Dunfermline Athletic 0
Dundee 1
League (First Division)

Match Report

Dundee kept the pressure on at the top of the IRN BRU Scottish Football League First Division table thanks to a second half performance at East End Park which had hosts Dunfermline on the back foot straight from the restart, and it brought it's reward when Kevin McDonald fired home Jani Sturm's 72 minute cut-back for the only goal of the match.

Alex Rae went with the same side who had started the win over leaders Hamilton a week previously, which meant that loanee Eddie Malone was in at left back, with Paul Dixon on the bench, and that strikers Bob Davidson and Derek Lyle retained their places despite a fine cameo appearance as a substitute by Jan Zemlik in the Accies match.

And it was the red shirted strikers who combined to come close in first minute, Davidson racing down the right and bulleting over a low cross which just evaded the lunge goalwards of Lyle.

Action was at a premium in the opening forty five minutes though as the sides seemed to be sizing each other up. It was 28 minutes before another chance of note arrived and it was the front two who were again involved, Paul McHale picked out Davidson and his cross to the back post found Lyle, but again he was stretching and although he made contact his header was off target.

Play went straight to the other end and a pair of former Dees combined to produce the nearest chance of the opening half, Mark Burchill played a one-two with Jim Hamilton and hit his shot past Craig Samson but Eddie Malone was perfectly placed to clear off the line.

That was as close as it got in the first half but Alex Rae's half time team-talk had Dundee out of the traps at pace as the second period got underway, there was a let off for the home side when Paul Gallacher misread Gavin Swankie's corner, but Gary Mackenzie could only hit the side netting with his header.

Dundee were pinning the Pars back and Milan Palenik was next to come close, his flashing header from Malone's free kick flying just a foot too high, before Derek Lyle found himself space with a great first touch only to be denied by a great block from Danny Murphy.

Dunfermline had been parked in their own penalty area but they managed to get one shot on target, Stephen Simmons' free kick was straight at Samson though and the Scotland B squad keeper saved comfortably.

Home substitute Michael McGlinchey then picked out Hamilton with a back post cross but the striker was well off target with his header.

Derek Lyle and Scott Robertson broke quickly as Dundee cleared a home corner but Lyle was denied by a fine tackle from Sol Bamba.

Rae had made a change as he chased the full points, bringing on Jani Sturm for Davidson in 61 minutes and now he introducing Zemlik for Lyle on 69 minutes, and Sturm was heavily involved in the winner when it arrived in the 72nd minute.

The Slovenian scampered onto a through ball down the right, cut inside and drew keeper Gallacher before laying the ball back to McDonald who fired home from just inside the six yard box, before setting off to celebrate with a travelling support who had been in magnificent voice throughout the afternoon.

Dunfermline substitute lain Williamson caused a little excitement with a looping shot which dipped just over in the closing minutes and Alex Rae got a ticking off from referee Mike Tumilty after the officials had delayed him bringing on Paul Dixon as a last minute substitute in the moments before that Williamson effort, but it wasn't enough to take the smile off the manager's face-he'd watched his side turn in a second half performance that had all the marks of championship contenders.

Match report written by Dundee Matchday Programme