Dunfermline 1 Airdrie 0

A “FANTASTIC finish” from Lewis McCann made sure Dunfermline won the basement battle at East End Park and moved seven points clear of Airdrie.

The striker’s second half goal settled a nervy clash between the two sides at the foot of the Championship table although the Diamonds were furious they didn’t get a penalty.

Boss James McPake said: “It’s three points, that's what we've been crying out for. It was a battle and the players stood up to that, under a lot of pressure, defending a lot of set plays.”

Dunfermline are still ninth in the table and two points behind Morton, who claimed a late win at Raith.

There was a sense of relief at full-time but the Pars manager played down the idea that it was extra special: “It’s as big as the last three points and it's as big as the next three points. Genuinely that's the way I look at it.

“You just need to take care of the game on the day that you're playing.

“That's a big win. Now we go to Ayr United next week and if we can manage to go there and win as well, that game will just be as big.”

READ MORE: Match report - McCann do as Lewis wins basement battle for the Pars

Error-strewn and anxious, this match was low on quality at times and McPake reckoned they’d played better in previous matches and lost.

He explained: “Queen's Park and Partick Thistle, who we've played recently, are two teams that have got a habit of finding a way of winning games.

“We had that wee habit of finding ways to lose games even when we were creating the better chances.

“The performance levels today weren’t as high as they have been, I still felt we were the better team and deserved a win. But in the way it comes, I'm just delighted for the players.”

There was one change to the team that claimed a midweek win over Alloa in the SPFL Trust Trophy, Dapo Mebude dropping to the bench to be replaced by Chris Kane.

That almost paid off in the eighth minute when the returning striker swivelled and forced a close range save from goalkeeper Kieran Wright.

Airdrie haven’t won a league game since the opening day of the season, against Raith on August 3, and looked woefully short of confidence.

But as the match wore on and Dunfermline failed to capitalise, they grew into the contest and Tobi Oluwayemi was lucky that Luke Badley-Morgan’s instinctive volley was straight at him.

Adam Frizzell then went tumbling in the Dunfermline box, as a slipping Ewan Otoo went into challenge, and with home fans fearing the concession of a penalty the ref booked the diving Airdrie skipper instead.

Back came the Pars with a first time effort from Kieran Ngwenya flashing just wide and Matty Todd skipping away from two challenges but his low show lacked the venom to beat Wright.

Lewis McGregor angled a drive inches wide of the far post, with Oluwayemi beaten, and just after the break Kane Ritchie-Hosler tamely fired straight at the keeper when he should have opted for power.

And the fans voiced their frustration when Kane was subbed around 10 minutes after the break, with Mebude coming on.

McPake admitted: “If there's one disappointment for me today it's probably the reaction.

“What I had to explain to the players is that reaction is to me. When that happens sometimes Dapo is looking and saying, are they booing me coming on or Kane thinking it’s him?

“I understand, I've been in the game long enough to know that when you're taking a striker off that's important to your team, the fans are going to react."

He explained: “Chris Kane came off because he's had a concussion. He's been following the concussion protocol and he's not trained enough to play any longer than he played.

“The worry is that the longer you leave him on the more chance there is of an injury.

“That's the reason so hopefully that's it explained now.”

It was all smiles in the Pars end in the 61st minute when Ngwenya clipped a good ball over the top for McCann to gather and steer the ball wide of Wright and into the net – his second goal in a matter of days after the decisive strike against the Wasps.

The boss said: “It's a great take and a fantastic finish, with Lewis showing his worth once again with another winning goal.”

Athletic couldn’t add to their tally and were made to sweat when Airdrie sub Cameron Cooper ended up in a heap on the turf after Chris Hamilton and Oluwayemi tried to stop him from levelling in the 71st minute.

McPake said: “I've seen it back, yeah, not for me.

“I could have understood if it was given and maybe a more inexperienced referee could have been swayed to give it. Tobi does come out, doesn’t make contact, but the player makes contact with Toby.

“Chris Hamilton is involved as well but no, it's not a penalty.”

Thankfully for Dunfermline the referee, Colin Steven, saw it that way too and the home team held on for a vital win.