What made the difference as 10-man Dunfermline Athletic earned key win against Morton

A double from Chris Kane earned ten-man Dunfermline a crucial win over Morton on Saturday.

The second-half brace, after coming on as a substitute, allowed the Pars to overcome the concession of a 33rd-minute strike from former player Owen Moffat.

They also brushed off the red card shown to skipper Kyle Benedictus with the match finely poised at 1-1.

The Greenock visitors looked the more likely to go on and snatch all three points at that stage. But it was the Fifers who grabbed the initiative despite their man disadvantage.

Courier Sport was at East End Park to mull over the action.

Vital victory

After falling three points behind Hamilton Accies in midweek, Dunfermline’s relegation concerns were ratcheted up a notch.

Not only were they back in the dreaded play-off spot, but the form of bottom side Airdrie was also a worry.

The Diamonds pulled to within seven points of the Pars with a game in hand with their own win against Raith Rovers on Tuesday night.

The frustration was clear in the way head coach Michael Tidser reacted with anger to a dismal display against Accies.

So, the players needed to show a reaction to that criticism – and they eventually got it.

With only the final quarter of fixtures remaining, every win could be the difference between staying in the Championship or risking dropping into League One again.

That was proven when at one point Hamilton were beating Falkirk and Dunfermline were losing – meaning a six-point gap in the table.

But Kane’s goals and Accies being pegged back for a 2-2 draw brings the difference back to one point.

And Airdrie’s defeat at Ayr United widens the advantage to ten points at the bottom.

Substance over style

Tidser hinted before the game that Dunfermline would have a different approach against Morton.

His underlying philosophy remains a passing one.

However, the new head coach fully appreciates this is the ‘business end’ of the campaign and results are required in the Fifers’ current predicament.

The biggest factor at East End Park is the state of the pitch.

Soft and bare after a difficult winter, the surface cuts up quickly and can easily make a mockery of players’ control and aim.

It has resulted in a change of approach for Tidser, who called for his team to ‘mix it up’.

With four attackers on the pitch, in Connor Young, Ephraim Yeboah, Lewis McCann and Archie Stevens, and midfielder Ewan Otoo keen to drive forward, Dunfermline got the ball up the pitch quicker against Morton.

Their last league victory came against Raith Rovers on February 1 in a game that was more about winning second balls and putting pressure on the opposition.

It worked on that occasion and the latest win proved they can grind out positive results when compromises are made.

Kane is able

Chris Kane took a little over two minutes to highlight his importance to Dunfermline on Saturday.

The striker was not sure himself whether his leveller came with his first touch after being introduced in the 58th minute.

But what was certain was it was an instant impact.

Tidser revealed he had ‘pushed the buttons’ of the striker in a pep talk ahead of the game as the former St Johnstone player nursed his way back from another calf problem.

And whatever he said worked.

If his first was predatory from close range, his winner was a goal that possibly no-one else at Dunfermline could have scored.

Cleverly nudging Morgan Boyes to win a bouncing ball he rattled in a superb finish.

Kane single-handedly ended five games without a goal for the Pars and, with his experienced playing winning fouls and harassing defenders, is key to success.

However, the 30-year-old cannot do it all himself.

He remains the only player to have found the net for the Fifers since Tidser’s debut win over Stenhousemuir in the Scottish Cup.

And, with his persistent injury issues, Dunfermline will know they desperately need the striker to be available for the final nine games of the season.