Dunfermline manager Jim McIntyre slams dismal display

Gallacher was beaten four times at Pittodrie but made a string of fine saves

Goalkeeper Paul Gallacher was the only player to escape the ire of manager Jim McIntyre after Dunfermline fell to a 4-0 defeat at Pittodrie.

"Aberdeen were worthy winners," he told BBC Radio Scotland. "Only Paul Gallacher escapes criticism. He's been our top player since he came back.

"He's saved us on numerous occasions this season and he saved us from an even bigger hiding.

"We lacked endeavour, quality on the ball and urgency. I won't tolerate it."

The Pars fell behind to a Scott Vernon header on six minutes and the Dons striker added a second from close range before Fraser Fyvie netted on the stroke of half time.

Vernon completed his hat-trick with 10 minutes to go when he turned the ball home after Mohamed Chalali's long-range strike hit the post.

After a promising opening to the campaign, Dunfermline have slid down the Scottish Premier League table, picking up just one point from their last five matches.

"The last two performances have just been inept - miles away from how we started the season," said McIntyre.

"Aberdeen started the game very well and we struggled to match them.

"But that's not an excuse, the players have got to do better. We need to have a long hard look at ourselves.

"They've proved that they can do better and we need to get back to that.

"We need to do it soon because defeats like this hammer the confidence - then players become afraid of expressing themselves."

The Pars are next in action on 15 October, at home to Hearts, and McIntyre wants to see a big improvement after the international break.

"We'll dust ourselves down, get back on the training ground, keep believing in ourselves and keeping working hard," he added.

"We've got to back to basics. We committed loads of individual mistakes and, at this level, you get punished. It just wasn't good enough."