Dunfermline 1 - 2 Kilmarnock: Seventh sealed for Killie

Having managed just one home win all season in the SPL, relegated Dunfermline were just four minutes from doubling that total when their season-long defensive frailty caught up with them yet again.

Scorers: Dunfermline - Willis (20); Kilmarnock - Kelly (86), Winchester (89)

Bookings: Dunfermline - Thomson; Kilmarnock - Winchester, Dayton

Attendance: 3,276

Two late goals by Liam Kelly and Jude Winchester brought Kilmarnock a victory they deserved on their dominant play in the second half.

Dunfermline chairman John Yorkston said beforehand that relegation would mean the senior squad cut from 28 to 22. Manager Jim Jefferies said afterwards: “It might even be more of a cut. We could have a senior squad of 18, and use more younger players.”

Despite seven changes including Bernardo Fernandez making his debut in goal, Dunfermline ruled the first half hour, but it was the visitors who almost took the lead after 16 minutes in bizarre fashion, a Jordan McMillan clearance rebounding off Garry Harkins and going narrowly wide.

Dean Shiels’ needless foul on Steven MacDougall brought the opening goal after 20 minutes. Joe Cardle’s inch-perfect free-kick was headed back across goal by Liam Buchanan to where Paul Willis volleyed his first goal of the season.

Dunfermline continued to press without creating any clear-cut chances, and after 40 minutes Kilmarnock finally had shots on target, Kelly and Shiels firing straight at Fernandez.

The start of the second half was all Kilmarnock. William Gros found himself in space in the Dunfermline box and his shot was well placed, but Fernandez stuck out a foot and deflected the ball high and wide.

Debutant Ross Barbour then headed a Shiels free-kick wide, and Andy Dowie had to look lively to clear a Harkins lofted effort.

Shiels showed good control before lashing a shot past the post, and then Harkins almost caught out Fernandez with an audacious lob from wide on the right wing, the goalkeeper scrambling back to tip the ball over the bar.

To be fair, the home side looked dangerous on the break but Kyle Letheren, making his first start for Kilmarnock, saved a Buchanan effort quite easily. Later in the half, Willis also made the goalkeeper’s task easy when he tried to lob the ball over Letheren only to scoop the ball into his waiting arms.

All the substitutes were used, with young Chris Johnston coming on to make his away debut at the age of 17. He looked lively, as did 19-year-old Winchester.

Fernandez looked good value to keep what would have only been Dunfermline’s third clean sheet of the season before the roof fell in on them. A Shiels shot after 86 minutes was blocked by Alex Keddie but broke to Kelly who took his time before slamming the ball high past Fernandez. “An epitaph for his season,” said manager Kenny Shiels, referring to the player’s heartbreaking loss of his father shortly after the League Cup Final victory. Substitute Andy Kirk’s header might have gained Dunfermline the lead again, but Martin Hardie helped it in from an offside position.

Lewis Toshney then broke down the right wing and his low cross found Winchester in splendid isolation eight yards from goal. The Northern Irish teenager buried the ball behind Fernandez with aplomb before setting off on a lap of honour that got him booked.

It was a bad ending for Dunfermline, but in truth they made it bad for themselves far too many times in the season.