IT'S a New Year but the same old story for James McPake as his Dunfermline team again failed to get the better of Raith.
They've now lost the last four derby clashes with Rovers and the manner in which Pars conceded soft goals from set pieces was all too familiar for the boss.
The league leaders knocked Athletic out of the Scottish Cup on their last visit to East End in November and this kick in the bells in the first derby of 2024 means they've also won all three league encounters this season.
McPake said: "It’s definitely not the start to the year we wanted.
“A game that is lost on two set plays, which is a recurring theme at the minute.
“We lost a set play last week, we lost two against Partick. It’s not good enough.
“Credit to Raith, they wanted to get their head on it and punished us for that."
Ben Summers scored his first senior goal with a super strike to level for Dunfermline but an unlikely double from Raith centre back Dan O'Reilly, after the home defence failed to deal with a free kick in the first half and a routine corner at the start of the second, meant the bragging rights stayed in Kirkcaldy.
McPake said: "It was a typical derby game on a tough pitch to play on.
“I felt we started really well, played some decent stuff.
“But if you can’t defend balls into your box you’re not going to win many games of football.
“They had real desire to get on the end of it, we certainly never showed that to defend them.”
If the case for the defence doesn't bear scrutiny, the Pars weren't helped by two more injuries to centre backs.
Sam Fisher was stretchered off in the first half and taken to hospital with concussion and a "really bad facial injury" after an accidental clash while Rhys Breen limped out of the action in the second half with a knee knock.
McPake said: "Sam might have broken his nose and he’s got a big gash on his face. From speaking to the doc, he’s concussed as well.
“That’s a worry, particularly on the back of the concussion he had the other week so we will need to be very careful with him.
"He went to hospital. It was a nasty cut, a real sore one.
“Breeny’s knee, I don’t know. It was giving way, we will have to get that assessed."
Dunfermline started well although Joe Chalmers opted for a tame side-foot shot, rather than putting the laces through it, when he had a clear sight of goal inside 30 seconds.
Chris Hamilton's glancing header from a corner, just moments later, bounced just wide as a noisy home support sensed blood.
But Raith scored in the 11th minute with their first serious attack.
Josh Mullin swung in a free kick, Athletic goalie Deniz Mehmet instinctively parried Lewis Vaughan's close range effort but was powerless to stop O'Reilly bashing in the rebound.
Ian Murray's men had chances to extend their lead, particularly after Fisher's departure in the 23rd minute led to an enforced reshuffle with winger Owen Moffat coming on, as Vaughan and Mullin both came close.
In the 38th minute Summers dragged the Pars back into it, side-stepping a challenge before rifling a low 25 yard drive past Raith goalie Kevin Dabrowski.
McPake said the on-loan Celt was "excellent" and added: "He was a real threat, he always looks to play forward, always looks to take care of the ball.
“It’s not easy for a kid on his first loan. If there is a positive out of this, then it’s him.
“We already knew what a good player he is but he’s now showing that he’s fit and is a real talent.”
The goal gave Dunfermline a boost and they had some promising attacks but were indebted to Mehmet who made a terrific stop to prevent Mullin from swerving a shot into the top corner just before the break.
That didn't count for much when, from a corner in the 51st minute, a simple front post header from O'Reilly put Rovers in front.
For all their pressure after that, Athletic struggled to really open up the away defence.
Aaron Comrie's header was well saved, Dabrowski flung up an arm to stop Alex Jakubiak's fierce drive finding the net and the Raith man moved sharply to shove a deflected Chalmers effort around the post in the final seconds, but that was pretty much it.
McPake didn't have many match-winning options on the bench, with two goalies and four teenagers sitting behind him, as they continue to miss key players.
Athletic are already without Matty Todd, who has a "pretty serious" hamstring injury, captain Kyle Benedictus is having a scan on his thigh strain, while Lewis McCann won't recover in time to face Queen's Park on Friday.
Andrew Tod and Kane Ritchie-Hosler are also sidelined and McPake would welcome some fresh faces in the January transfer window.
He admitted: “We could do with some help. I don't know, as we've been preparing for this game, but there is work going on.
"Particularly with losing those two (Fisher and Breen), yeah, we certainly do need something and we will see what comes up.
“I don’t know if it'll be in time for Friday but we will have a look and try and do anything we can do.”
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