Forfar Athletic 0-1 East Fife

Victory at Station Park was combined with defeats for the three teams above them, meaning East Fife again found themselves part of the League One title race.

Raith and Falkirk have played a game less with the two meeting on Tuesday night.

Regardless of how that match goes, Saturday afternoon shows just how quickly things can change in this division.

The win, and the results elsewhere, mean Darren Young's side sit perched just four points behind the leaders.

It's reward for terrific recent form which has seen them pick up four wins from their past five games.

A winning mentality has developed at the club with the side taking the three points with style when they can but also rolling up the sleeves and digging in if they need to.

And that was the case on Saturday when they were forced to defend deep at times.

Forfar will feel they did enough to take something from the game but lacked the quality to really break down the Fifers.

Last weekend against Stranraer it was the front players who were on top of their game but it was the guys at the back who stepped up in Forfar.

Chris Higgins and Ross Dunlop were magnificent in the centre of defence with Pat Slattery and Stewart Murdoch giving the hosts no space down the line.

Forfar have plenty of threat in attack, Steven Doris, Bobby Barr, Jordan Kirkpatrick and Mark McKenzie more than capable of posing a few problems.

But the East Fife defence kept their shape well throughout the game and protected Brett Long.

While the game wasn't one which will live long in the memory, hopes were high that it could be a classic when the Methil men raced into the lead with barely a few seconds on the clock.

They went straight up the park from kick off and won a corner which Ryan Wallace delivered into the box.

There to meet it was Danny Denholm who continued his excellent run of recent form by netting the opener.

And that, was really that.

Forfar reacted well and had the bulk of possession.

Mark McKenzie's drive hit the bar but that would be as close as they'd come.

The second half followed the same pattern, Forfar trying to break in behind their visitors but just getting nowhere.

A couple of crosses flashes along the face of goal with no taker while the Fifers looked to hit on the break, Marc McCallum keeping out Anton Dowds.

Boss Young said: "The first half was scrappy and the second a bit of the same.

"We had two or three wee chances we could have done better with but defensively we were brilliant and it's good to get the clean sheet and three points.

"Forfar have picked up since Stuart Malcolm has come in so we knew it would be a hard game.

"But we dealt with it all over the park."