Dunfermline Athletic 0, Greenock Morton 5.
Dunfermline boss James McPake said it was a case of “men against boys” following his side’s thumping at the hands of Greenock Morton.
The Pars were left stunned by two first half goals and three in the second half in a game which the manager said he was “embarrassed” to be involved in.
"We were nowhere near it, it was men against boys. We've played them twice this season and credit to them, they're on a great run but we know they put loads of balls in your box.
"We know that, like us, they have got a long throw and they dealt comfortably with our set play and we looked like we've never faced a set-play before in football.
"I'm lost for words in terms of how bad it was. (I am) bitterly disappointed to be involved in that, embarrassed to be involved in it and we were lucky that it ended up five.”
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McPake said he wasn't surprised that the fans showed their anger and frustration at what they saw on the pitch.
"You're not going to lose 5-0 at home and expect them not to voice their displeasure, at half-time and full-time,” he said.
"They were completely right to. I'm surprised there were as many of them left at the end of the game, if I'm honest.”
The result leaves Dunfermline third from bottom and up against second bottom Queen's Park next weekend.
"We are looking over our back. Let's not beat about the bush, we're looking over our back.
“We've not won in a while. Queen's Park got a good win today and they're here next week."
Following the game, McPake revealed that defender Sam Fisher was the latest to be added to the club’s growing list of absentees.
Pars best player in the draw at Tannadice in the previous match, he suffered a calf injury during training and is expected to be ruled out for six to eight weeks.
With players already out including Aaron Comrie, Kyle Benedictus, Rhys Breen, Alex Jakubiak, Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Andrew Tod and Matty Todd, deadline day signing Xavier Benjamin came straight into Saturday’s starting line up while Malachi Fagan-Walcott also made his home debut.
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Fellow new recruit Brad Holmes started on the bench.
After encountering a fair bit of early pressure, Dunfermline went behind after only eight minutes.
Robbie Crawford got the ball to Robbie Muirhead, his cross found an advancing Darragh O’Connor who fired into the net from close range.
Minutes later, the Ton were on the attack again but George Oakley placed his effort wide of the post.
The home side had their first real effort at goal just after 20 minutes after some good link up play. Joe Chalmers’ cross picked out Lewis McCann but his header went wide.
Ten minutes later, Athletic looked dangerous when Denis Mehmet claimed a Lewis Strapp throw in to launch a counter attack.
He quickly threw the ball out to Josh Edwards who stormed up the pitch, all the way into the box but his blast at goal was blocked and went out for a corner.
Just a minute later, Morton doubled their lead through Jack Baird. The attack came through a lengthy Strapp throw – which caused headaches for Dunfermline throughout the game.
Oakley's header was saved by Mehmet but Baird was on the spot to net the rebound.
There were half chances for the Pars to get back into it. A McCann free kick whistled past the post while Owen Moffat had a sight of goal just before half time when Ewan Otoo pulled the ball back to him in the box, but that effort went wide of the mark too.
Morton made it three just on the 50 minute mark. O’Connor got his second of the afternoon after a scramble in the box.
A looping overhead kick from Fagan-Walcott hit the crossbar but any faint hopes of a comeback didn't last long and they were 4-0 down soon after.
A Cameron Blues cross found Oakley who helped the ball towards goal and Baird made sure the ball was over the line.
There was still 15 minutes to go when Ton went nap through sub Michael Garrity. He got the ball in the box and curled an effort beyond the reach of Mehmet to really rub salt into the wounds.
Morton’s keeper was called into action in the closing minutes when he had to palm away a McCann effort, and the striker nodded wide a minute later, but this was a dismal day and performance from Athletic.
Dunfermline Athletic
Mehmet, Edwards, Hamilton, Otoo, Chalmers (Holmes 57), Wighton (Moffat 26), McCann, Summers, O’Halloran, Benjamin (Allan 57), Fagan-Walcott.
Subs: Little, Fenton, Taylor Sutherland, Young, Jake Sutherland.
Greenock Morton
Mullen, Strapp, O’Connor, Baird, Blues (Bearne 78), Muirhead, Crawford (MCGrattan 65), Power (O’Boy 85), Oakley (Garrity 65), French, Wilson (Gillespie 78).
Subs: Murdoch, Waters.
Goals: O’Connor (8, 51), Baird (32, 57), Garrity (75)
Referee: Kevin Clancy
Attendance: 4,701
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