St Mirren came away from East End Park, the home of in-form Dunfermline, with a point after Gary MacKenzie's second half header. Saints had fallen behind in the first half when Kallum Higginbotham scored from the penalty spot. But experienced MacKenzie earned the Buddies a share of the spoils with an early second half goal in a high tempo encounter.
Stephen Mallan had a free kick opportunity with less than a minute on the clock. Saints had won the ball from Dunfermline's kick-off and won the set piece in 'Mallan territory'. The midfielder stepped up and curled it just beyond the left hand post.
The visitors started in good fashion and Rocco Quinn was next to go close when his long range effort was deflected wide for a corner. However, Mallan's delivery had too much on it and evaded Gary MacKenzie who was running in from deep at the back post.
Saints won another corner but only after Langfield had to be alert to deny Michael Moffat. The ball was played through to the striker, taking out the Saints defence, with Langfield doing well to block the attempt. The corner for the Buddies
The home side started to take a foothold in the match and only some last ditch defending from Andy Webster denied Nicky Clark the opportunity to get a shot away at goal. It was again Webster to the rescue when he cleared the ball off the line. Paul McMullan found space in the box on the right hand side and hit a shot which deflected beyond Langfield with the captain there to scoop the ball away from danger.
Dunfermline felt they should've had a penalty around the half hour mark when Michael Moffat felt he had been fouled in the area by MacKenzie. The referee was unmoved and play raged on.
However, the Pars would win a penalty minutes later when MacKenzie was adjudged to have fouled Moffat this time. Kallum Higginbotham made no mistake from the spot as he smashed it into the net beyond Langfield to gives Pars a 1-0 lead.
The Buddies could've been level mere minutes later when both Kyle McAllister and MacKenzie went mightily close. 17 year-old McAllister burst through on goal on the left hand side and saw his effort pushed by the post by Sean Murdoch in the Dunfermline goal. From the resultant corner defender MacKenzie bulleted a header goalward only to see it crack off the post and be cleared away. Saints kept up the pressure with more corner kicks but nothing was falling for the visitors and Dunfermline took their 1-0 lead into half time.
Half Time: Dunfermline 1-0 St Mirren
Saints made the perfect start to the second half when MacKenzie headed home an equaliser. Mallan's shot was pushed up into the air by Murdoch and headed behind for a corner. The ball was whipped in where MacKenzie climbed above his marker to slam the header into the Pars net. It was the defender's second goal in three games and was the ideal way to get the second half going.
Dunfermline should've retaken the lead less than 10 minutes later when Clark found himself free on the right hand side. The forward expertly picked out Moffat who somehow managed to send the ball wide when it looked easier to score.
The home side were having the bulk of the pressure and were denied a second goal by a wonderful save from Langfield. Clark rose the highest to head the ball towards the left hand corner of the net but the experienced goalkeeper - playing his first match since November - clawed the ball away.
The Buddies were very much still in the match though and MacKenzie's aerial presence at corners saw him almost score a second. Again the defender rose the highest but this time his header nestled in the arms of Murdoch. Moments later, substitute Lewis Morgan flashed a shot just over the bar from the edge of the box.
Higginbotham went close to getting his second of the afternoon when he let rip from outside the box watching it fly just wide of the left hand post. And the forward did similar from a free kick minutes later after Storie had pulled back Moffat.
The game petered out with half chances for either side, though Clark had a wonderful chance for the home side, but his header went just beyond the post and both sides took a point,
Full Time: Dunfermline 1-1 St Mirren
St Mirren: Langfield, Naismith, Irvine, Webster (Baird, 45), MacKenzie, Quinn (Morgan, 58), Storie, Mallan, Loy, McAllister (Magennis, 74), Sutton
Subs Not Used: Willison, Clarkson, Fjelde, McLear
Dunfermline: Murdoch, Talbot, Ashcroft, Fordyce, Herron, Geggan, Wedderburn, Higginbotham, McMullan (Cardle, 89), Clark, Moffat
Subs Not Used: Hutton, Martin, Morris, McCabe, Reilly, El Alagui
Referee: William Collum
Assistant Referee: Stephen Mitchell
Assistant Referee: David Doig
Attendance: 4,108
Match report and gallery pictures by Allan Picken – © Allan Picken Photography and John Millar - © millarpictures
