Dunfermline finished the season in fitting style with a 2-0 win over Alloa – a game which saw Craig Wighton net his 20th goal of the season.
The striker became the first Pars player to reach that milestone since Kevin Nisbet in season 2019/20.
Saturday’s victory at the Indrodrill also saw Dunfermline surpass their record points total – set in 2016 – and it was another clean sheet.
There was once again a healthy travelling Pars support, even though the game had a predictable end-of-season feel to it.
The Pars took the lead midway through the second half through Wighton before Paul McGowan sealed the win with a beautiful lob on the angle.
⚽️ GOAL! Craig Wighton puts the Pars ahead after 64 minutes – and here’s the goal! pic.twitter.com/T7oZZK1Kfm
— Pars Review (@ParsReview) May 6, 2023
Key moments
It took a while for any kind of action, though the Pars always looked the more likely.
Kane Ritchie-Hosler has ended the season in terrific form and he was the first to make something happen – skipping infield and slipping a pass to Wighton, but there were no takers for his low cross.
Michael Miller then let fly from the edge of the box for the home side and Deniz Mehmet saved easily.
Other than that and a loose ball after a corner, there was little threat from the Wasps.
At the other end, Wighton – on the hunt for that goal – saw his volley blocked by Andy Graham from a back post.
The former Dundee striker then pounced on a slack pass from Cameron O’Donnell but Jay Hogarth rushed out and made an excellent stop from the one-on-one.
Within seconds of the restart Wighton carved out another chance for himself but was denied by an excellent block from Mark Durnan.
Alloa got into dangerous positions on occasion but there was no end product.
Again, it was the Pars who looked the most likely, with Lewis McCann twisting the defence before seeing his shot tipped over.
He then forced the save of the day out of Hogarth when the Wasps keeper clawed out his close-range header before curling an effort round the post from a one-on-one.
For the easiest of the three McCann raced through on the keeper but sent his outside-of-the-boot shot round the post.
Another McCann effort, this time on target, was saved again by Hogarth, but it fell to WIghton to tap in his milestone goal.
McGowan soon added the second with a speculative lob into the far top corner.
⚽️⚽️ GOAL! 69 minutes: a brilliant lob from Paul McGowan doubles Dunfermline’s lead! pic.twitter.com/ByGp8pqIK8
— Pars Review (@ParsReview) May 6, 2023
Player ratings
Dunfermline (3-4-1-2): Mehmet 7; Comrie 7, Benedictus 7, Otoo 7; Ritchie-Hosler 7 (Macdonald 6), Allan 6 (Mochrie 6), Chalmers 6 (Mahon 6), Edwards 7 (Fenton 6); McGowan 7; McCann 7 (Todorov 6), Wighton 7. Subs not used: Little, Hamilton, Sutherland.
Star man
Ritchie-Hosler was the best player in the first half and Wighton wasn’t far behind.
And despite the latter making it to 20 goals, McCann was again a handful for the opposition defence.
A few players have come into form during the run-in, none more so than McCann.
Manager under the microscope
McPake – fresh from winning manager of the month – fielded a strong starting XI to finish the season, eyeing those last remaining records within their reach.
Aloa boss Brian Rice, meanwhile, took the opportunity to rest some key players ahead of the quick turnaround before their playoff push.
It was a familiar shape for the Pars, the slight tweak from the week before was the switch to a front two.
In what was effectively a dead rubber, McPake’s side got what they came for: three points and a few more records.
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