Top-of-the-table stalemate as Pars held to draw
THE Pars remain unbeaten but were held at home by Airdrie in a top-of-the table clash in League One.
An own goal from former Dunfermline player Callum Fordyce had put the home side ahead midway through the second half but Adam Frizzell’s response saw the points shared.
The first half saw Dunfermline have a few opportunities, though they couldn’t find the back of the net, with some saves from the away side’s keeper Murray Johnson.
James McPake’s team had not conceded ahead of the clash at East End, with both sides enjoying a fine start to the season.
Both teams had won three and drawn one of their opening four games, with Airdrie at the summit on goal difference.
McPake, who was looking forward to being back on home turf, told the Press last week that he had been anticipating a tough match, though believed it was a good opportunity for the Pars to gain a positive result.
Three changes were made to the team which drew a blank in an historic derby with Kelty Hearts last week, seeing Joe Chalmers, Lewis McCann, and Craig Wighton – who missed the game through injury – all dropped in favour of Kyle MacDonald, Nikolay Todorov and Chris Mochrie.
MacDonald and Mochrie both had chances in the first half, as well as striker Kevin O’Hara.
With the first half ending 0-0, both teams were desperate to make a mark on the match, which looked like it could end in a stalemate.
Despite a slower start after the break, the pace picked up following attempts at a goal from Airdrie’s Calum Gallagher, and Dunfermline’s MacDonald.
There was confusion over the first goal of the match, which at first looked to come from a Nikolay Todorov header, following a Josh
Edwards throw from the right, but it was Fordyce who put the ball past his own keeper inadvertently on 67 minutes.
Mochrie, Todorov and Todd all had a go at trying to double the lead but it was Airdrie who netted next.
Just 10 minutes after the opener, the Pars conceded their first goal of the season, breaking an impressive run.
Adam Frizzell put the ball past Deniz Mehmet powerfully after a knock-down from a cross at the back post.
Speaking after the match, Pars assistant manager Dave Mackay said he felt the reaction from the players to the goal, the first they had conceded this season, was “excellent”, leading to a strong finish.
Dunfermline looked for a winner, with Rhys Breen and Todorov both going close.
In the final minutes, it looked like the home side had done it with Breen getting the ball into the net, though cheers soon turned to disappointment when the referee disallowed the goal.
But, according to Mackay, the decision was later declared a mistake, with footage showing that there had been no foul.
He said: “Obviously, the bit at the end there was a mistake from the referee, and obviously it’s cost us two points but, again, we had plenty chances before that to take advantage and win it outright ourselves.
“The goalkeeper comes and misjudges it, we’ve got an unbelievable angle there from Go-Pro in the goals and if that’s a foul then your as well stopping football, it’s a mistake. The ref said himself after, that he had to make a decision, I don’t know why he felt he had to make a decision but he did and it’s one that was wrong but we move on.
“Sometimes when a goalie misses a ball they automatically think it must have been a foul, he’s got it wrong which happens in football.
“The referee’s definitely called it wrong but it’s going to happen during the season, our players make bad decisions, as coaches you make bad decisions, it’s part of football, but it feels a sore one that it’s happened right at the end of the game.”
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