But it was a tale of two goalkeepers as Ryan Scully made a string of fine saves to take the man of the match award and ensure Jim Jefferies' men took at least a point after the Loons piled on pressure in the second half.

Pars went into this match just one point behind after taking 18 points out of 21 and had revenge on their minds.

Forfar, and next week's visitors to East End Park, Morton, are the only two teams to have beaten Pars in the league this season and Jefferies wanted his side to turn the tables.

They welcomed back Lewis Martin who missed two games due to his involvement with the Scotland under-19 side while skipper Andy Geggan was also back after injury.

And they started brightly with Josh Falkingham pulling the strings in midfield and working an opening for Andy Stirling to smash a 25 yard drive just over the bar.

There was a dangerous moment for the Pars when Gavin Swankie got on the blindside of Ryan Williamson and tried to pick out a team-mate in the box but Martin eventually cleared.

Dale Hilson smashed a shot off the defender in 14 minutes and Williamson had to race back to deny the striker when the league leaders again threatened.

Michael Moffat was finding it tough against Forfar's twin defensive towers of Darren Dods and Stuart Malcolm but was smart enough to find space for Ross Millen, whose low shot skipped just wide.

Pars were in trouble in 20 minutes when Williamson was hustled into a short pass back, but with Ryan Scully stranded and out of goal, Gavin Swankie tamely rolled the ball across goal instead of finding the net.

And they were indebted to the goalie minutes later when Stuart Malcolm and two Pars defenders threw themselves at a low corner, the ball rocketed towards the bottom corner but Scully somehow kept it out with a wonder save.

Jefferies' men failed to force a meaningful save from Douglas in the first half. Set pieces looked the most likely source of a goal with two deliveries from Millen causing panic in the away ranks.

Ex-Par Stephen Husband - later booked for an ugly lunge on old mate Falkingham - sliced a clearance and Faissal El Bakhtaoui stabbed the loose ball wide through a ruck of players.

Gregor Buchanan missed an even better chance in 34 minutes when presented with a free header from another corner but he sent the ball soaring into the stand behind the goal.

Pars showed plenty of purpose straight from the whistle at the start of the second half with Williamson charging to the byeline and swinging in a cross that was just too deep.

Forfar almost caught out the home side on the break with Swankie again sneaking round the back and testing Scully with an angled drive.

Husband then sent in a floated free kick which Dods climbed high to meet but Scully managed to push the header over the bar.

Geggan made way for Ross Forbes in 55 minutes but it was Forfar who continued to pour forward, Hilson making a complete mess of a shooting chance when he tried to tee up an offside Swankie instead of pulling the trigger himself.

Falkingham showed some class with a pinpoint cross for El Bakhtaoui on the hour mark but the youngster screwed his volley wide of target.

Pars survived a major scare in 64 minutes when Martin was horribly short with a pass back and Swankie intercepted, skipped past Scully but from a tight angle he could only roll the ball against the post.

Scully saved Dunfermline twice in quick succession when he made a fine one handed save in 72 minutes to deny James Dale and was up quick to block Hilson's effort when he seemed certain to score.

Pars had a chance to win it when the ref gave a controversial penalty when sub Ross Forbes' shot cannoned off Malcolm.

After a discussion involving Moffat, Gozie Ugwu and Falkingham, it was Ugwu who stepped forward but his 85th minute spot kick low to Douglas' left was saved.

There was still time and Forfar forced Scully into two more top saves from Dods' header and a curler from Swankie.