Dunfermline followed up their stirring win over Dundee United with another impressive victory against Morton on Saturday.
A second-half header from Miles Welch-Hayes earned the Pars a third success of the season against the Cappielow side to leapfrog over them and into fifth in the Championship table.
In a resolute rearguard action late on, Deniz Mehmet kept out Robbie Muirhead’s 84th-minute penalty to help James McPake’s side land a valuable three points.
Courier Sport has taken a look at the main talking points from the trip to Greenock.
Play-off push?
With wins against the league leaders and a rival for a top-four spot in the space of eight days, there is a feeling Dunfermline might be building momentum when it counts most.
The manner of their attacking 3-1 victory over Dundee United was impressive enough.
But Saturday showed a different side as they stood up to the physical test of facing Morton and their robust approach and long-throw tactics.
Manager James McPake claims he does not take any notice of the table until the final few weeks of the campaign.
But someone better tell him his team are in fifth spot and only one point adrift of that coveted promotion play-off place in fourth.
Airdrie do have two games in hand above and Morton one spare match below, but the Fifers have the points on the board.
There will be no complacency nearing the end of a rollercoaster campaign characterised by ridiculous bad luck with injuries.
A six-point advantage over Inverness Caley Thistle in the dreaded relegation play-off pace in ninth could easily disappear quickly in the madness of the Championship.
However, there will be growing belief they could do something that was unthinkable just a few weeks ago in the midst of a nine-game winless run.
A shot at promotion is now a possibility and that would be a remarkable achievement given this season’s travails.
Pars cope with being put on the spot
It seemed obvious that Dunfermline should have been awarded a free-kick for a foul on goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet just seconds before they conceded a penalty to Morton.
Even then, referee Steven McLean’s decision to award a spot-kick for an apparent trip by Ewan Otoo on Jai Quitongo was described by some as ‘soft’.
But, in the eyes of the visitors at least, justice was served when Mehmet pulled off a brilliant diving save to deny Robbie Muirhead.
It completed a welcome hat-trick for the Pars number one – a third penalty save in a row.
In injury-time against Raith Rovers earlier this month and already 2-0 down, keeping out Callum Smith’s spot-kick had no bearing on the outcome of the match.
However, Mehmet’s block on Billy Mckay’s penalty last month helped the Fifers earn a goalless draw against Inverness Caley Thistle to gain a valuable point.
And, with just six minutes remaining, denying Muirhead at Cappielow ensured Morton’s hopes of a comeback fell flat to see out Dunfermline’s victory.
McPake said afterwards he has confidence in Mehmet every time the opposition get a penalty. Saturday proved again that belief is not misplaced.
Away form, the numbers
If Dunfermline do manage to pull off an incredible finish to the season, it will have been built on impressive away form.
The Pars have only been defeated four times on the road this season in 15 outings.
That is a record only bettered by Dundee United (two defeats) and Raith Rovers (three) in the second tier.
Saturday’s victory in Greenock means the Fifers have only lost twice in their last ten games away from East End Park.
They have earned 21 of their 38 points on the road and half of their ten victories of the campaign.
By contrast, however, they have lost twice as many times (eight) on home soil and have conceded more goals (23) than they have scored (18).
It is a laudable away record that has highlighted a parsimonious defence and a tactical flexibility.
But McPake will hope they are not left to rue their failure to earn more points at East End Park.
New Year business coming good
The mid-season transfer window is notoriously a difficult one for clubs.
The personnel available does not always match what is needed, or they are players who are out of form or short of fitness.
Teams also tend to be dipping into the market out of necessity, and that does not always bring success.
Dunfermline were in desperate need of reinforcements in January, but not to make up for previously poor recruitment or dire displays.
Theirs was born out of a lack of numbers.
With all three central defenders who started the season – Kyle Benedictus, Sam Fisher and Rhys Breen – out injured, there was a massive hole to be plugged.
When full-back Aaron Comrie joined them, there was another.
In attack, Alex Jakubiak, Matty Todd and Kane Ritchie-Hosler were all out of action.
Additions
Malachi Fagan-Walcott was the first to arrive in January, on loan from Cardiff City, followed by team-mate Xavier Benjamin and Blackpool striker Brad Holmes.
Then, in February, came Chris Kane from St Johnstone and Livingston’s Miles Welch-Hayes.
Welch-Hayes has started the last six games and was the match winner on Saturday with the only goal against Morton.
Kane has sat out three games due to his calf issues. But when he has played, it has been obvious how important he can be to the Pars.
And, although he was part of the team ripped apart by Morton in the 5-0 hammering last month, Fagan-Walcott has been hugely impressive in defence since settling.
Holmes has been used more sparingly and Benjamin has been unable to get a place in the match-day squad due to the return of the injured players.
But, all in all, the newest recruits have injected a freshness into the Pars squad at a crucial juncture.
