Dunfermline 0-3 Falkirk

The Pars rounded off a depressing league season with a dismal performance against bitter rivals Falkirk. Even though 8 changes were made to the side, Dunfermline should have performed a whole lot better than they did but instead three second half goals saw the Bairns secure 4 wins out of 4 against the Athletic this season.

Stephen Kenny's team selection was clearly influenced by next weekend's Tennent's Scottish Cup final with Celtic. Dours De Vries and Jim McIntyre had slight knocks so were not risked, with Roddy McKenzie and Mark Burchill coming in. With Adam Hammill on England under 19 duty and Gary Mason, Jim O'Brien, Tam McManus and Stephen Glass all unable to play next week, the gaffer included Darren Young, Stephen Simmons, Stevie Crawford and Freddie Daquin, while Scott Wilson returned from suspension as the defence looked like being the one which will line up at Hampden.

The 12.30 kick off did little for crowd numbers but those who did attend were intent on creating an atmosphere, as the Pars fans hit back at taunts about the drop by reminding their rivals we're in the UEFA Cup next season; something which Falkirk have never achieved.

But for those who did attend, they must have wished they had stayed at home during an absolutely atrocious first half which would have got football stopped. Both teams looked like they couldn't be bothered fulfilling the fixture and, as a result, there was very little in terms of chances.

Simmons saw a shot blocked by Vitor Lima while McKenzie produced a smart block to deny Carl Finnigan at the near post. And that was it for the first half, apart from Scott Muirhead and Russel Latapy firing free-kicks over and straight at the goalkeeper respectively.

At half time, Kenny withdrew Muirhead after picking up a knock and subbed the ineffective Daquin for Jim Hamilton and Callum Woods as the Pars looked for a pre-cup final boost.

However, they didn't get going in the second half either and just 4 minutes had gone in the second half when the visitors took the lead. With the ball bouncing loose in the box and no Pars players willing to clear, the ball eventually broke to Steven Thomson who lashed the ball home past McKenzie.

Latapy, who ran the show for the Bairns against the Pars yet again, went close with a chip which went just over the bar before he orchastrated the second goal. The veteran played a one-two with Alan Gow, who placed the ball past McKenzie for the second goal.

This was truely poor stuff from the Pars but they seemed to pick it up a bit thereafter, with Young and Shields firing good efforts just over while Crawford stung the arms of Kasper Schmeichel with a fierce drive.

A Crawford cross was then met by sub Tam McManus, but his header came crashing back off the crossbar and it was evident it was not to be the Pars day. To rub salt into the wound, Pedro Moutinho thumped home a third goal from 25 yards in stoppage time.

A desperately disappointing way to say farewell to the SPL, but the team will be much changed and in a different frame of mind for the big one next week. We have nothing to lose, we can do it! 'Mon the Pars!

Match Stats

Dunfermline Athletic: McKenzie; Shields, Wilson, Bamba, Muirhead (Woods 45); Daquin (Hamilton 45), Simmons, Young, McCunnie; Crawford, Burchill.
Subs not used: Paterson, McGuire, Ross, O'Brien.

Falkirk: Schmeichel, Ross, Scobbie, Barr, Milne, Lima, Thomson, Craig (O'Donnell 81), Latapy (Moutinho 74), Gow (John Stewart 86), Finnigan.
Subs Not Used: Lambers, Uras, Mcstay, Twaddle.

Goals: Thomson (49), Gow (57), Moutinho (90).

Walking Down the Halbeath Road MoM: Scott Wilson (Also the WDTHR Player of the Year)

Attendance: 5,087

Referee: Eddie Smith