Dunfermline registered their first victory in ten games with a determined and purposeful performance against Partick Thistle.
That they had to come from behind following Brian Graham’s opener made it all the more special for the Pars, who won for the first time since December 9.
Malachi Fagan-Walcott netted an equaliser for the Fifers seven minutes later to send the teams in for the break level.
And, after the interval, the East End Park side were transformed as Matty Todd clipped in a wonderful second nine minutes into the second-half and Xavier Benjamin nodded in a third in the 66th minute.
The three points lifts Dunfermline up to seventh in the Championship table and eases the pressure on under-fire boss James McPake.
Another injury and 2 players back
In a season of injury woes there was another for Dunfermline to contend with.
Aaron Comrie, just back from a calf strain, sustained a knee injury in training ahead of the trip to Firhill and could now miss the rest of the season.
His absence made the loan signing of Livingston right-back Miles Welch-Hayes even more necessary and the 27-year made his debut as a late replacement.
The former Colchester United defender was initially named on the bench, with McPake sticking with the back-four formation he used in the 1-1 draw with Arbroath.
Benjamin moved to the full-back position in the absence of Comrie, with Chris Hamilton slotting back into defence.
With eight first-team players out, it was welcome for all concerned to see Todd back in the starting line-up after two months out with a hamstring problem.
The same issue has kept Alex Jakubiak sidelined since early January, but the striker was deemed fit enough to take his place on the bench.
Todd energy
There was an indication within five minutes of just what the returning Todd can offer Dunfermline.
His drive and energy were evident as he burst forward towards the Thistle box before being snuffed out.
The ball twice broke kindly for the Pars, however, and Ewan Otoo and Chris Kane were also denied with pot-shots.
In the ninth minute, after a foul on Chris Kane, Lewis McCann tried his luck from 30 yards out but Ross Stewart in the Thistle coal turned the effort round the post.
Three minutes later at the other end, the Jags had the ball in the net through Brian Graham but Jack McMillan was deemed to be in an offside position as he latched onto a fresh-air swipe from the retreating Brad Holmes.
Thistle start to dominate
It had been a solid start from Dunfermline, with another flurry in the home box following a Paul Allan free-kick, which ended with Hamilton’s shot being deflected wide.
But the hosts suddenly stepped up a gear and threatened the opener.
First, Graham failed to turn Harry Milne’s header goalwards from point-blank range and then Deniz Mehmet produced a wonderful divine save from a curling Graham shot from the edge of the box.
When Josh Edwards blocked a low Kerr McInroy effort the pressure was undoubtedly mounting.
And it paid off for the Jags in the 30th minute with the breakthrough.
Edwards failed to get enough distance on Milne’s hopeful cross from the left.
And, when Luke McBeth looped a header back into the box, the predatory Graham ghosted beyond the static Pars markers to nod beyond Mehmet.
Leveller out of nothing
Thistle’s dominance was clear but Dunfermline hauled themselves level out of the blue.
Edwards picked up a loose ball from a cleared Pars corner and strode forward before unleashing a powerful drive from 35 yards out.
Stewart looked uncertain as he pushed the effort back out into a crowded box.
And Fagan-Walcott was on hand to score for the second game in a row.
Todd then had a shot saved by Stewart as the Fifers finished the half feeling better about themselves.
Second-half surge
And they almost opened the second-half in even better mood.
Two minutes in, McCann crossed from the left to pick out the run of Todd but the midfielder’s header crashed back off the upright.
Kane was in attendance but was caught on his heels and Aaron Muirhead got there first to clear from off the line.
But, in the 55th minute, they did get a dream second.
Edwards launched a pass beyond Thistle’s last defender and Todd was the man racing clear to beat the offside trap.
His finish was sublime, lifting his shot over the advancing Stewart and into the net.
The home side wanted an offside flag but TV pictures showed the Pars man was a yard onside.
And Thistle were angered again four minutes later when Graham turned in Milne’s deflected shot only for the ‘goal’ to be chalked off for offside after a discussion between referee David Munro and his stand-side assistant.
Their ire was only heightened when Dunfermline added a third in the 66th minute.
Allan swung in a corner from the right and Benjamin powered into a crowded box to bullet in his header from 10 yards out.
Jakubiak almost fired in a fourth in the 82nd minute but his shot took a touch on its way by the post before the visitors saw out five minutes of injury-time.
Star Man: Matty Todd
The midfielder lasted just over an hour on his return but showed just what has been missing in his time out of the side.
And his finish for Dunfermline’s crucial second goal was simply sublime.
Player Ratings
Dunfermline (4-3-3): Mehmet 6; Benjamin 6 (Welch-Hayes 80 3), Fagan-Walcott 7, Hamilton 7, Edwards 6; Todd 8 (Moffat 67 4), Allan 7, Otoo 7; Holmes 5 (Jakubiak 61 5), Kane 6, McCann 6. Subs not used: Little, Chalmers, Summers, T Sutherland. Booked: Kane.
Referee: David Munro.
Attendance: 3,350.
