after the first goal when he smashed the ball into Smith’s top right-hand corner from 15 yards after Humphrey had drifted past two ineffectual challenges from opponents and rolled the ball into the Estonian’s path.

He has been one of the better signings made by anyone during the January transfer window but he has set his standards high and wasn’t completely satisfied with yesterday’s encounter.

“We enjoyed the result but our performance could have been much better,” he said.

“Dunfermline made it very hard for us and I know what it is like when you are down there because my team in Finland was relegated last season.”

Manager Stuart McCall was also honest enough to concede that his team were far from at their best, although he refused to entertain talk about finishing in second place.

“We’ll talk about that at the end of the season, if at all,” he said.

“I’m delighted with the three points. Too many of us didn’t turn up in the first half, although that would be taking away from Dunfermline, who did very well.

“The first goal is always crucial and we got it with a good move, although there was obviously an error there as well.”