There was very little difference from manager Paton’s line up and style to the new Campbell regime approach. Marc Millar came into the team and Gerry Britton dropped out. This was a game where Thistle could do no wrong but the Pars could come out with egg covered faces and confidences fatally dented.

Two first half goals from Andy SMITH both as a result of former Partick man George Shaw’s crosses from the right put Dunfermline in a commanding position. Then just three minutes from the interval Lee Butler brought down Robert Dunn on the extreme right of his penalty box when Richard Huxford had seemed to have cleared the danger. The same player converted the penalty to put Thistle back in the game.

In the second half Dunfermline had the better of the chances but neither side managed to change the scoreline. Petrie beat everyone to cut back across an open goal but behind George Shaw. Shaw had a shot just wide of the left post and when Edinho came on he hit the crossbar and Andy Smith amazingly hit the post with his headed rebound.

On a day that saw Premier League Kilmarnock, Aberdeen and Dundee knocked out by lower league oppo Dick Campbell has to be satisfied to be in the next round, but he should not be satisfied with this display which did nothing to raise expectations for the last 14 crucial matches of the Premier League.

Yet again Greg Shields had a great match in the centre of the defence but Dunfermline need him attacking up the right. George Shaw was the Man of the Match but possibly would be given as much scope by a Premier League defence and Andy Smith showed eager to score and his two goals should help the big skipper to regain confidence.

DUNFERMLINE: Butler; Huxford, Shields, Tod, McCulloch (Johnson 68);.Shaw, French, Millar, Petrie, Graham (Edinho 78), Smith.
Subs not used: Squires
Yellow Cards: McCulloch (66)
Scorer: Smith (17, 32)
Referee: Stuart Dougall (Burnbank)
Attendance 4650