Dunfermline: Deniz Mehmet makes penalty save in Inverness draw

DENIZ MEHMET saved a first half spot-kick as Athletic battled to a hard-fought point at Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The Dunfermline goalkeeper guessed correctly to keep out Billy Mckay's effort after Paul Allan was penalised for a foul on Cammy Kerr.

That kept James McPake's level in a match which was crucial for both clubs at they bid to steer clear of relegation trouble.

Alex Jakubiak was inches away from slotting the visitors ahead in first half stoppage time, with ex-Par, Danny Devine, making a vital goal line clearance, and, whilst the Pars finished strongly, they couldn't find a winning goal.

"There wasn't much happening in the game. We looked solid enough, they defended their box pretty well," McPake said.

"Jak, it's a good bit of play and a good chance. It's a really good bit of defending - I'd need to see it back, but I think the boy does really well to clear it off the line - but, apart from that, there was nothing clear-cut really in the game.

"It was two teams battling, in tough conditions, but it's alright for up here, I suppose - I've been up here in a lot worse.

"It's another point. Again, we're disappointed not to score, but obviously delighted to keep the clean sheet and look solid again."

Two points separated the teams ahead of kick off, with ninth-placed Inverness having played a game more, and that gap remains, with Dunfermline dropping to eighth.

Airdrieonians, who stunned leaders Dundee United at Tannadice, Queen's Park, who were big winners over Arbroath, sit seventh and eighth, two points and one point respectively clear of the Fifers, whilst Ayr United, who head for KDM Group East End Park on Saturday, moved three clear after defeating Partick Thistle by the odd-goal-in-seven.

McPake made three changes to the team that ended a nine-match losing streak at Partick on Friday night.

Miles Welch-Hayes, who came off the bench in that game for his debut, started in place of Xavier Benjamin, whilst Ben Summers came in for Brad Holmes, who dropped to the bench.

Chris Kane was absent from the squad due to illness, which meant a start for Jakubiak, but blocked efforts from Mckay and Matty Todd, and a Welch-Hayes shot over the bar, was the extent of the goalmouth action until the game's first significant moment in the 17th minute.

After the ball was touched into the Pars box, Allan and Kerr both went for it, with the former having been deemed to have caught his opponent as referee Gavin Duncan pointed to the spot.

Mckay stepped up but Mehmet leapt to his left to keep out his 12-yard effort before the visitors cleared the ball to safety.

Mehmet celebrates after saving Billy Mckay's penalty. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"I'm delighted for Den to save the pen as well, a really good save," McPake commented.

"I don't think it's a penalty, so I think justice is done with that. It's a good save from Den but he's still got to save it."

Moments later, Welch-Hayes nodded wide as Dunfermline tried to take full of advantage of their goalkeeper's save, but they suffered a blow in the 27th minute when Lewis McCann was substituted through injury, with Holmes replacing him.

Devine, who had twice headed over from corner kicks, rescued Duncan Ferguson's side in first half stoppage time when he slid to clear from Jakubiak on the line, after he rounded goalkeeper, Mark Ridgers, from Summers' through ball before sending the ball towards goal.

Ex-Par Danny Devine blocks Alex Jakubiak's effort just before half-time. (Image: Craig Brown.)

McPake made a double switch at the break, with Michael O'Halloran and Joe Chalmers replacing Summers and Allan, but it was the hosts who threatened early in the second half.

Sean McAllister had a shot deflected over, before Devine headed wide from eight yards, before the Pars saw a Holmes shot blocked, and Todd send an effort wildly off-target from around 25 yards.

There were appeals for a spot-kick when Welch-Hayes' header back across goal from a Chalmers corner to the far post was blocked by an Inverness player, but Duncan appeared to make the right call as the ball looked to have struck a chest rather than a hand.

James Carragher headed a Cameron Harper free-kick over the top for the Caley Jags but it was Athletic who finished the stronger.

Welch-Hayes had a header tipped over the bar by Ridgers, after Chalmers played in a free-kick, whilst Ewan Otoo did well to dig out a shot from the edge of the box, but was a fraction too high, but both teams were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.

"They have a penalty kick that Den saves, and their defender clears one off the line from a good bit of play but, other than that, there wasn't much happening in the game at all in terms of quality of chances," McPake added.

"I don't think it was down to effort. I think both teams gave everything they had, both teams were out to try and win the game. It was just a poor, boring game of football really, but it's a point for us."

Inverness Caledonian Thistle: Ridgers, Duffy, Devine, Carragher, Savage, Kerr, Shaw (Doran 78), McAllister, Harper, Samuel, Mckay (Pepple 90).

Subs not used: Samuels, MacKay, Brooks.

Booked: Carragher (60), Devine (88).

Pars: Mehmet, Welch-Hayes, Hamilton, Fagan-Walcott, Edwards, Todd (Moffat 74), Otoo, Summers (O'Halloran 45), Allan (Chalmers 45), McCann (Holmes 27), Jakubiak.

Subs not used: Fenton, T. Sutherland, Benjamin, Little.

Booked: Allan (30), Hamilton (66) Referee: Gavin Duncan.

Attendance: 1958.