Dunfermline’s recent revival came to a halt on Tuesday night with a home defeat against Airdrie.
The 2-0 loss ended a four-game unbeaten run and cost the Pars the chance to put some daylight between themselves and the teams immediately below them in the Championship table.
A 16th-minute strike from Nikolay Todorov cut short an impressive opening from the Fifers and Gabby McGill’s wonder strike just short of the hour mark sealed the three points for the Diamonds.
Courier Sport looks at a disappointing result for James McPake and his side.
Looking down
The visit of Airdrie, level on points and one place below because of fewer goals scored, was an opportunity for Dunfermline.
For all the travails this season, and particularly the recent run of nine games without a win, the Pars would have gone three points clear in fifth place with a victory.
As it turns out, they would also have moved to within only two points of Morton in the coveted promotion play-off berth.
However, despite a decent enough display, particularly in a first-half they shaded, it ended in defeat for the Fifers.
With now just the final quarter of the fixtures to play, there remains some hope of a push for the play-offs above.
The Fifers in sixth are, after all, closer to Partick Thistle in third (seven points) than they are to Arbroath at the bottom (nine points).
Yet, that relegation play-off place just above Arbroath is still a major concern with just nine games to go.
Only two points separates Dunfermline from Inverness Caley Thistle in ninth, with Ayr United and Queen’s Park in between.
There is nothing wrong with retaining ambition to earn a shot at promotion in May.
But it currently appears more realistic to accept what McPake declared just a matter of a few weeks ago – that the Pars have to accept they are in a dogfight to stay in the division.
No go Kano
Sometimes the influence of a player on a team is most visible when they are not there.
He may only have been at Dunfermline for a few weeks, but Chris Kane has already proven himself a key figure for McPake’s team.
His ability to hold the ball in and bring others into play has brought out the best in the returning Matty Todd and eased the pressure on the defence.
It was no coincidence that the Fifers’ first win in ten games – the long-awaited 3-1 triumph over Partick Thistle – came with Kane at the apex of their attack.
And their second victory in the space of eight days – Saturday’s 2-0 success against Ayr United – was sealed by Kane’s first goal for the club.
However, with that game coming at the end of a week in which the 29-year-old had missed the trip to Inverness Caley Thistle due to illness, fatigue rendered him unavailable for the visit of Airdrie.
Alex Jakubiak led the line in his absence and has undoubted qualities to add to the side. His searing pace, ability to run ‘channels’ and his strength on the ball are important attributes.
But Dunfermline were clearly missing something as they struggled to overcome the loss of an early goal against the run of play.
Kane should return for Saturday’s Fife derby and the hope will be he makes a difference to a misfiring forward line against Airdrie.
Kane able
In a campaign of repeated injury nightmares for Dunfermline, any good news gives a glimmer of hope.
The recent return to the squad of skipper Kyle Benedictus was an undoubted positive, and he could now make a welcome comeback against Raith Rovers this weekend.
Todd has made a significant impact since blasting his way back from a second injury of the season with a magnificent goal in the win over Partick.
But few will have raised smiles on as many faces as the sight of Kane Ritchie-Hosler back in the set-up against Airdrie.
Three separate injuries requiring three different operations surely earn the youngster the tag of unluckiest in the club, and possibly beyond.
However, given the all-clear by the specialists to play again after surgery to fix his dislocated shoulder, the 21-year-old is back.
Being on the bench might have been good enough for the former Rangers and Manchester City trainee, but just a sixth appearance of a wretched campaign saw him play for 35 minutes.
The cheer when he was introduced in the 55th minute indicated the place he has in the hearts of the Pars fans after his successful loan last season and his permanent move in the summer.
Having spent so long out, it will undoubtedly take some time for Ritchie-Hosler to get anywhere near his best again.
But it is difficult not to be heartened just seeing the winger back in action again.
Red card?
No-one likes to see players sent-off undeservedly and no-one likes to see games decided by referees.
But when a red card is deserved the officials should be expected to intervene.
Ironically, given all the hullabaloo about VAR in the top-flight and the opposition to it generally, the tackle on Miles Welch-Hayes by Adam Frizzell would have been the perfect moment for some help.
The Airdrie skipper is not the kind of player to deliberately endanger an opponent.
His game is more about using his skill, getting on the ball and finding opponents with slide-rule passes and crosses, just as he did for Nikolay Todorov’s opener.
However, he appeared very fortunate to get away with just a yellow card for his wild challenge on Welch-Hayes.
Granted, referee Duncan Williams and assistants Elliott Husband Powton and Dougie Potter only had one viewing of the incident.
But the TV footage and the stills show just how bad it was – and Williams appeared to have a good view.
Frizzell, leading with his studs up, caught Welch-Hayes on his planted leg right on the knee cap.
The on-loan Livingston full-back was fortunate not to be more seriously injured and Dunfermline would be well within their rights to be annoyed that a red card was not produced.
There is no guarantee it would have altered the outcome of the match but it could have freed up some space for a Pars attack that struggled to penetrate their resolute visitors in the second-half.
