Second-half substitute Paul Allan curled a delicious strike – his first for the Pars – to give Dunfermline a winning start on their return to the Championship.
Ewan Otoo equalised earlier, also getting his first goal for the club, cancelled out Craig Watson’s opener for Airdrie in a 2-1 win at KDM Group East End Park.
Ahead of the match, the Pars unfurled the League One flag.
Though not always comfortable, the Pars put on a performance worthy of the occasion – showing the same character they did many times last season to take all three points.
How Dunfermline lined up
Harry Sharp came in for his debut, two days after signing on loan from Dundee.
It came after Deniz Mehmet joined Matty Todd and Kane Ritchie-Hosler on the sidelines with a lengthy injury.
Dunfermline have actually lined up with Tod behind a front two – he appears to be man-marking Rhys McCabe. pic.twitter.com/aHOlnRhpNx
— Craig Cairns (@craigcairns001) August 5, 2023
Ewan Otoo was preferred to Chris Hamilton in midfield and Andrew Tod kept his place on the right of a fluid front three. He would drop in to man-mark Diamonds player-manager Rhys McCabe when the Pars were out of possession
For Airdrie, also newly promoted to the Championship, there was no East End Park return for title-winner Nikolay Todorov after he picked up an injury in the Viaplay Cup.
There really wasn’t much between the sides last season: three 1-1 draws and an astonishing 4-3 win for McPake’s men after going 3-0 down.
📃Here are the team lines in full. Harry Sharp comes in for a quick debut, Otoo preferred to Hamilton in midfield and Tod keeps his place.
No Todorov for Airdrie. pic.twitter.com/ADYnc2x4EJ
— Craig Cairns (@craigcairns001) August 5, 2023
The visitors came into this in fantastic form, topping their Viaplay Cup group with maximum points.
Competetive first half
Soon after kick-off the spells of heavy rain that have batter the country hit the city of Dunfermline and the wet pitch suited the styles of both sides.
Airdrie went close first when Adam Frizzell struck the post and Sharp had to be alert to save from Charlie Telfer through a pack of bodies.
Calum Gallagher fired over from the rebound and it was under similar circumstances that Aidrie took the lead.
Again it was Telfer, whose shot crashed off the bar on 22 minutes before Watson knocked in the seconds.
It took the Pars 10 minutes to get back level when Otoo rose well to head in an inviting cross from Josh Edwards.
Before that they had worked Airdrie’s emergency loan keeper Josh Clarke had denied Otoo well with his feet and kept out an awkward effort from Lewis McCann that clipped Edwards’ heels.
Second half
Either side of the break, Airdrie’s young keeper was caught out with loose balls a few times as McCabe’s side employed a risky pass-from-the-back strategy.
Dunfermline almost took advantage once or twice as they controlled the second half, going close through Tod from range.
He was then replaced by Allan, who put the Pars ahead on 65 minutes, arcing in a wonderful strike past Clarke after Edwards’ cross was knocked back into his path.
Airdrie had their chances to equalise, with Gallagher going close among a slew of bodies. His effort was blocked just ahead of the line before the loose ball was stabbed wide.
Joe Chalmers also had to block Callum Fordyce’s header on the line.
Dunfermline finished the game with 10 men when Breen picked up a second yellow card and Hamilton replaced Wighton to shore up the Pars for the final 10 minutes or so.
Dunfermline (3-4-3): Sharp; Fisher, Benedictus, Breen (sent off 77); Comrie, Chalmers, Otoo, Edwards; Tod (Allan 55), Wighton (Hamilton 78), McCann.
Subs not used: Little, Fenton, Sutherland, Hoggan.
