East Fife boss Gary Naysmith hailed the influence of Jon McShane after appearing as a second-half substitute in the 3-0 win over Montrose on Saturday.
With the game poised at 1-0 and the visitors pressing for an equaliser, McShane was introduced and went on to set up the second goal before netting the third.
It meant the Fifers picked up just their second league win since a 3-1 victory over East Stirlingshire in August
Naysmith said: “I’ve been getting on Jon’s case a bit over the past few weeks when he’s come on. But that was the real Jon McShane out there.
“He won every header and grabbed a goal and an assist, so that’s given me food for thought for next week.
“We’ve played nine home games now and only lost two. We need to start getting a few more wins than draws but, if we can get another, then that’s decent form.
“I thought we were OK in the first half but started to get a wee bit edgy.
“We weren’t really creating too much, but Ross Campbell has got us a goal out of nothing.
“I never thought we were going to lose a goal although we weren’t great going forward.”
The Fifers broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time when Kevin Smith’s cross was turned in from close up by Campbell.
Montrose should have been level a few minutes after the restart when Ross McCord’s corner picked out the unmarked Jonathan Crawford on the penalty spot. The big centre half, though, headed over.
East Fife punished their visitors for the miss on the hour mark when Kevin Smith nodded home a McShane effort which was going past the post.
In the dying minutes the points were wrapped up when Montrose keeper Stuart McKenzie brought Smith down inside the box and McShane wrapped up the win from the spot.
Montrose boss George Shields said: “I thought 3-0 is a bit harsh on us.
“We were a bit better in the second half but the manner we gave the goals away is unacceptable.
“I thought we’d come here and take something.”