Dunfermline 0 Queen of the South 1

It’s more than a week until Hallowe’en but there was already plenty of fear around East End Park about the prospect of Stephen Dobbie coming back to haunt them again.

The much vaunted visiting striker hit a hat-trick on his last visit and had bagged an astonishing 24 goals in 16 matches prior to this game, with his 12 strikes in the league more than six Championship teams had mustered, including the Pars.

It was enough to send shivers down the spine and a real test for Dunfermline’s miserly defence, which had conceded just one goal in their last four league outings.

But it turned out there was very little to be afraid of – most of the match was enough to send you to sleep – as Queens offered very little of concern while Dunfermline huffed and puffed.

It was scary just how much Athletic were on top, only to lose out to Josh Todd’s 83rd minute breakaway.

Dobbie barely had a kick as Athletic dominated, although they struggled to find the killer touch, and just when it seemed the match was stuttering to a draw, the Dumfries side hit Pars with a real smash and grab.

This was a nightmare for Allan Johnston’s men who played the better football, created the better chances and looked far more threatening, albeit they lacked quality in the final third.

There was understandably wariness about Dobbie and there was an early fright when Pars struggled to clear and the striker ended up in a foot race with Lee Robinson - the keeper was out quick and slammed the ball against Dobbie to get the goal kick.

There wasn’t much to get the pulse racing in the early stages, which Dunfermline dominated, but a neat passage of play saw Louis Longridge find Faissal El Bakhtaoui for an ambitious shot that was blocked for a corner.

That came to nothing and a number of promising Athletic moves broke down in the final third, although French midfielder Malaury Martin did his best to pick the lock with an insightful range of passing.

Dunfermline found their range after half an hour with two great chances. Aidan Connolly’s change of pace and run at the defence allowed Andy Ryan to peel wide and when he returned the ball into the centre, Louis Longridge miscued and sent the ball over the bar.

In the 32nd minute, only a fantastic fingertip save from Queen of the South goalie Alan Martin prevented Ryan’s curling shot from nestling in the corner of the net.

Martin tried his luck from distance with an effort that flicked off a Queens leg for a corner but Athletic lacked the aerial presence to trouble the visitors.

A delightful drag-back from El Bakhtaoui gave him enough space to send Louis Longridge through the middle but he chose the wrong option, shifting the ball wide to Ryan rather than pulling the trigger, and the chance was gone.

Ryan’s persistence led to a penalty shout in the 50th minute when he chased a seemingly lost cause, kept the ball in and crossed it for Louis Longridge, whose header appeared to brush Michael Doyle’s arm.

The appeal was raised in the stands but ref Steven Reid gave nothing.

Skipper Lee Ashcroft thought he’d given his side the lead on the hour when he met Martin’s inswinging free kick but the Queens goalie produced another outstanding stop to palm his header over the bar.

On the 70th minute, James Craigen sent in a brilliant cross to the back post and Connolly, on the stretch, just couldn’t get enough on it to divert the ball home.

And then Queens stole it. They’d barely had a chance until late on and Dobbie threatened, only to slip in the act of shooting.

It seemed like Dunfermline had dodged a bullet but they lost possession and the Dumfries side capitalised in the 83rd minute, sub Adam Frizzell setting up Todd to run through and slide the ball past Robinson.