Dunfermline and Raith battle to draw in Premiership play-off

ATHLETIC'S hopes of progressing to a Premiership play-off semi-final hang in the balance after they drew a stalemate with Raith Rovers tonight.

Stevie Crawford's side dominated the opening period and fashioned numerous opportunities, but a lack of a clinical finish cost them a lead going into Saturday's return at Stark's Park.

Rovers will likely be the happier of the two camps as, although they were more of an attacking threat after half-time, it was the Pars who created more throughout.

However, they may rue those missed opportunities, and will need to improve on an away record that brought them just one win in the regular season.

Athletic head coach made five changes to the side that lost their final match of the campaign at Alloa Athletic on Friday, having already secured a top four finish.

Owain Fon Williams returned in goal, while Aaron Comrie, Steven Whittaker, Dom Thomas and Craig Wighton also returned.

For Rovers, Iain Davidson lined up in defence after they appealed his red card during Friday's loss to Hearts, while Ross Matthews made it, having been suggested to be struggling with injury.

Dunfermline were last at this stage in 2018, when they lost to Dundee United, and it was they who threatened first in the early stages.

Whittaker, after the ball eventually fell to him from a free-kick, shot wide before sending an even better effort looping narrowly over and on to the roof of the net from 25 yards.

In the 18th minute, Jamie MacDonald was the first of the keepers called into action when, after the hosts broke upfield, he leapt to his right to superbly push away a vicious Kevin O'Hara shot that looked destined for the top far corner.

Athletic continued to make opportunities, with Declan McManus scuffing wide after being found by Wighton, and Ewan Henderson testing the gloves of MacDonald with a 25-yarder, just shy of the half hour mark.

Raith, despite keeping the ball well in spells, hadn't really threatened, with Kai Kennedy's cross that just eluded a team-mate in the six yard box as close as they came.

Crawford will have felt his side should have been in front at the break, and Wighton - taking advantage of a poor defensive header into his path - had the chance to give them the advantage as the clock ticked to 45, but he flashed his effort from the edge of the box over the top.

The visitors, though, started the second period much brighter and had a decent effort from Kai Kennedy blocked, before the Pars surged forward on the break.

O'Hara and Wighton led the move and the ball eventually found its way across the box from the left to Thomas, but his shot to the near post was held by MacDonald.

Henderson, after good work by Wighton, was unlucky with a fine curling effort from range as the Pars continued to probe, before Raith created their best opening 65 minutes in.

Brad Spencer played the ball through for Lewis Vaughan and forced Fon Williams, who had been a virtual spectator up to that point, into a fine save, with Kyle Benedictus heading wide from the resulting corner.

After defending a corner, Henderson, ambitiously, tried his luck from midway inside his own half after MacDonald had come rushing out of his goal to make a poor clearance, but his effort was well off target.

Both teams kept probing in an attempt to find the breakthrough and substitute Kerr McInroy almost found it for Dunfermline with five minutes to go, smashing wide after picking up on a loose ball at the edge of the area.

As the game moved into stoppage time, the Pars fashioned another huge chance.

McInroy sprayed the ball wide left to Henderson, whose cross seemed perfect for O'Hara to head on target, but he couldn't connect and it went begging.

Although Scott Banks had a shot saved in the dying moments, 0-0 remained and it's all to play for in Kirkcaldy on Saturday.

Pars: Fon Williams, Comrie, E. Murray, Watson, Edwards, Whittaker, Thomas (Banks 79), Henderson, McManus (McInroy 73), Wighton, O'Hara.

Subs: MacDonald, Gaspuitis, McCann, Mayo, Gill.

Booked: Whittaker (26).

Raith Rovers: J. MacDonald, Tumilty, K. MacDonald, Davidson, Benedictus, Hendry, Matthews (King 81), Spencer, Kennedy, Vaughan (Duku 85), Gullan (Ugwu 87).

Subs: Mendy, Armstrong, Cooney, Thomson.

Referee: Steven Kirkland.

Meanwhile, in the pyramid play-offs, Kelty Hearts won 2-0 at Brora Rangers in their first leg.

Despite Kallum Higginbotham and Nathan Austin having penalties saves, Dylan Easton's first half strike, and a second half spot-kick from Higginbotham - Kelty's third of the game - gave Barry Ferguson's side a lead to bring back to New Central Park.

The second leg takes place on Saturday.