Pars disappointed to drop two points on ‘one of those days’

Striker Ryan rues fact Fifers couldn’t find winning goal

LIVINGSTON 0 DUNFERMLINE 0

Andy Ryan was involved in two of this feisty game’s biggest talking points, but neither brought Dunfermline the goal they craved.

The striker had a rare league start for the Pars as manager Allan Johnston opted to ditch his usual wingers and go with three strikers.

Yet, against a Livingston side reduced to 10 men for the final quarter, they could not find a way past Neil Alexander for the win that would have strengthened their promotion play-off hopes.

In the first-half Ryan claimed for a penalty after being bundled over from behind by Declan Gallagher in the box.

With 68 minutes gone he was on the end of a wild challenge that earned Livi’s on-loan Rangers youngster Jordan Thompson a straight red card.

Home manager David Hopkin fumed at referee Greg Aitken’s “inept” and “embarrassing” display and promised an appeal, but Ryan insisted the under-fire official was right to show a red-card.

“It was a 50-50,” he said. “I’ve got my toe to the ball first but I saw him coming in.

“If I didn’t get myself off the ground it could’ve been a bad one.

“He caught me just below the knee and the ref has given the red card.

“I think it was quite reckless the way he came, especially how high up he’s caught me. I think the referee got it spot on.

“As for the penalty? You see them given, you see them not given.

“I’ve got my body in front and felt a barge in my back.

“The referee didn’t deem it to be a penalty so we just have to accept that.”

Ryan partnered Declan McManus in attack, with Nicky Clark – skipper for the day after Callum Morris was dropped – fielded behind the front pair.

Livingston’s three-man defence and tight midfield resulted in congestion, and it took a while for Dunfermline to find space to create goal-scoring opportunities.

Clark saw one drive blocked by Declan Gallagher in the first-half and another smothered by Alexander, who denied McManus after the interval.

With debutant James Vincent and fellow January signing James Craigen increasingly influential, the Fifers laid siege to the Livingston goal as time went on but had to settle for a point that took them back into fourth spot.

“I think even the way the first-half went, we were piling on the pressure,” added Ryan.

“And then in the second-half when they went down to 10 men we were still pushing and were the team in the ascendancy, and were the ones who looked like we were going to score.

“But we couldn’t manage to nick that goal.

“The boys are disappointed and it’s two points dropped.

“In the first-half there were numerous times when the ball was bouncing about in the box and it maybe just wouldn’t fall correctly for one of our players.

“It’s ricocheting about and there’s deflections and stuff like that.

“It was one of those days, and we just need to accept the point and move on.”

We were the ones who looked like we were going to score.

ANDY RYAN

Picture: SNS. Andy Ryan said there were numerous times when the ball was bouncing about in the box but it just wouldn’t fall for a Dunfermline player.