Dunfermline succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to bitter rivals Falkirk on Saturday as their relegation worries took another twist.
The Pars, watched live for the first time by new owner James Bord, remain ninth in the Championship table following the loss.
Ex-Raith Rovers midfielder Brad Spencer scored the only goal of the game for the Bairns, who extended their lead to six points at the top of the league.
Courier Sport was on hand to analyse where it went wrong for the Fifers.
5 – Five minutes to lose a goal
Dunfermline appeared confident and purposeful from kick-off.
Buoyed by their win over Morton in the previous game, there was a determination about the Pars to upset the odds against the league leaders.
But all that lasted just five minutes.
There was an element of misfortune about the goal that decided the game.
Ethan Ross’ cross from the right was deflected to the edge of the box where Barney Stewart as on hand to lay off to Spencer.
There was no doubting his pinpoint finish.
Where the Fifers had wanted a solid start to the game, they were behind and chasing the game before the game had even settled.
5 – Five games, no wins against Falkirk
Defeat means Dunfermline have gone through the season without a victory over their foes.
A 2-0 reverse at home in early August was followed by a narrow 2-1 loss in Falkirk in October.
Both defeats came with James McPake at the helm.
Interim boss John McLaughlan then steered the Pars to a remarkable 3-3 draw at East End Park in December.
But that is the only point they have taken from the Bairns this term.
The latest 1-0 defeat under new head coach Michael Tidser means three Fifers managers have failed to get the better of the title favourites.
Coupled with a 2-2 draw between the sides in League One in April 2023, it means Falkirk are now unbeaten in five games in the fixture.
0 – Zero shots on target
Dunfermline enjoyed 49 per cent possession against Falkirk.
That is no mean feat against a team whose success has been built on a successful passing game.
But, although they circulated the ball well at times, they failed to really go anywhere meaningful with it.
Tidser admitted as much after the game, when he said his team had ‘lacked a real belief in the final third’.
Chris Kane did have the ball in the net two minutes after the opener but saw it ruled out for a hand ball.
It left the official statistics at the end of the game showing no efforts on target.
And three shots all game, compared to Falkirk’s nine.
It is a worrying problem that the Fifers need to find solutions to – and quickly.
7 – Seven games without goal under Tidser
Dunfermline’s issues in front of goal are nothing new.
Saturday was the seventh time in ten games under Tidser that they have failed to score.
Since a 3-0 win in the new head coach’s debut match in charge against Stenhousemuir, Kane is the only player to have found the net.
The former St Johnstone man has struggled all season for fitness but lasted the 90 minutes against Falkirk.
His disallowed goal was the closest the Pars got to scoring.
With McLaughlan in interim charge, the Fifers scored three against Falkirk and four away to Partick Thistle.
In McPake’s final ten games in charge, there were four blanks.
Tidser must work out what he can do structurally to ensure Dunfermline get the goals they need to win the points they need.
8 – Eight games to avoid relegation
Dunfermline are firmly in a relegation battle after defeat kicked off the final quarter of fixtures.
When McPake was sacked just before Christmas there was still half the season remaining.
At that point, the Pars were second-bottom, ahead of Airdrie and behind Hamilton Accies.
Ten games on, the order and positions remain the same.
Unless they can do something to overhaul Accies, who are one point ahead, a nerve-shredding play-off awaits.
And that assumes the Fifers can keep ahead of Airdrie, who are seven points adrift in tenth.
The Diamonds have lost just two of their last eight league games – against top two Falkirk and Ayr United – and have momentum with 14 points in that spell.
Dunfermline, with eight from a possible 24, desperately need points to ensure automatic relegation does not become a growing possibility.
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