Arbroath 0-3 PARS THE PARS secured another three points with a comfortable win at Arbroath this afternoon.
Goals from Andy Geggan, Ryan Thomson and Josh Falkingham made it eight games unbeaten as they remain second in the table.
Dunfermline made one change from last week as Callum Morris missed out with an achilles problem, meaning Kerr Young returned to partner Lewis Martin in defence.
The Pars started brightly and coped well with the wind swirling in from the North Sea but had an early appeal for a penalty for a challenge on Ryan Williamson turned down by referee David Somers.
Williamson again caused problems as his low ball inside three minutes into the box was eventually cleared off the line by David Banjo after panic in the home defence.
A goal was coming and it was no surprise when Athletic took the lead after 12 minutes. Ryan Wallace's low corner was missed by everyone bar Geggan, who fired a shot high into the net from six yards out.
The Pars continued to have most of the ball but clear chances were few and far between, although Thomson was unfortunate he had no-one to tap home his ball across the face of goal after latching onto Banjo's loose backpass and rounding keeper Scott Morrison.
They did however double their lead with nine minutes before the break with a good counter-attacking goal.
Josh Falkingham led the break and fed Wallace on the right. He jinked into the box and although his shot was blocked, he chipped the loose ball to the far where Thomson headed home from close range.
The second period began in a scrappy manner but Wallace was denied a third as Scott Morrison blocked his shot after Whittle picked him out.
But Falkingham clinched the game on 64 minutes. Whittle's crossfield ball found the captain on the right hand edge of the area and he drilled an excellent effort beyond the keeper.
Dunfermline controlled the closing stages and Stephen Husband saw a free kick well saved, but the Pars had done enough to set themselves up nicely for next Monday's visit of Rangers.
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