Dunfermline departed East End Park on Saturday evening with the local bragging rights after sealing a 3-1 victory.
That it was hard-fought and at-times brutal, and came courtesy of two penalties and a fortuitous deflection, matters not a jot.
In fact, especially after going behind to Dylan Easton’s first-half penalty, it perhaps makes it even sweeter
It did for Chris Kane, whose hat-trick was just the second of his career and helped lift the Pars up into eighth in the Championship table.
Courier Sport took in the action.
New manager’s landmark win
Michael Tidser is not long in the door at Dunfermline and a derby triumph will help his relationship with supporters.
He had kicked things off with an expected Scottish Cup victory over Stenhousemuir in his debut match in charge.
But the 3-0 loss to bottom side Airdrie that followed in his first Championship outing was extremely disappointing.
This was more like it as far as the new regime was concerned.
When individual fixtures count for so much in the eyes of fans, the bitter taste of defeat can sometimes cloud judgement.
Conversely, a win so early into a tenure can help ease the settling-in period.
Such is the black-and-white nature of derbies, the victory can only be good for Tidser.
And it will boost confidence for Wednesday’s SPFL Trust Trophy semi-final against Livingston.
Character and resilience
When Courier Sport asked Tidser in the build-up to the visit of Raith Rovers whether Dunfermline could stick to his principles in a derby, he was clear in his answer.
Yes, he said, the Pars could pass their way to success, even in the heat of the battle of such a rivalry.
In the end, he admitted afterwards that the victory was more down to character and resilience.
The bare and stodgy East End Park pitch is currently not conducive to the kind of passing game Tidser is determined to implement at Dunfermline.
But, even when they can play that way, the character and resilience on show against Raith will be part of the package.
On this occasion, it was a game made for the likes of Kyle Benedictus and Tommy Fogarty in defence, Chris Hamilton and Ewan Otoo in midfield and Chris Kane up front.
That is not to say these players cannot get the ball down and play when required.
But, against Rovers on Saturday, it became about winning first contact and second balls and physicality and a strong will to win – especially after going behind.
Similar to the 3-3 draw with Falkirk in December, Dunfermline proved they have those qualities in abundance.
Blot on the landscape
Just as the derby highlighted some of the best traits in the Dunfermline players, it also brought out the worst in some fans.
Even before a ball had been kicked, and despite pre-match cautions from clubs and police, pyrotechnics had been lit by both sets of supporters.
As always, only a handful can ruin it for others and that was certainly the case in the immediate aftermath of Easton’s opening goal.
The Raith attacker was wrong to make a bee-line for the section of the ground housing the ‘Pars ultras’ after slotting in his penalty.
With fingers in his ears, he knew he was being provocative.
But what followed was dangerous as a coin appeared to strike him on the back of the head.
The incident was brought to the attention of referee Grant Irvine, who handed the object over as evidence.
Earlier this season, season-ticket holders in the North West stand were told the club had been handed a ‘final warning’ over misconduct emanating from that area of the stadium.
It came after September’s Fife derby, during which the far-side linesman was hit by a missile – the third consecutive game an assistant referee had been struck.
The club said then that ‘the only next step available to us is to close down the North West stand for some competitive games’.
They will be deeply disappointed – and concerned – that the warning has not got through.
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