Rovers failed to build on Sunday’s SPFL Trust Trophy Triumph as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to the hands of relegation battling Dunfermline. 

A Kevin O’Hara double was enough to separate the sides as John McGlynn’s side failed to gain any ground on fourth placed Partick Thistle as they now have it all to do in the final four games. 

Rovers had the first real opportunity of the game with a quarter of an hour played after some good recovery work from Ross Matthews won the ball back in the middle of the park and managed to move his side forward up the pitch, playing the ball out to Frankie Musonda on the left who charged past Matty Todd cutting inside onto his right foot when he looked like trying his luck from distance before being tripped by Pybus, winning his side a free kick in a dangerous area on the left. Aidan Connolly stepped up but his right footed effort from the edge of the box was straight at the wall which allowed Coll Donaldson to clear. 

It was a hotly contested game, with the hosts proving that their mini revival could well begin against John McGlynn’s side as Steven Lawless narrowly missed the target from 22-yards out. A sensational piece of skill from Dom Thomas saw him flick the ball over the head of Reghan Tumilty with the back of his heel on the left and sprint away down the line, squaring the ball along the face of the eighteen yard box. Lawless stepped onto the ball and a fierce left footed shot was his choice, but it flew narrowly wide of the right hand post with 22-minuteds played 

Rovers were the creators of their own downfall as the hosts drew first blood with 12 first half minutes remaining. Kyle Benedictus’ pass across the face of his own box was picked up by Dave McKay in his own box who gave it to Spencer a few yards in front of him, which triggered the press from the home side, which lead to the midfielder having his pocket picked by Dom Thomas, who instinctively slid the ball into the path of Kevin O’Hara in support, allowing him to run clean through, one on one with Jamie MacDonald, the striker made no mistake in slotting the ball home. 

O’Hara sends the ball past Jamie for the Pars’ opener

Steven Lawless was left gobsmacked that he hadnt doubled his side’s advantage four minutes before the break. Some great break away play from Dom Thomas saw him draw the full Rovers backline out to the left hand side, letting the former Partick man drift through on goal unnoticed, allowing Thomas to square to the middle of the box, which caught MacDonald in two minds, but Lawless fired his first time effort over the bar from 12-yards out. 

Rovers thought they’d managed to get themselves back on level terms just shy of the 55-minute mark after Matej Poplatnik saw yet another headed effort fly inches over the bar. Some good work from Ethan Ross down the left hand side saw him win a free-kick off of Matty Todd, which allowed him to deliver a ball into the area, which Ambrose miscued, allowing the ball to float towards Poplatnik, who’s header was looped from 12-yards and landed on the roof of the net. 

Things didn’t get any better from there as Kevin O Hara scored his and his side’s second goal of the evening with 11-minutes to play. Dom Thomas looked to try and catch Jamie MacDonald out at his near post from a corner, which had the keeper scrambling, clawing the ball off the line but into the path of O’Hara only a yard or so out as he managed to bundle the ball under the goalie and into the net to cap off a miserable evening in Fife.