DUNFERMLINE were held to a frustrating goalless draw but earned a Betfred Cup bonus point after a 9-8 penalty shoot-out win at East Fife tonight.

The hosts’ Ben Gordon was the unlucky one to hit the post after eight perfect kicks from both teams, with Callum Smith proving to hit the winner.

Despite the welcome extra point, Allan Johnston’s men were looking to build on Saturday’s six-goal win with three but, despite having the bulk of the bull and chances, they didn’t fashion enough clear opportunities to win the match.

Too often, the final pass or finishing touch on a cross ball wasn’t there as well-organised home team defended in numbers and made it extremely difficult to play through the lines.

Dean Shiels received international clearance in time to be named on the bench for the visitors after signing on a one-year deal yesterday but, unsurprisingly, went with the same starting line-up that destroyed Elgin City in Saturday’s opener in the tournament.

The hosts, bossed by former Athletic midfielder Darren Young, could only name four substitutes – including Young himself – due to a spate of injuries but started another ex-Par, Paul Willis, while keeper Ryan Goodfellow was named on the bench.

The game started in low-key fashion but almost broke into life for the visitors with 18 minutes.

A volleyed pass back to goal by Craig Watson was caught by keeper Thomas Cordery, handing the Pars a free-kick on the right edge of the six-yard box.

Nicky Clark laid it off for Higginbotham to have a crack and, after Mark Docherty bravely blocked, Athletic kept the ball alive and won a corner.

From that, Higginbotham’s delivery was met by a fine near-post run by Clark, who was unfortunate to see his header flash narrowly over the bar.

Ten minutes from half time, Michael Paton decided to have a crack from range but, after his shot was blocked, it fell for Clark at the edge of the area but his first-time drive was blocked by Cordery’s leg.

At the other end, a decent run on the right by Natthan Flannigan saw him cut into the Pars box but his effort ended up in the side net and out of harm’s way.

Then, five minutes from the break, there was an astonishing missed opportunity.

Declan McManus did well, pressurising the Fife defender as Cordery came out to meet it.

He eventually found Clark, who perhaps took one touch too many before trying to go for goal, while Joe Cardle then sent an effort wayward.

There were plenty of balls finding their way into the home box but finding a team-mate or a finishing touch was proving tricky.

A long ball for Clark was nodded down by the striker to McManus, who found Higginbotham on the right.

The midfielder cut infield and sent a decent effort towards goal but Cordery got down to make a comfortable save at the near post as the opening 45 minutes ended goalless.

Goodfellow replaced Cordery for the second half and he immediately had a shot to defend.

Neat build-up saw the ball eventually laid into McManus, who took it on his right foot, but couldn’t generate much power as it ended wide of the near post.

East Fife had been pretty resolute in their defending and made life difficult for Lee Ashcroft as he did well to connect with Higginbotham’s far-post free-kick, which Goodfellow dealt with pretty comfortably.

Chris Duggan fired a rare effort over from distance for the home team as the clock ticked over the hour mark before Martin, who did brilliantly to rob Flannigan of the ball, went for goal but saw his effort blocked while Paton flashed one wide.

Another dangerous corner in the 68th minute by Higginbotham was well met by Ashcroft but he finished off target, before Higginbotham and Nat Wedderburn made way for Scott Lochhead and debut boy Shiels.

Lochhead immediately stung the palms of Goodfellow with a decent drive before Ben Reilly broke for the hosts and played in Kyle Wilson on the left, but he was too far wide to beat Sean Murdoch.

The Pars substitutes were looking lively and always showing for the ball, but the killer pass to fashion a clear goalscoring chance remained elusive.

Northern Ireland international Shiels almost had an assist – his free-kick was menacing but, not for the first time, defended well by the hosts – before sending an effort off-target.

McManus’ blushes were spared by the linesman’s flag with 10 minutes left as he spooned a Shiels ball over from six yards before he was swapped for Callum Smith.

Cardle then blazed over as frustration began to set in before Paton sent another high when faced with no less than 10 East Fife players in front of him.

Clark had a free-kick deflected and scrambled to safety and Shiels was caught in a home sandwich before Smith forced Goodfellow into a smart near post stop.

But the Pars were forced into settling for a draw and a bonus point penalty shoot-out, which they eventually saw out in sudden death.

East Fife: Cordery (Goodfellow 45), Dunsmore, Gordon, Watson, Docherty, Flannigan (Mutch 73), Reilly (Young 87), Slattery, Willis, Wilson, Duggan.

Subs: Goodfellow, Mutch, Young, Inglis.

Pars: Murdoch, Williamson, Martin, Morris, Ashcroft, Wedderburn (Lochhead 68), Higginbotham (Shiels 68), Paton, McManus (Smith 81), Clark, Cardle.

Subs: Gill, M'Voto, Splaine, Duthie, Shiels, Lochhead, Smith.

Referee: Gavin Ross.