The undersoil heating ensured that in the face of minus seven overnight temperatures that this Championship match went ahead. On the back of defeat at Stranraer Stevie Crawford’s starting eleven showed four changes. Cammy Gill, a first half sub for Ryan Scully the previous week, continued in goal while Greg Kiltie, Lee Ashcroft and Tom Beadling came into the side at the expense of Josh Edwards, Lewis McCann and Kyle Turner.

Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall made two changes from the side he fielded against Alloa Athletic on Tuesday night. He brought in Stuart Bannigan and Steven Saunders favoured in place of Cammy Palmer and Sean McGinty. No Ryan Williamson however, out injured.

Andy Ryan got the match underway after Thistle won the toss and elected to defend the goal at the McCathie Stand end. It was there in front of the home support where the first drama of the match was played out.

In the fourth minute Kiltie dispossessed Tam O’Ware out on the right side and as he was about to put the trigger on his shot eight yards out, O’Ware took him down. Referee Mike Roncone pointed to the spot and then produced a red card for the Thistle captain. Kevin NISBET stepped up and tucked the ball to Jamie Sneddon’s left. 1-0

Ian McCall’s reaction to losing a player was to withdraw Joe Cardle and bring on McGinty to patrol the vacancy in central defence. The lead was to double just six minutes later. Martin passed through Nisbet to Kiltie and despite Ryan calling for the lay off, the on loan Killie man slipped the ball left for MARTIN to slot past Sneddon at his near post. Lewis’ first goal since January 2015 made it 2-0.

Dunfermline continued to attack and after a surging run Aaron Comrie crossed for Ryan to head wide of target. Kiltie returned the ball but the Jags sub headed clear.

Then just before the midpoint of the first half, Martin gathered the ball down on the left and from near the corner flag sent in a cross that no one could either finish nor clear. Nisbet was deemed to have been taken down by Reece Cole as he tried to control the ball and the referee was pointing to the spot again. NISBET stepped up again and this time buried the ball on the bottom left. 3-0

The Pars striker was to complete his hat trick in 31 minutes. Two corners from the left preceded it. The first was expertly flicked behind by Bannigan after Nisbet had connected with Ryan’s delivery at the near post.

The second corner was defended but then returned by Ashcroft. Kakay headed the ball back out but it dropped for NISBET on the right side of the box and he drilled the ball into the far side of the net. 4-0

A Nisbet effort was blocked to bring the Pars a 39th minute corner on the right but Thistle closed down Ashcroft when taken short by Kiltie and although a cross went in Sneddon held.

The final chance of the half came with a Ryan free kick from the left but the offside flag was up and the referee brought the half to a close.

It was only half time but the contest was over, four goals, two penalties and one red card saw to that.

Half time: Dunfermline 4 Partick Thistle 0

One substitute for Dunfermline at the start of the second half, Paul Paton replaced by Harry Cochrane and another for the visitors - Tommy Robson on in place of Dario Zanatta.

A Ryan cut back from the right byline headed wide right by Nisbet before the first half’s hat trick hero scored the Fifers fifth. It was just the fourth minute of the half when Dow’s cross from near the right corner flag was cleverly turned back by Beadling for NISBET to convert from six yards. 5-0

The Jags supporters who remained must have been delighted to see Nisbet substituted by Gabby McGill in 56 minutes. Seven minutes later Joe Thomson was given a warm welcome by East End Park crowd when he came on to replace Ryan Dow.

Kiltie did all the hard work to create a 65th minute chance but from an acute angle sent the ball over the Thistle bar. The ten men struggled to hold possession and when they did gave the ball away all too easily. Martin got up for a good cross and then Cochrane spotted his run and set him up for another shot but his 71st minute attempt cleared the crossbar.

Bannigan and Miller combined to set up a rare Thistle shot but Reece Cole blasted that into the McCathie Stand. Then Devine held Miller and COLE struck the 75th free kick from 35 yards out sweetly into the bottom left of the home net. 5-1

Six minutes from the end Cole had a similar situation to the one he scored from but this time hit the ball into the two man Pars wall.

Dunfermline gave a good reaction to their dismal day in Stranraer and hopefully they have come over that ‘bump in the road’ stronger. With Ayr United’s home match against Arbroath postponed due to a frozen pitch and a Stephen Dobbie double for Queen of the South defeating Dundee, there would be a chance to get into the top four if they can win their game in hand at Somerset Park on Tuesday.

DUNFERMLINE: Cammy Gill: Aaron Comrie, Lee Ashcroft, Danny Devine, Lewis Martin: Ryan Dow (Joe Thomson 63), Paul Paton (c) (Harry Cochrane HT), Tom Beadling, Greg Kiltie: Kevin Nisbet (Gabby McGill 56), Andy Ryan.
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Turner, Josh Edwards, Lewis McCann, Ben Swinton (GK).
SCORERS: Nisbet (4 pen. 22 pen., 31, 49), Martin (10)

PARTICK THISTLE: Jamie Sneddon: Osman Kakay, Tom O`Ware (c), Steven Saunders (Cammy Palmer 52), James Penrice: Stuart Bannigan, Reece Cole, Craig Slater, Joe Cardle (Sean McGinty 6), Kenny Miller, Dario Zanatta (Tommy Robson HT)
SUBS NOT USED: Alex Jones, Gary Harkins, Raffaelle De Vita, Luke Scullion (GK).
SCORERS: Cole (75)

REFEREE: Mike Roncone
WEATHER: Dry 1C
ATTENDANCE 3498

NEXT MATCH: Ladbrokes Championship: (away) v Ayr United, Tuesday 3rd December 2019, kick off 7.45pm at Somerset Park