Dunfermline look ill-equipped - relegation battle gets real after Morton loss as booed Dom Thomas sub explained

Dom Thomas, right, was replaced in the second half, much to the Dunfermline fans' consternation.

Managerless, winless in the league, a chairman in Ross McArthur who has tendered his resignation and a highly agitated fanbase. The Fife club are in peril.

This defeat, a 3-1 reversal by Morton at East End Park, keeps the Pars rooted to the foot of the cinch Championship, four points adrift.

When German consortium DAFC Fussball GmbH took over majority shareholding of the club in the summer, a relegation battle was the last thing on the minds of key investors Thomas Meggle, Damir Keretic, Nick Teller and Dr Albrecht Gundermann. Building on last season's fourth place was the remit, not staying in the division.

Nobody signed up for this. Not least the players, who on this evidence don't look equipped for a dogfight. There are some nice footballers in this team, but they are sapped of confidence and belief, and will need to discover more grit and mettle to haul themselves up the table.

Peter Grant was axed as manager following a 4-2 defeat by Arbroath last weekend with the hope that under co-interim manager Greg Shields and Steven Whittaker, a response would come. Changes were made to the starting XI, but the end result was the same. If either of the coaches are interested in the role on a permanent basis, this wasn't a good audition.

One of those alterations to the team was young midfielder Matty Todd, who scored a nice header to cancel out Gary Oliver's opener for Morton in the first half. The match was in the balance at half time, with Dunfermline playing some decent enough football. However, after the interval, Morton showed their streetwise side, marshalled by captain Alan Lithgow. Striker Gozie Ugwu, formerly of Dunfermline, put the Greenock outfit back in front before a late penalty from Oliver sealed the deal.

Whittaker faced the press afterwards. “Our job is to win games and get out of the position we are in and that wasn’t achieved, regardless of some of the good play the people thought we had in the first half,” the ex-Hibs and Rangers defender said. “The boys are in there holding themselves accountable. We are massively aware that we are in a dogfight right now and we need everyone together to get out of it.”

This was an important win for Gus McPherson's men, who went into this match in ninth place, only two points clear of their hosts, and without a league win since August. Admittedly many of their matches have been draws, but they are now eighth, leaping over Queen of the South, and will look to build on such a crucial victory. "It gives everybody a shot in the arm,” said McPherson, who praised a “workmanlike” performance.

As for Dunfermline, their board needs to move swiftly. They face second-placed Inverness next weekend in the Highlands next Saturday. Dom Thomas' second-half replacement was booed by the home support – Whittaker explained the substitution, saying it was to try and bring a “different dynamic to the attack” – and the rancour increased on the full-time whistle. These suffering fans have not watched their team win in 15 matches. Something has to change on Halbeath Road, and fast.

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