Wind back a couple of weeks to Almondvale and the footballing gods were all conspiring against us. We couldn't buy a goal and we were losing to below-average sides like Livingston. Now, with a true footballing god in the dugout, the season has tunred on its head.
I don't buy into the whole religion thing at the best of times but I do know is that if there's a god then his name is Jim Leishman! From relegation certainties to escape artists in the space of ten days signals a miracle of loaf and fish proportions. In that short space of time, Leish has turned an underachieving set of players into a group of lads giving 110% in every single challenge, a group of lads fighting desperately for the cause.
Last week's 5-0 drubbing of Dundee was brilliant, but this was even better. Whether it was the fact that it was the last minute goal, or the huge travelling support or maybe because we got one over Eddie Thompson after all his constant inane moaning about our pitch, today's win at Tannadice was the sweetest in a long, long time as a Pars fan.
In front of an excellent, vociferous away support - many of whom were still waiting to get into the ground with ten minutes gone - it was the Pars who created the first chance of the game in the eighth minute with a free-kick 25 yards out. Ian Campbell did well to curl it over the wall but Tony Bullock matched the shot with a fine save. The ball was in the air more than on the ground in the opening half, an apparent tactic by Dunfermline. United appeared to be sucked into it and as a result, it was the visitors who dominated the early possession, without carrying any major threat.
Lee Makel - playing like a player reborn since Davie Hay's departure - did have a sight of goal in the 20th minute following a breakaway from a Barry Robson free-kick but his 20-yard swipe flew past the post. The tension across the United team was visible for all to see with numerous unforced errors making it very frustrating for caretaker manager, Gordon Chisholm pounding his technical area. It took his troops 25 minutes before carving out their first chance, a glancing Jim McIntyre header over the bar.
But the pressure continued towards Bullock's goal. A neat move on the right just past the half hour caused panic in the home defence with Mark Kerr heading over his own bar, before Craig Wilson had a long-range effort which Bullock easily held on the stroke of half-time.
Ex-Par Stevie Crawford, who was almost anonymous throughout, opened the second half with a neat flick which narrowly went wide. But the ball swung to the other end where referee Stuart Dougal pulled up Derek Young for a foul before firing the ball into the net, much to the fury of the Pars support. Quite why Dougal disallowed the goal is still beyond the majority of Pars fans.
But the Tangerines came close in the 56th minute when McIntyre hit the post. Following a goal line clearance from Campbell, the ball came back into the box but the striker could only hit the woodwork when he should have scored.
United were now completely dominant. A brilliant save from the excellent Derek Stillie prevented Robson from opening the scoring with a downward header. Then, Wilson threw himself down on the line to block Crawford's follow-up. Stillie again produced a superb save in the 71st minute when he took two attempts to hold Robson's curling 20 yard free-kick. It was all hands on deck for the Pars as Scott Wilson blocked Crawford's shot three minutes later.
As United continued to dominate and create the chances, they were dealt a blow six minutes from time when Paul Ritchie was stretchered off to be replaced by David McCracken. But then real disaster struck for the Tangerines when a cross deflected off KERR and struck Gary Mason before bouncing into the goal to give the Pars the points. An own goal from an ex-Falkirk favourite at Tannadice in the last minute to keep the Pars up...you just couldn't write that script!!!
As Stuart Dougal's final whistle sounded pandemonium ensued amongst the travelling support. As the players and management celebrated as though they had won the league on the pitch, with Leishman performing his aeroplane celebration routine in front of a jubilant Pars support, the Pars supporters lapped up the day, staying behind to cheer their Pars heroes who, despite being well below-par for a number of fixtures this season, turned up and performed when it really, truly mattered!
PARS - Stillie 10, Skerla 9, Thomson 9, Scott Wilson 10, Mason 8, Makel 8, Darren Young 8, Craig Wilson 7, (Labonte 5), Campbell 7, Tod 7, Derek Young 8, (Donnelly 6).