Dunfermline: James McPake on 'individual errors' after Falkirk loss

INDIVIDUAL errors "kill you at certain points" and James McPake felt his Athletic side contributed to their own downfall at Falkirk.

The Pars boss also said that they have been guilty of costly mistakes in other parts of a difficult campaign so far, which suffered another disappointment at the Falkirk Stadium on Saturday.

They fell to a second defeat from two meetings with their rivals from across the Kincardine Bridge, despite Lewis McCann's excellent header giving them hope in the game's latter stages, after they had gone two goals down.

The Bairns were ahead at the interval, when Ethan Ross' shot off the post bounced off the luckless Chris Hamilton and into the net from close range for an own goal.

READ MORE: Dunfermline: Pars beaten at Falkirk in SPFL Championship

However, McPake said that his opinion that the second they conceded, just before the hour mark, was "self-inflicted" wouldn't change when he watched footage of it back - and it'd be a surprise if it did.

From their own goal kick, Tobi Oluwayemi played it short to Hamilton, who was immediately pressed by an opponent.

That forced the Pars man to go long from the edge of the six yard box, but found a navy blue jersey inside his own half.

A fine pass was then played between Ewan Otoo and Kieran Ngwenya for Aidan Nesbitt inside the area, and although his effort was blocked by Oluwayemi, the ball ricocheted off Hamilton, then the Athletic goalkeeper, and fell kindly for Calvin Miller to score from close range.

When asked post-match if that goal was down to an error rather than the structure of his team, McPake replied: "Absolutely. And I don't think my mind will change when I see that second goal back.

"That's not having a go at the players, but individual errors do kill you at certain points. It's happened over the season; it's just another one."

The result widened the already large points gap - it moved to 20 ahead of Dunfermline's match with Livingston on Tuesday - but the away side did have moments where fortune wasn't on their side.

In the opening period, and with the game goalless, Craig Clay's volley was well blocked by a Falkirk man in front of goalkeeper, Nicky Hogarth, whilst McCann sent a diving header wide just before the interval.

Craig Clay came close with a first half volley for Dunfermline. (Image: Craig Brown.)

Shortly after the restart, Kane Ritchie-Hosler whipped a fine ball across the box, but nobody was there to take advantage, whilst Bairns defender, Luke Graham, cleared a Hamilton header over Hogarth that was heading for the net, and then again when Sam Young sent a header towards the far post, late on.

Although McCann, returning after a month out through injury, superbly headed home his first league goal of the season, and his third overall, from David Wotherspoon's free-kick to give them hope, the Pars suffered a fourth defeat from five away matches.

Lewis McCann headed home for the Pars to give them hope. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"Yeah, it's difficult because we're beat again, certainly. That's obvious," McPake said.

"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.

"Bitterly disappointed, to come and lose at our rivals. Disappointed.

"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 of it. That's how I've seen it. I'll need to see it back."