Late strike shows Grant his players are up for the fight
DUNFERMLINE 2
Thomas (73), Comrie (90+5)
KILMARNOCK 2
Hendry (68), Shaw (74)
Dunfermline remain bottom of the Championship table without a league win this season but there is certainly no shortage of commitment among the players,
as evidenced by the manner in which they battled to the end against third-placed Kilmarnock
The Pars snatched a deserved and possibly vital point thanks to Aaron Comrie’s stoppage -equaliser.
Manager Peter Grant had nothing but praise for his team’s display.
“I’ve never faulted the guys for their commitment and effort,” said Grant. “I must give them credit for coming back the way they did, especially after losing a goal so soon after our first equaliser. It seemed at that stage of the game that this was what it was going to be like but one thing I’ll say about these boys is that they show great commitment and give everything.
“You have to leave everything on that football pitch whenever you play a game and, to a man, that’s what they did today.”
After a bright start to the game it looked to be very much a case of back in the old routine for Dunfermline as the defensive frailties which have plagued their performances all season surfaced yet again.
A long ball out of defence gave Kilmarnock front man Oli Shaw a sight of goal and his scoring options were vastly increased when Pars keeper Owain Fon Williams came charging out of his penalty area in an ambitious attempt to close the striker down. A simple chip over the keeper’s head and Killie would have been in front but Shaw sent his lob well wide of the gaping target.
Judging by Dunfermline’s dismal performances this season, the loss of a goal at that stage of the game would undoubtedly have led to a loss of confidence on the pitch but Shaw’s failure to capitalise on a giltedged opportunity had the effect of galvanising the home players who responded with a series of promising attacking manoeuvres as the first half progressed.
Both Kevin O’Hara and Paul Allan tested Killie keeper Zack Hemming before Hemming produced an outstanding save from O’Hara’s curling 20-yard free kick.
The contest sparked into life in a dramatic five-minute period midway through the second half.
The blue touchpaper was lit in the 68th when an overhead kick from Kilmarnock’s Jason Naismith’s fell to Callum Hendry who tapped home the opener from close range.
But the visitors’ lead lasted a mere five minutes before a speculative effort from Dunfermline’s Dominic Thomas eluded the entire Killie defence and trundled past Hemming.
Kilmarnock stormed back in front straight from the restart, Shaw atoning for his earlier misjudgment by cutting in from the left and sending a low shot past Fon Williams but Comrie’s stoppage time strike gave the Pars a deserved point.
“It’s always disappointing to lose a late goal,” reflected Killie boss Tommy Wright. “But we’ve been in positions before when we’ve scored late on so we take the point and we move on.
“I think a draw was a fair result today. We made chances but didn’t test their keeper enough.”