Stevie Crawford and John McGlynn on Dunfermline Raith draw

The head coach watched his dominate the first leg of their quarter-final, first leg tie at East End last night for long periods, but they couldn't break the deadlock in a scoreless draw.

The Pars will feel they should be heading to Stark's Park with a lead after carving out numerous opportunities, whilst restricting their derby rivals to very little.

The tie couldn't be more finely poised, with Dundee awaiting the winners, and Crawford praised his players' attiude and overall play.

"I was delighted with the application," he said.

"We created a number of chances in the game. I thought we created the better chances and, other than not winning the game, there's a lot of positives to take from tonight.

"Some of our creative play, movement - and it wasn't just by one or two of my players - it's credit to all of them, the way they went about their business.

"As I say, other than scoring a goal tonight, there was a lot, a lot, of good things.

"I said before we played the game tonight that I didn't really want to speak about Saturday because you don't know what tonight was going to throw at you. What I did think was it was a great advert - albeit it was a 0-0 - I thought it was a great advert for Fife.

"Not just ourselves, I think Raith Rovers showed what it meant to them tonight and, equally, my players were the same. I thought it was a good battle and Saturday will be no different."

When asked about it being a shame that there wasn't a bumper crowd inside East End to watch, Crawford replied: "I'd like to hope that you guys enjoyed that game tonight.

"It's a sin at the moment but it is what it is. Any supporters that have watched it from either side, anybody else that tuned into that tonight online, I thought they saw two Championship sides that played the game in the right manner.

"I'm just hopeful that sometime soon we get supporters in because, when I came out and did my pre-match tonight with Brian (McLauchlan) with the BBC, it felt surreal.

"You're coming into a game of this importance and it would have been absolutely bouncing at the Rovers end, and at the Norrie. It's sad but as I say it is what it is.

"We appreciate the predicament that we find ourselves in on that side of things, and our players will recover tomorrow and look forward to an important game at the weekend now."

Dunfermline's away form, which yielded just one win in the Championship season, has been of debate amongst supporters and is something they'll have to chance on Saturday.

They will also be keen to erase the memory of their last visit to Kirkcaldy, which ended in a 5-1 defeat in March.

"The flip side of that is our home form has been terrific," Crawford continued.

"I think we're a club that's evolving and we're not frightened to give people opportunities to try and get better, and that goes for myself as the manager of the club.

"We know the job in hand. We know what we've got to do to go through and play Dundee; we've got to go there and win the game.

"Nothing will change between now and Saturday on that, it's just how we prepare for that and, as I say, the performance tonight gave me great hope for that.

"You want to win games of football. It was what it was (the 5-1 loss) and, as I say, it's more looking at the tie. Tonight's out the way and we know that whether it be 90 minutes or longer on Saturday, that will come into our mind as well, because it might not be guaranteed it's 90 minutes, so we've got prepare for that as well but it's one I'm looking forward to purely on tonight's performance.

"It showed that the boys are in a good vein of form. I thought some of our attacking play - not just the chances - some of the attacking link and combination play in the attacking third was very very good."

Rovers boss, John McGlynn, admitted he was pleased with a clean sheet and believes the tie is up for grabs on either side.

"I thought we actually started the better, I thought that Dunfermline came into it, and I thought it was nip and tuck, he said.

"Dunfermline were very well organised, played on a press, trying to force us into an error and then counter-attack. And that actually worked on a few occasions because sometimes our passing wasn't so good, wouldn't have quite enough pace on it or somebody would take an extra touch. That'll not happen on Saturday.

"The pitch here is very good, but we're used to our pitch better in regards to moving the ball. The passes that there maybe slightly mistimed or misplaced, that won't happen on Saturday. It's much slicker for us on our own pitch.

"I'm delighted to come here and go away with a 0-0 and clean sheet. Jamie (MacDonald) made a great save, (Owain) Fon Williams made a great save. I'm delighted with the defenders, the defenders defended very very well, the team organisation was good, we passed the ball really really well.

"We found it hard to open them up but we fight to live another day on Saturday. It can't come quick enough.

"The tie is very evenly poised. Both teams have a great chance of getting through.

"Bring it on."