The Pars found no way back after going two down within ten minutes and then having a man sent off before half time. Dunfermline created a great many chances throughout but contrived to miss them all much to the frustration of manager Neil Lennon.

It was fifth v fourth as Partick Thistle were the visitors to KDM Group East End Park. Pars defender Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen was out suspended following his red card against Ayr United. Alfons Amade and Robbie Fraser returned in favour of Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Ewan Otoo while Chris Kane, after five appearances off the bench, got his first league start of the season.

Mark Wilson’s Jags side showed three changes from that which faced Celtic in the quarter final of the Premier Sports Cup last time out. Celtic loanees Ben McPherson and Josh Clarke came back in while Oisin Smyth was included as Cammy Logan, Ben Stanway (injured) and keeper Lewis Budinauckas made way for them.

Manager Neil Lennon had said in his pre match comments that he would like to see his team start better but he would not get wish. It took the visitors only 50 seconds to find the net. In defending the first free kick of the afternoon Dunfermline teed up Tony WATT and the 31 year old had no hesitation in crashing the ball past Billy Terrell from eight yards out. 0-1

The goal did spark an immediate response from the Fifers. A Fraser cross seeking Andrew Tod landed on the roof of the Thistle net and on four minutes Rory Macleod played Kane in on the right side of the penalty area causing Clarke to come out and concede a corner. Next Macleod pinged the ball across the face of goal but none of the attacking Pars players could get a touch.

The Pars were stunned with a second Thistle goal in tenth minute, Logan Chalmers launching the ball from the right corner of the box into the far side of the home net. 0-2

The Maryhill team were making it hard for Dunfermline to play their passing game, continually pressing but in 17th minute A Tod looped a ball into the path of Kane and he sent it on for Macleod. The Dundee United loanee delivered a great ball in and it looked like Jefferson CÃ ¡ceres has to score. His attempt was kept out and Kane then looked certain to finish but again the visitors got away with conceding only a corner. Two corners ensued with Shea Kearney firing wide from the second one.

The Pars mounted attack after attack and Macleod was desperately unlucky to blast his 24th minute shot wide when he was presented with a good opportunity from a cross in from the left. Five minutes on and CÃ ¡ceres swung in an inviting ball from the left, Kane headed on but neither A Tod and Macleod could get the touch required to net.

Three minutes from the interval Macleod had his shot from 20 yards turned away for a corner on the right. This time CÃ ¡ceres took charge, taken short he managed to squeeze the ball into the six yard box but yet again it went through three or four Dunfermline players legs.

Things got worse for the Pars when a red card was shown for the second game running. CÃ ¡ceres was accused of violent conduct in his challenge on Daniel O’Reilly and referee Duncan Nicolson reached for his red.

It had been an extremely attacking first half, exciting to watch with both sides quick to go forward. Unfortunately Partick Thistle had taken their chances while Dunfermline had not managed to convert any of theirs. Down to ten men for the second 45 it was going to be a very uphill challenge to recover anything from this game.

Half time: Dunfermline 0 Partick Thistle 2

Thistle boss Mark Wilson had watched how Dunfermline coped when down to ten men against Ayr in midweek and warned his players how hard it would be in the second half. Friday signing Barney Stewart replaced Chris Kane before the restart. The away side dominated the early part of the half but Dunfermline survived a real goalmouth scramble to keep out Thistle in 59 minutes. Keith Bray and Tashan Oakley-Boothe replaced Rory Macleod and Charlie Gilmour and it was Bray’s free kick three minutes later that was diverted away from the rising John Tod in front of goal.

After that brief respite it was back to one way traffic however. Terrell pulled off a very good save to deny a Fitzpatrick shot powered on target from 20 yards out. A McPherson cross next took Fitzpatrick by surprise at the far post and he turned the ball over the bar. Kane Ritchie-Hosler and Matty Todd were brought on for the final 17 minutes but Todd sent his first chance into the McCathie Stand.

Terrell saved from Chalmers and then from sub Kyle Turner. Again in 81 minutes the former Pars midfielder should have netted but a combination of the keeper and defence kept it to two. Six minutes from the end the offside flag went up as Chalmers raced through again but that was accompanied by what looked like further bad news for Neil Lennon as captain Kyle Benedictus went down with a strain to his left leg. With all five substitutes used, he continued while clearly struggling to see out the closing minutes.

Terrell was shown a yellow as he came out to cover for his captain and upended Turner but Chalmers drove the 90th minute fee kick into the four man wall. Two Thistle corners in added time were seen off but the points had been won a long time before that. The Jags fourth win in a row and Dunfermline’s third successive defeat.

DUNFERMLINE: Billy Terrell: Shea Kearney, Kyle Benedictus (c), John Tod, Robbie Fraser: Rory Macleod (Keith Bray 64), Charlie Gilmour (Tashan Oakley-Boothe 64), Alfons Amade (Matty Todd 73), Jefferson CÃ ¡ceres: Chris Kane (Barney Stewart HT), Andrew Tod (Kane Ritchie-Hosler 73)
SUBS NOT USED: Ewan Otoo, Chris Hamilton, Nurudeen Abdulai, Mason Munn (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Terrell (89)
RED CARD: CÃ ¡ceres (44)

PARTICK THISTLE: Josh Clarke: Ben McPherson (Cammy Logan 75), Lee Ashcroft, Dan O’Reilly, Paddy Reading: Logan Chalmers, Robbie Crawford (Luke McBeth 87), Aidan Fitzpatrick, Oisin Smyth, Tsoanelo Letsosa (Kyle Turner 64); Tony Watt (Alex Samuel 64)
SUBS NOT USED: Liam Dolan, Thomas Horn, Lewis Budinauckas (GK)
SCORERS: Watt (1), Chalmers (10)
YELLOW CARD: Watt (48)

REFEREE: Duncan Nicholson
ATTENDANCE: 5629 (inc 851 away fans)
WEATHER: Overcast 15 °C

NEXT MATCH (home) v Queen’s Park, Saturday 4th October 2025, kick off 3.00pm at KDM Group East End Park