Dunfermline: Pars beaten at Falkirk in SPFL Championship

JAMES MCPAKE said he was "bitterly disappointed" and rued the concession of "two really poor goals" as Dunfermline fell to defeat at Falkirk.

A Chris Hamilton own goal, and a close range effort from Calvin Miller, put the Bairns two goals up before Lewis McCann's bullet header gave the Pars hope late on.

However, the away side - backed by 1,440 of their supporters - couldn't fashion the opportunity to find a leveller as they were beaten by their rivals for a second time this season.

Athletic are now winless in their last five Championship matches, losing three of them, and remain second bottom of the table, with just one victory from their opening 10 games.

They are a whopping 20 points worse off than the table-topping Bairns and, although there wasn't a lot to choose between them in open play, McPake felt mistakes were his team's downfall.

"Bitterly disappointed, to come and lose at our rivals. Disappointed," he said post-match.

"Two really poor goals from us, particularly the second goal. Criminal when you're tight in a game and probably putting them under a lot of pressure to make that decision, and then the way it played out, it's a really poor goal to lose.

"I think there were chances in the first half for us as well, albeit limited, but I don't think either team had clear and obvious chances in the first half.

"Later on, the one that should be a goal, it's a great ball from Kane Ritchie-Hosler. It gets fired across and we're not on the end yet. That's how I've seen it. I'll need to see it back."

Kane Ritchie-Hosler takes on his man. (Image: Craig Brown.)

McPake made two changes to the visitors' starting line-up from last weekend's home draw with Greenock Morton - one of which was enforced.

Forward, Chris Kane, failed a late fitness test with what was believed to be an injury picked up in training, and was replaced by Lewis McCann, who returned after being absent with a calf problem.

The second alteration saw Kieran Ngwenya return to the starting line-up in place of Joe Chalmers, who dropped to the bench, which allowed Ewan Otoo to move back into midfield.

Dunfermline, unbeaten in their last six visits to the Falkirk Stadium, came close to taking the lead when Craig Clay's volley towards goal, from a well-worked corner, came through a crowd of players before being blocked brilliantly by a home defender just in front of the line.

However, in the 24th minute, they fell behind and it was unfortunate for Hamilton.

Ethan Ross got a shot away from inside the penalty area, which struck the post, and as it rebounded out and into the six-yard box, it hit off the luckless Pars skipper, and found its way into the net, with keeper, Tobi Oluwayemi, grounded after trying to save the initial effort.

That gave John McGlynn's side a lift and Oluwayemi was soon to Dunfermline's rescue, blocking well from Aidan Nesbitt after he turned Hamilton inside the penalty area.

Hamilton, though, came close at the other end, sending the ball wide after going up for a set play, before an even better opportunity fell McCann's way on the stroke of half-time.

Matty Todd's whipped free-kick to the far post found his team-mate, but he sent his diving head wide of the far post.

Falkirk thought they should have had a penalty minutes after the restart when Tait went down under pressure from Hamilton, only for referee, Chris Graham, to book him for a dive, before Ritchie-Hosler sent a superb ball across goal moments later, but Dunfermline had nobody there to capitalise.

Dunfermline suffered a first defeat in seven visits to Falkirk. (Image: Craig Brown.)

However, in the 57th minute, the Bairns doubled their advantage when, after Pars conceded possession, they worked the ball to Nesbitt on the right.

His shot from inside the box was saved by Oluwayemi but, as the ball broke loose, the visitors couldn't clear, with Miller eventually slamming in from close range.

It looked like game over but, with 18 minutes to go, Dunfermline gave themselves a lifeline.

Substitute, David Wotherspoon, sent a fine free-kick into the box and McCann rose highest to thump home a header to half the deficit.

They pushed for an equaliser, and Falkirk were indebted to Luke Graham for being in the right place to clear Hamilton's flicked header towards goal, which looped over keeper Nicky Hogarth, before it headed for the line, and then to clear when a Sam Young header across goal looked net-bound.

Dunfermline couldn't find a goal, however, and suffered a first defeat at the home of their rivals in seven years.

When asked if it was difficult to take, McPake added: "Yeah, it's difficult because we're beat again, certainly. That's obvious.

"Again, a lot goes into the game in terms of the chances we make but, ultimately, you've got to put the ball on the net, and then you've got to defend your own box better. We had been good at that.

"I've not seen any of the goals back. The first one, I need to go back and see exactly how that happens, but the second one is completely self-inflicted."

Falkirk: Hogarth, McCann, Henderson, Spencer, Nesbitt, Oliver (MacIver 71), Adams, Tait (Yeats 71), Graham, Ross (Agyeman 71), Miller (McKenna 87).

Subs not used: Shanley, McCafferty, McCrone, Hayward.

Booked: Tait (48), Adams (78).

Goals: Hamilton (OG, 24), Miller (57).

Pars: Oluwayemi, Comrie, Hamilton, Young, Ngwenya, Otoo (Sutherland 76), Clay, Ritchie-Hosler (Cooper 52), Todd (Mebude 52), McCann (Chalmers 84), Wighton (Wotherspoon 52).

Subs not used: Benedictus, Fisher, Fogarty, Mehmet.

Booked: Todd (19), Mebude (59), Hamilton (90), Clay (90).

Goal: McCann (72).

Referee: Chris Graham.

Attendance: 7,321 (1,440 away).