MORTON 1 DUNFERMLINE 2 MORTON'S sole redeeming moment in a mediocre performance was Ryan McGuffie's opening goal, a perfectly taken diving header from an equally well executed Stevie Masterton free kick.

That apart, it was hard to understand how basically the same side as displayed such fight and craft to undo Queen of the South at Dumfries a fortnight previously could be so far off the pace of the game.

Football, of course, is played by human beings, not robots. No two oppositions will pose the same problems, but effort and commitment, those two great mantras of football management, shouldn't vary from game to game.

That's the theory, anyway. In practice Morton looked as resilient as a soggy paper bag against a Pars team clearly determined to banish their own demons from last Saturday when they succumbed to second bottom Ayr at East End Park.

Where the visitors were sharp, bright and determined, Morton looked insipid, lacklustre and all too often akin to bystanders.

Home manager James Grady spoke of his side allowing themselves to be bullied, and it was hard to disagree with that acerbic comment.

Before the kick-off there was a minute's silence, respectfully observed, for former Morton director Ken Woods.

Then the action began. The Pars opened with three in centre midfeld, flanked by wide men Graham and Cardle when not in possession, leaving Andy Kirk as their sole front man.

Such was the impact of their greater numbers in midfield, that Morton were forced to respond, replacing the ineffective Carlo Monti with Erik Paartalu after just 31 minutes.

Jim McAlister reverted from right midfield to left in the process, but it made little difference to the pattern of play.

Dunfermline had begun brightly, Steven Bell putting in Joe Cardle for a fierce drive which Colin Stewart in the home goal did well to beat down.

Then Davie Graham and Bell combined neatly on the right only for the former's pass inside to be cut out.

Morton's first response was a Stevie Masterton free kick which bent round the right side of the defensive wall only for Greg Fleming to push the ball round the post for a corner.

Back came the Pars, and a Cardle corner was headed strongly at goal by Woods only for Stewart to again come to his side's rescue.

Peter Weatherson almost got through onto a McGuffie through ball only for Fleming to bravely save but, as half-time loomed, it was the visitors who were asking the more pertinent and searching questions.

The sides reappeared with Higgins on for the injured McGregor for the visitors.

Two minutes into the half Dunfermline might have scored when Graham ran in behind the defence, onto a long kick from Fleming, but he bent his parting shot wide of the right post.

In 54 minutes, however, it was Morton who took a shock lead. Stevie Masterton flighted a wicked, bending free kick in from the right and Ryan McGuffie timed his run perfectly to throw himself forward and head inside the left post.

Gibson replaced Phinn for the Pars, then Campbell came on for Cardle as the visitors tried to force themselves back into the game.

They got their reward in 70 minuutes. Graham supplied an inside pass from the left to Kirk. He evaded Stewart Greacen's challenge and shot past Stewart as Shimmin desperately tried to get in a tackle.

Donovan Simmonds, signed until the end of the season, replaced Russell but it was Dunfermline who struck again, this time in 77 minutes.

Colin Stewart set off along his byeline to try and clear the ball, but it was Bell who won it on the right. He supplied Campbell, who in turn passed square to Mason, and his drive thundered into the net from the edge of the penalty area.

Morton sent on Brian Graham for Jenkins in an attempt to redress the balance but there was, simply, to be no way back for the home team.

Both sides got what they deserved when the final whistle blew, three hard-earned points whisking their way back to Fife in the chill of a wintry evening.

For Morton, it simply has to be better against Inverness tomorrow night at the same venue.

MORTON (4-4-2): Stewart 6; McGuffie 6, Greacen 5, Shimmin 7, Reid 5; McAlister 6, Masterton 5, Jenkins 5 (Graham 82 2), Monti 4 (Paartalu 31 4); Russell 5 (Simmonds 71 2), Weatherson 6.

Bookings: Greacen 67.

Subs not used - MacGregor, Cuthbert.

DUNFERMLINE (4-5-1): Fleming; Ross, McGregor (Higgins 46), Woods, McCann; Graham, Bell, Mason, Phinn (Gibson 59), Cardle (Campbell 68); Kirk Subs not used - Burke, Paterson.

Bookings: Mason 44, Gibson 88.

Referee: C Thomson.

Attendance: 1,776.