FORMER Hearts and Hibs pair Stephen Simmons and Stephen Glass hit the second-half goals which had the Dunfermline supporters smiling again after their early Scottish Cup exit against Partick Thistle.
DUNFERMLINE 2
Simmons 51; Glass 83
MORTON 0The Fifers went all the way to the final last season before losing to Celtic but yesterday it was all about climbing up the league table.
The opening stages were uninspired. In f
act, it took 15 minutes before anything of note happened, Dunfermline winger Kevin Harper swinging in a cross from the right which was tipped over the crossbar by goalkeeper David McGurn.
Within the space of a couple of minutes, Pars midfielder Glass' corner was headed wide by Scott Thomson and striker Mark Burchill's header from a Danny Murphy delivery met with a confident save from McGurn.
Dunfermline were now beginning to turn the screw and the Cappielow goalkeeper was almost caught out by player/manager Jim McIntyre's cross before he produced a brilliant one-handed save from a Jim Hamilton header which was destined for the corner of the net.
It was a frustrating day for Morton striker Iain Russell as pickings were few and far between, although Jim McAllister was always a threat down the left, and in the 52nd minute it was left to a Dunfermline midfielder to break the deadlock. Murphy was the architect, putting the ball over a sleepy Morton defence and in raced Simmons to score from eight yards out.
The home side made it two with eight minutes left, Glass' drive coming off the post before crossing the line.
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