Dunfermline remain bottom of the table and without a win after a second successive goalless draw at home.

Peter Grant’s men started well and Craig Wighton hit the post early on but they ran out of fuel and were hanging on at the end.

Athletic went into this basement battle two points behind Accies and knowing a win would lift them above their opponents.

And they showed urgency from the start, with skipper Graham Dorrans rousing the crowd, emerging with the ball after a crunching tackle on ex-Par Lewis Spence.

They were on their feet in the 7th minute to hail what would have been a goal of the season contender from Craig Wighton.

He met Nikolai Todorov’s cross and swivelled to acrobatically send a volley past the keeper but the ball rebounded back off the post.

Accies edged their way back into the match with Josh Mullin forcing Owain Fon Williams to push his fierce drive over the bar.

Dunfermline’s main tactic seemed to be a high ball for Todorov to flick on but the big striker did get a sight of goal, only for his shot to smack into a forest of Hamilton legs.

Josh Edwards was tackled on the edge of the box after a storming run and the impressive full back later arrowed the ball just wide after trying to catch out Accies with a short corner.

Kai Kennedy was a real livewire and slalomed past three men before being crowded out and he was unable to trouble Ryan Fulton’s net as Pars chased a break through.

A fast breakaway almost caught Dunfermline cold at the start of the second half but Fon Williams denied Andy Ryan with a smart stop.

Pars seemed to be running out of ideas with frustration from the stands spilling onto the pitch.

They came under increasing pressure with Dorrans perfectly placed to clear when Luke Matheson whistled a dangerous ball across goal.

Accies tails were up and on the hour Lewis Smith had his head in his hands after dipping inside and curling in a shot that kissed the outside of the post.

Grant swapped injured strike pair Wighton and Todorov for Kevin O’Hara and Reece Cole and it almost paid off immediately.

O’Hara jinked inside and let fly but Hamilton managed to block the ball’s passage towards goal.

The visitors forced a series of corners and launched an aerial bombardment as they chased a winner.

Fon Williams then dived full length to prevent Josh Mullin’s free kick finding the net.

Dunfermline had a brief flurry when Dom Thomas came on, although the fans were none too pleased to see Kennedy depart, and he was in a promising position when Popescu swiped his legs away in the 89th minute.

The winger has a point to prove to his manager and took the free kick himself but it crashed into the wall and Dunfermline’s last chance was gone.