Dunfermline 1 Dundee United 3

It was a tale of three missed penalties for Dunfermline as they somehow failed to beat Dundee United in an incredible match.

Amazingly, the Terrors goalkeeper Cammy Bell set a new record as he saved a trio of spot kicks in the first half to break Dunfermline hearts. 

Gavin Reilly, Nicky Clark and Paul McMullan all had a go at trying to beat him from 12 yards and the visitors netted in each half to leave Athletic chasing the game. 

Michael Paton gave them hope and United went down to 10 men but they held on and scored late to inflict a fourth league defeat in a row on Allan Johnston's side. 

The boss had decided there would be no place in the starting line-up for new signing Farid El Alagui while Kallum Higginbotham, Joe Cardle and Ben Richards-Everton added to a strong bench for Athletic. 

After three league losses on the spin, they received a timely boost with a 5-1 demolition of Brechin City in the Irn Bru Cup, with Johnston keeping faith with the side that won at Glebe Park. 

United had won 1-0 in the Betfred Cup clash earlier in the campaign but hadn't overly impressed in the league and Dunfermline looked certain to get on the scoresheet when they were awarded the first spot kick in the eighth minute. 

Paton's corner looked perfectly weighted for Lee Ashcroft but he missed it and the ref spotted a shove on the centre back and booked United stopper William Edjengeule. 

Gavin Reilly stepped up but drilled the penalty straight down the middle, with Bell standing firm and blocking with his body. 

Pars then lost a soft goal in the 21st minute when Callum Fordyce made a hash of clearing Tope Obadeyi's left wing cross and Simon Murray pounced on the mistake and turned the ball past David Hutton. 

Murray looked a danger and he thumped a shot just over the bar as United looked to put the game beyond Athletic. 

Dunfermline were awarded their second penalty in the 24th minute after McMullan's fine through ball was chased by Reilly and he collided with Bell after the keeper saved his shot. 

The ball ran loose and Frank van der Struijk was caught out by Clark with the Pars striker tripped as he got in front of the defender. 

This time, after a lengthy delay while Bell recovered from the collision, Clark stepped up but his well struck effort to the keeper's right was brilliantly saved. 

And they got a third opportunity from the spot in the 35th minute. A corner fell kindly for Clark to hit a half volley but it hit Paul Dixon's arm with the ref again giving a penalty and waving the yellow card around like confetti as United raged at him. 

A third different taker stepped forward but McMullan couldn't find a way past Bell either. It was incredible stuff as the goalie again threw himself to his right to save. 

The place was in uproar. Record breaking stuff from the keeper as he's apparently the first keeper to save three penalties in one half. 

The visitors got to half-time with their lead intact and looked to have killed Dunfermline off at the beginning of the second half. 

Nick van der Velden supplied a pass which carved a path through the heart of the Athletic defence and although Hutton got a hand to Tony Andreu's shot he couldn't keep it out. 

That was in the 46th minute but Dunfermline weren't for throwing in the towel and they hit back with Paton grabbing a goal in the 50th minute. 

A superb disguised pass from McMullan found Reilly in the box and he spun and let fly. His effort hit a United leg and dropped for Paton to bury the ball past Bell. He wasn't unbeatable after all! 

It got better for Dunfermline when Ray McKinnon's side went down to 10 men on the hour mark. Yellow carded for his part in the Pars third penalty, Dixon was sent off for a foul on Paton. 

There was another good run by McMullan and his cross fell for Paton but the ball didn't drop quickly enough and Lewis Toshney managed to block the wide man's goal bound drive. 

Fordyce then passed up a chance to atone when he sent a back post header over the bar. 

Pars boss Allan Johnston brought El Alagui on and the striker did get a chance to be an instant hero but his glancing header failed to trouble the keeper. 

The 10 men killed the game in the 90th minute when Andreu hammered in his second goal via the post.