Dunfermline

Gary Caldwell heaved a sigh of relief as he finally achieved his first win as Partick Thistle manager.

With only one win – and two goals – at home in the league all season, Dunfermline belatedly hit their stride in front of their own suffering supporters to ease the pressure on manager Allan Johnston.

Mick McCarthy will be unveiled as the Republic of Ireland’s new manager at a press conference in Dublin today – but it was reported last night that it has already been agreed that former Dunfermline Athletic boss Stephen Kenny will take over after the Euro 2020 finals.

Sometimes the win is all that matters. Ross County, against ten-man Dunfermline, took the three points, leapfrogged Dundee United and trimmed the gap on leaders Ayr United to just two points.

There’s nothing like a win over your local rivals to make the world seem like a completely different place. It’s fair to say that Falkirk fans have endured week upon week of misery since the beginning of the campaign as their side have sunk to the Championship basement. But after a second-half strike from Zak Rudden was enough to settle this cross-Forth derby in their favour you could be forgiven for thinking the Bairns had won the title rather than just three valuable points.

Jackson Longridge emphatically showed his shot-shy team-mates and profligate hosts Alloa Athletic the route to goal as Dunfermline earned their first victory in five matches.

It’s two away victories out of two for new Dundee United boss Robbie Neilson as a goal in each half enabled his side to ease past Dunfermline and increase the pressure on embattled opposing manager Allan Johnston.

Only 13 miles across the Forth separates the towns of Falkirk and Dunfermline, but this Pars victory proves there is currently a huge gulf between the teams.

Partick Thistle once again failed to find a cure for their incorrigible travel sickness as an opportunist Aidan Connolly strike condemned the Jags to another defeat on the road.

A howler from Dunfermline goalkeeper Lee Robinson handed Morton a draw on Jonatan Johansson’s home bow as manager.

Both these sides required penalty shootouts for victory in last weekend’s Irn-Bru Cup but this stalemate was indicative of two teams apparently heading in different directions.

Dunfermline’s gruelling away day in England felt more like a happy homecoming to Myles Hippolyte as he helped the Pars see off Boreham Wood in front of a swathe of his friends and family.

Dunfermline Athletic’s trip to the ‘British Hollywood’ was far from a blockbuster affair on the pitch. However, manager Allan Johnston has paid tribute to the dedicated supporters who ensured the occasion felt box office.

Dunfermline Athletic travel south on Saturday to face English National League side Boreham Wood in the second round of the Irn-Bru Cup.

Inverness won for the first time in four games and condemned Dunfermline to a third successive loss thanks to three unanswered second-half goals, Shaun Rooney, Liam Polworth and George Oakley on target as John Robertson’s side climbed up to second.

Hearts have farmed out another three players, Ryan Edwards joining 
St Mirren and Malaury Martin and Aidan Keena heading to Dunfermline.

Ayr are riding high at the summit of the Championship and the manner of this victory surely fired a warning to their rivals who have been caught cold by the league’s new boys.

The performance was not one to savour but when Hearts’ name was drawn against Motherwell in yesterday’s Betfred Cup quarter-final draw, no-one involved with the Gorgie club cared how they had made it past Dunfermline to get there. All that mattered was that they had found a way.

Hearts manager Craig Levein has urged onlookers not to read anything into Kyle Lafferty’s decision to throw his top into the throng of Gorgie fans at the final whistle.