Dunfermline: Deniz Mehmet reflects on Inverness draw

The Dunfermline goalkeeper kept out Billy Mckay's first half spot-kick at Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Tuesday evening as they battled to a hard-fought stalemate.

The result, which followed Friday night's impressive win at Partick Thistle, keeps Duncan Ferguson's side below Athletic and in the relegation play-off spot, with two points separating the teams.

With home matches against Ayr United, on Saturday, and Airdrieonians, on Tuesday evening, coming up, Mehmet is hopeful that acquiring four points from their last six can help the Pars climb away from trouble at the wrong end of the Championship.

"After the run that we've had, it's five points from nine, four points from six. It's something that looks a lot better than what it has done over the last month and a half, or two months, whatever it's been," he told Press Sport.

READ MORE: Deniz is spot-on as Pars and Caley draw a blank

"It's not been a great run, we all know that, and it's not been nice to have that sort of monkey on your back. You're looking and you're thinking, right, it's another draw, it's another loss, or whatever it may be, but there's more positives with the last few results, definitely.

"Hopefully it can be something that can give us a little bit of momentum. We're looking a lot more resilient as well I think over the last couple of games. It's something to build on and hopefully we can start getting a few more points in this busy period.

Mehmet is hopeful the Pars can build on their last two results. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"We put ourselves in a good position over the past couple of games and it's something to build on. Hopefully we can rack up some more points and get away from the side of the table that no team wants to be at."

After Mehmet's spot-kick heroics, Alex Jakubiak had an effort cleared off the line by ex-Par, Danny Devine, but chances were few and far between in a match that was far from a classic.

"They didn't have much to be fair and, likewise, for us for them," Mehmet continued.

"It was a game that was pretty much a battle - boys are fighting in the middle of the park, and sometimes that's how the game goes - but sometimes you get lucky and the ball falls to you in the box kindly, but tonight, it didn't happen for either of us.

"I think the main priority that I certainly start with at the start of the game is to try and focus and keeping the clean sheet. If that's the case, you're guaranteed a point, and then hopefully there's something you can nick and get the three points.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't do that, but definitely happy to get the point."

Boss James McPake, who revealed Chris Kane missed out through illness but should be back for Saturday, said that he was not worried that both Queen's Park and Airdrieonians, with wins over Arbroath and Dundee United respectively, had jumped above them in the table.

Just three points separate Dunfermline, in eighth, from Ayr United in fifth, and McPake noted: "In this league, any team can beat any team as we see, and it's just about where you finish, or where you are with two or three games to go, to see what can happen in your season.

James McPake's side are three matches unbeaten. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"But, look, it's three games unbeaten now, obviously two draws in there and a win, but probably if we had to isolate it and say with Partick and Inverness coming, if you could take four points in those two matches, we would've taken it.

"We're disappointed not to go down the road with the points but it's another I'd say decent performance. It was nowhere near a good performance from any team I don't think, in terms of quality football, but both teams did enough to probably get a point from the game."