Match Report
Ian McCall made just one change from the side that lost 1-0 to Raith Rovers 7 days ago but it was the exact deployment of his players that provided the pre-match talking points. Ian Maxwell returned to the side after injury with Liam Buchanan dropping to the bench as the Thistle manager shuffled his pack. Mark Corcoran and Simon Donnelly gave Thistle a two pronged strike force, Ryan Conroy and Paul Paton moved forward into midfield with Alan Archibald and Greg Shields occupying the full back positions.
The first half of this game was one not likely to linger long in the memory. Dunfermline looked busy in the opening exchanges and in the 8th minute a well struck shot from David Graham took a touch on its' way just wide of Jonny Tuffey's right hand post. Two minutes later Nick Phinn saw a shot blocked by a Thistle defender and as Dunfermline continued to have the best of what little there was in the way of chances Graham again came close in the 18th minute with a curling shot.
And if truth be told that was about it for noteworthy incidents in the first 45 minutes. Thistle were making very little impact on the Dunfermline rearguard with their best passing move, in the 22nd minute, breaking down when Paul Cairney was just unable to gather a pass inside the Dunfermline box.
In the 36th minute Greg Shields pushing forward from his full back position earned Thistle their first corner of the afternoon but Ryan Conroy's flag kick was cleared and the half-time whistle that sounded a little under ten minutes later was greeted by some half hearted boos from the Firhill faithful.
Both teams made changes at the break. Thistle sent on Steve Lovell for Ryan Conroy while Dunfermline replaced Steven McDougall with Joe Cardle.
It was the Dunfermline sub that made the immediate impact firing low past Jonny Tuffey in the 47th minute to give Dunfermline the lead.
Thistle were nearly level a minute later when Mark Corcoran's cross clipped the Dunfermline bar but Dunfermline less than a minute later came close to extending their advantage. David Graham got clear of Paul Paton but could only hit his shot off the body of Jonny Tuffey.
Graham was causing an out of sorts Thistle team major problems and in the 53rd minute his run went unchallenged with Tuffey saving, but not holding, his shot from 20 yards out. As the ball broke loose though the flag went up for offside.
A second Thistle change was made in the 54th minute when top scorer Liam Buchanan came on for Simon Donnelly. Two minutes later the two Thistle subs combined with Lovell setting up Buchanan. Buchanan though ignored Corcoran to his right and elected to shoot for goal himself but Fleming was able to make a comfortable save at his near post.
Just past the hour mark Dunfermline were close to scoring the goal that would surely have made the points safe. Greg Shields fouled Andy Kirk some 20 yards from goal and after Shields was booked Willie Gibson was just inches off target with his free kick.
As poor as the Thistle performance was they should have been level in the 64th minute. Liam Buchanan set Steve Lovell clear on goal but with just Fleming to beat he was unable to hit target and Buchanan couldn't squeeze the ball home at the back post.
Dunfermline though were close to a goal less than a minute later. Joe Cardle was, with ease, able to escape the attention of the Thistle defence before setting up Nick Phinn who lashed his shot wide of goal.
In the 68th minute Thistle were denied an equaliser through the combination of the crossbar and rotten luck. The ball hitting off Liam Buchanan and with the keeper beaten the ball struck the bar before bouncing clear.
Three minutes later it looked to all intents and purposes game over. Joe Cardle had had a major impact on proceedings since coming on at half-time and his shot from 20 yards that flew high into the Thistle net drew applause from sections of the Thistle support.
To have any chance of salvaging something from this game Thistle required a quick response to Cardle's second goal and in the 75th minute they nearly got it. David Rowson's powerful shot wasn't held by Fleming but the Dunfermline keeper recovered well to block Buchanan's effort from the rebound.
Any lingering doubt over the destination of the points was removed with 8 minutes remaining. Joe Cradle danced his way through the Thistle defence before completing an impressive hat-trick.
A minute later it was four when Calum Woods, not long as a sub, shot home provoking a furious reaction from those Thistle fans still in their seats.
Dunfermline were threatening further misery on Thistle but Liam Buchanan did grab a goal with 4 minutes remaining. Chris Erskine provided the spadework setting up Buchanan at the back post who lifted a shot high into the net.
