Hampshire ends Pars drought

Zura Khizanishvili tracks the Pars' Steve Crawford

Dunfermline Athletic 1-0 Dundee

Steve Hampshire's second goal in a week gave under-pressure Dunfermline Athletic manager Jimmy Calderwood some respite with victory at home to Dundee.

The win ended a run of seven straight league defeats for the Pars.

It came courtesy of a first-half goal from former Chelsea forward Hampshire, who had scored in the midweek CIS Cup defeat by Inverness Caley Thistle.

David Nicholls and Jason Dair had dropped on to the bench from the midweek line-up.

Justin Skinner returned along with long-missing captain Ian Ferguson.

Steve Hampshire is the centre of attention

Alessandro Romano, Steven Milne and Lucas Gatti dropped out for Dundee after their defeat by Ross County.

Youths David Mackay and Barry Forbes were given their chance, but the most significant change was the return of striker Juan Sara after injury.

Hampshire had an effort from the edge of the box that flew over the bar as Dunfermline took control early on.

But the Dundee defence held firm and the visitors almost opened the scoring themselves after 15 minutes with their first effort on goal.

Scotland international Gavin Rae picked up the ball 20 yards from goal and unleashed a ferocious shot that Pars goalkeeper Scott Thomson did well to save at the second attempt.

Dunfermline failed to clear at a free-kick, but Thomson was well positioned to save Forbes' effort from 10 yards.

But Dunfermline took the lead after 26 minutes.

Returning stars Juan Sara and Ian Ferguson

A Stewart Petrie cross from the left found Hampshire unmarked six yards from goal and the forward's point-blank header crawled over the line after going through goalkeeper Jamie Langfield's legs.

Dundee hit back and Sara's header from 12 yards went just over Thomson's crossbar.

A 25-yard free kick from Dunfermline defender Youssef Rossi flew inches wide of the right-hand post.

It was Dundee who created the first chance of the second half, but Fabian Caballero's shot from eight yards went well over

Ferguson's shot through a ruck of players forced aqn excellent save from Langfield, who turned the ball wide for a corner at the other end.

Dundee poured forward in search of the equaliser, but Pars bodies got in the way of efforts from Caballero and Walter del Rio.

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Dunfermline: Scott Y Thomson, Nicholson, Rossi, Skerla, Skinner, Ferguson, Hampshire, Gary Mason, Gary Mason, Gary Mason, de Gier, Crawford. Subs: Ruitenbeek, Potter, Nicholls, Nish, McLeish.

Dundee: Langfield, Smith, Khizanishvili, Del Rio, MacKay, Robertson, Rae, Forbes, Garrido, Sara, Caballero. Subs: Mathers, Boylan, Gatti, Milne, Fatello.

Referee: K Clark.