Johnson is spot on but Pars rage
The season ahead is a long one but it will certainly be exciting for Dundee if this action-packed curtain-raiser is anything to go by.
They came hoping for three points and were staring at none before a penalty double from summer arrival Danny Johnson rescued a draw for new manager James McPake.
Former Dundee United midfielder Ryan Dow netted the first league goal of the campaign after just 12 minutes before Dunfermline doubled their lead in the 35th minute courtesy of Kevin Nisbet. however, Johnson converted two penalties to save Dundee from kicking off the new term with a defeat.
McPake admitted: ‘In the end I’m happy with the point. Before the game, I said whatever happens I was looking for a performance — and we never got that in the first 45 minutes.
‘But I’m happy to get a point out of a game where, in the first 45 minutes, it didn’t look as if we would get anything other than a bit of a doing.’
The visitors came close with a header from Josh Meekings after three minutes, which was smartly saved by Ryan Scully, but thereafter it was a chastening opening 45 minutes for the Dark Blues.
In truth, they were outplayed by their hosts, who thoroughly deserved the two-goal advantage.
The Pars earned the breakthrough in the 13th minute. Nisbet had no right to gain possession on the left but Jordon Forster went to ground too easily and coughed up the ball. The new arrival then superbly picked out Dow, who calmly finished beyond Jack hamilton.
As he celebrated, missiles emerged from the Dundee fans behind the goal.
Dunfermline poured men forward as they went for the jugular and they doubled their advantage ten minutes from the interval. Aaron Comrie and Dow played keep-ball at a throw-in on the right and the latter swung over a looping cross that somehow deceived hamilton, allowing Nisbet the simplest of tasks to nod in.
From being second best all over the pitch, Dundee were suddenly handed a lifeline. With seconds left in the half, referee Greg Aitken pointed to the spot as Cammy Kerr’s overhit cross struck Dow’s arm. Johnson fired his kick beyond Scully’s right arm.
Dundee were miles better in the second half, but they required the
intervention of Aitken again for their equaliser 15 minutes from time.
Dunfermline were incensed by the official’s decision to point to the spot as Comrie and Lee Ashcroft challenged Johnson, but the former Motherwell man drilled in from the spot again.
Pars boss Stevie Crawford said: ‘I’m just disappointed we never won the game. I think the reaction of the players tells you the story of the second penalty.’