James McPake told the media pack that his Dunfermline players would enjoy their night – before catching himself and making it clear he meant alcohol-free.
Minutes later one of his match-winners came in clutching a well-earned bottle of champagne – though he too insisted it would remain corked.
Matty Todd put in another sensational performance – 45 minutes, to be more exact, playing the final half hour in the middle after switching between both wings until that point.
The Pars didn’t quite get going in the first half until Chris Mochrie cracked the post on the break.
In the second half Todd ran riot, forcing a save for the corner that led to the opener and popping up in the right place at the right time to seal the win.
🎥 Watch both the goals from yesterday's 2-0 win over Falkirk.
Full Highlights Later! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/g1ZavhzeTl
— Dunfermline Athletic (@officialdafc) March 8, 2023
The fan favourite raced to the corner and slid in celebration in front of a jubilant army that often sings his name.
Unbelievable
“It is absolutely unbelievable, I loved it if I’m being honest,” said a beaming Todd.
“I want to keep adding goals [to my game] and especially to do it out there on a night like this, it is great.
“I heard them chanting my name and it’s great to hear.
“It’s what I wanted to be like when I was a young kid: coming up through the academy to hear my name from the stand.
“We had a game plan tonight but in the first half it never really worked.
“We sat too deep off Falkirk even though we limited them to chances, we never really created anything.
“The manager just told us at half time, can we press them a wee bit higher?”
They did just that, taking the game to John McGlynn’s side – Todd at the heart of most of it.
After Kyle Benedictus put it over the bar from a few yards out, Todd was sent through the middle by Kane Ritchie-Hosler, another standout performer on the night.
He pulled out two good saves from Falkirk’s Brian Kinnear, set up Craig Wighton for a great chance and was eventually rewarded with a goal, his 10th of the season.
The win extends the gap at the top of League One to eight points and – with Falkirk in Scottish Cup action – the Pars have the chance to extend that at Peterhead this weekend.
“There was a lot on the game but our full focus was on us. We didn’t have a look at the league position or the league points.
“Our full focus was on what we could do to hurt Falkirk tonight.
“The second-half performance showed that we can certainly do that.
For the fans
“It is one for the Dunfermline fans, I thought that they were unbelievable tonight.
“They have backed us through everything this season and we just want to keep them happy and coming out in their numbers like that.
James McPake takes swipe at Falkirk counterpart with ‘double’ win jibe after Pars pull further clear https://t.co/Ih1MH8QCJw pic.twitter.com/I0F1DbCLK9
— The Courier Sport (@thecouriersport) March 7, 2023
“We still have a job to do and our full focus now turns on Saturday.”
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