Montrose had the best chance of the first 20 minutes, visiting goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet plucking the ball off the head of Rory McAllister after Liam Callaghan swung a free kick into the box.

But Dunfermline took the lead in the 22nd minute when Lewis McCANN was left unmarked at the back post to head in from Kane Ritchie-Hosler’s cross from wide on the right.

Craig Wighton was denied by Montrose goalkeeper Ross Matthews three minutes later as the Pars looked to cement their advantage. The young goalkeeper was called into action again a minute later, turning McCann’s ferocious shot over the crossbar.
Kyle Benedictus should have done better with a header in the 27th minute, failing to hit the target when unchallenged in the box.

Dunfermline pulled two in front in the 29th minute when the unmarked WIGHTON headed into the empty net after McCann’s shot had crashed off the crossbar and dropped in front of him.

McAllister blasted a half volley over the crossbar from the edge of the box in the 32nd minute, and came close again 10 minutes later when his lobbed cross clipped the crossbar. Craig Johnston could have pulled a goal back for Montrose shortly afterwards, but his touch under pressure in the box was heavy and the ball rolled out of play.

Dunfermline almost put the match beyond doubt in the opening seconds of the second half, but McCann blasted over the crossbar. The same player came close again with a long-range free kick that took a deflection on its way through to the box, but Matthews palmed the ball wide of the post at full stretch.

The visitors were awarded a penalty in the 53rd minute when Sean Dillon upended Chris Hamilton with a slide tackle. Craig WIGHTON sent his kick into the bottom corner.

Montrose were given a glimmer of hope in the 65th minute when Craig BROWN curled a volley from the edge of the box into the top corner of Mehmet’s net.

Ritchie-Hosler was unlucky not to put the Pars further ahead in the 74th minute when he dribbled through the heart of the Montrose midfield before dragging his shot wide of the post.

Brown came close to adding his second for Montrose when his shot at full stretch from Blair Lyons’ cross flew over the crossbar in the 75th minute.

O’Hara was inches away from scoring Dunfermline’s fourth in the 81st minute, his shot rolling past the post.

Report by Mark Rae