Pars 4 St Mirren 3

FARID EL ALAGUI was Dunfermline’s hero as they edged a seven-goal thriller with St Mirren at East End Park tonight.

The French-Moroccan forward pounced on a Kyle Hutton error with five minutes to go to seal an incredible game that saw the Pars trail twice and lead 3-2.

After John Sutton gave Saints the lead in the first half, Nicky Clark equalised before Sutton pounced on a Fordyce error on the stroke of half-time to put the Paisley side back in front.

Joe Cardle drew Dunfermline level in the 62nd minute before Clark’s second of the game made it 3-2 with 13 minutes left.

Ryan Hardie’s 20-yarder four minutes later made it 3-3 before El Alagui had the decisive say to end an astonishing afternoon of entertainment.

After losing out late on at Morton last weekend, Allan Johnston made four changes to his side in a bid to find the winning formula that was last found against Dumbarton on the opening day.

Fit-again Sean Murdoch returned in goal in place of David Hutton, while Jason Talbot returned to the defence in place of Ben Richards-Everton.

There was a first start for deadline day loan signing John Herron in midfield ahead of Rhys McCabe, while Cardle was brought back into the starting line-up at the expense of former Saints loanee Paul McMullan.

In a tight opening, it was the home side who almost made the breakthrough with some nice football in the 11th minute.

Lewis Martin showed neat feet to control and keep a tricky ball in play on the right to find Michael Paton, who sent Clark scampering down the channel.

The striker’s ball into the box was very inviting for Cardle waiting in the middle, but the winger couldn’t make a clean connection and the ball finished wide of the Saints goal.

Paton then flashed a free-kick over the top before a quickly-taken set play between Paton and Clark saw the ball played into the box and, as the Buddies tried to clear, Lee Ashcroft had a swing at the ball while on the deck but it was blocked and hooked to safety.

But, in a bolt from the blue, Dunfermline conceded against the run of play in the 31st minute.

A miss-kick from Martin was latched onto by Lewis Morgan, who raced down the left-hand side to the goal line.

His cut back was intercepted by Callum Fordyce but his attempted clearance fell straight back to the Buddies man, who found Sutton waiting eight yards out to stroke home.

But just as they did last week, Athletic responded well to going behind and they equalised with five minutes until the half-time break with a tremendous goal.

Paton showed some lovely feet in midfield to fend off the attentions of two opponents to create space and spray a pass for the running Talbot on the left.

The full-back’s delivery was whipped in with pace and met gleefully by Clark, who sent a brilliant diving header beyond the helpless Scott Gallagher.

But, incredibly, Dunfermline fell behind again right on half-time after conceding another soft goal.

A long ball towards Sutton should have been cut out by Fordyce, but the centre back failed to deal with it and allowed the experienced hitman to reach the ball first, and he sent a first-time shot beyond Murdoch into the bottom corner.

Johnston brought Ryan Williamson on in place of Fordyce and the Pars fashioned a chance almost immediately, working the ball to Cardle but he slashed his effort off target.

Gavin Reilly then sent a shot across the goal as Athletic started the second half with real intent and purpose.

At the other end, Jason Naismith went close for the Paisley side before Sutton headed wide from a free-kick as Dunfermline adjusted to Martin moving into the centre of defence alongside Ashcroft.

But in the 62nd minute, Dunfermline pulled level again.

Williamson was the architect, sending a cross into the box for Reilly, who smashed a shot off the post. The ball broke kindly for Cardle who slammed home from six yards via Andy Webster.

Andy Geggan then fizzed a volley just wide as the Pars again began put the pressure on the away side.

Talbot then sent a half volley over after being played in by Paton as Athletic continued to search for the lead, with Johnston then introducing Farid El Alagui for Reilly in the 73rd minute.

The game was really open as it approached the final 15 minutes and Mallan sent another flashing shot just wide of Murdoch’s goal for Saints.

But, with 13 minutes to go, Athletic snatched the lead for the first time with another brilliant goal.

Paton was the architect, sending in a delicious right-footed cross to find Clark lurking in the centre of goal. With Saints desperately looking for offside, he swept the ball home and send East End Park wild.

However, they were soon stunned once more as this incredible game took another twist four minutes later when Saints pulled level.

From a throw in, the ball was flicked into Hardie’s path at the edge of the area and he unleashed a superb shot that beat Murdoch all ends up.

Moments later, El Alagui was then sent clear on Gallagher but, after a heavy touch, the keeper raced from his line to block for a corner.

But the former Falkirk star did have his moment of glory in the 85th minute as this astonishing game took another twist.

Clark tried to send substitute McMullan down the left but Kyle Hutton got there first. Attempting to play it back to his goalkeeper, his pass into the box was intercepted by El Alagui who flicked the ball home to make it 4-3.

A nervy final few minutes followed, but Athletic held on for their second win of the season.

Pars: Murdoch, Martin, Ashcroft, Fordyce, Talbot, Paton, Geggan, Herron, Cardle, Reilly, Clark.

Subs: Williamson, McCabe, Higginbotham, El Alagui, McMullan, Moffat.

Goals: Clark (40, 77), Cardle (62), El Alagu (77).

St Mirren: Gallagher, Naismith, Irvine, Baird, MacKenzie, Sutton, Mallan, Hutton, Morgan, Quinn, Hardie.

Subs: Langfield, Clarkson, Shankland, Webster, McDonald, Whyte, Walsh.

Goals: Sutton (31, 45), Hardie (81).

Referee: Greg Aitken.