Dunfermline 1 Inverness 1

Pars got the point they needed – just - to ensure they’ll play Championship football next season thanks to captain Kyle Benedictus’ goal and Deniz Mehmet’s fourth penalty save in a row.

Athletic needed a draw to guarantee they wouldn’t finish in the relegation play-off spot and it’s now Inverness who occupy that position and in danger of the drop after an anxious finish at East End Park.

Queen’s Park’s win at Arbroath set nerves jangling at East End Park but Benedictus got the goal that put Dunfermline ahead at the break, and it looked even better when spot kick king Mehmet saved Billy McKay’s second half attempt.

But sub Aribim Pepple poked home for Caley and they piled on the pressure looking for a winner, with Athletic hanging on desperately and booting the ball anywhere as the clock ticked down.

Pars boss James McPake said: "I’m happy we’ve guaranteed Championship football.

"Probably now you can see why through the week I was cautious in saying it wasn’t all done.

"With the Queen’s Park result, had we lost the game it would have been a nervy game next week.

"I’m not happy with five minutes to go we were hanging on at home just for a point to secure a place in this league but if you take things into context and look at the injuries and everything that came with them, the last time we were in this league we did get relegated.

"So, it’s a consolation but we got the point.  

"We were disappointed in the level of performance again and we know there’s a lot of work to do - and it’s going to be a big summer.”

Ahead of kick-off there was still the lingering possibility that Dunfermline could get dragged into a relegation scrap as, with two games remaining, they were six points ahead of Queen’s Park.

It was always an unlikely scenario but boss James McPake couldn’t take any chances and despite a Reserve Cup win in midweek, there was no starting place to reward any of the youngsters who starred in the 2-1 victory over Livingston.

The only one to be named in the squad to face Inverness was Andrew Tod and he began as a sub.

There were two changes to the Pars team that started against Queen’s Park last week, with Lewis McCann and Miles Welch-Hayes dropping to the bench and Paul Allan and Owen Moffat coming in.

The three previous matches with Inverness this season had all ended in a draw too – although the Pars hit the woodwork an incredible eight times before finding the net for a late leveller at East End in November – and the first half was a typically tight affair.

The Highlanders slowly began to exert greater control of the match, they were sharper into the tackle and pressed Dunfermline relentlessly, forcing them backwards and into mistakes.

The visiting fans shouted loudly for a penalty when Cammy Kerr tumbled in the box under a challenge with Malachi Fagan-Walcott but the ref rightly waved away their claims.

And Benedictus was left appealing for an offside flag that never came when Alex Samuel sneaked in behind the Pars rearguard but his shot was deflected and Josh Edwards cleared the danger.

Athletic’s first chance came in the 23rd minute and they almost scored with it. Kane Ritchie-Hosler motored down the right flank, his cross took a touch and forced Chris Kane to stop, retrieve the ball and swivel before firing at goal.

Mark Ridgers pulled off a save, Edwards fresh aired the rebound and Allan swerved the loose ball into the Caley keeper’s gloves.

Moffat did well to trick his way past two challenges and create an opening but his low drive was smothered by Ridgers.

For all that their high energy pressing and harrying was putting Dunfermline off their stride, Inverness didn’t create much but Mehmet had to look alive to push a James Carragher header over the bar in the 35th minute.

The breakthrough came in the 41st minute when Caley failed to clear a corner. Athletic recycled possession, Allan swung in a great ball from the right and Benedictus buried the header into the net.

It would have been 2-0 in the 50th minute but for a superb stop from Ridgers.

Moffat broke from halfway, drew the last defender and slipped the ball right for Todd who took aim and drilled it hard and low.

The Inverness keeper got down to block with his outstretched leg and the ball flew just over the bar.

Duncan Ferguson’s men had the chance to level from a penalty in the 54th minute when Louis Longstaff’s attempted lob into the Pars box struck Moffat’s outstretched arm and ref Alan Muir immediately pointed to the spot.

Mehmet must be getting into strikers’ heads now as he dived to his right to save Billy McKay’s low effort – incredibly his fourth penalty save in a row.

Benedictus then had to make an inch perfect tackle to stop Carragher at full pelt and Sean McAllister scuffed a good chance wide of the post as the visitors cranked up the pressure.

Inverness levelled in the 76th minute when Benedictus and Mehmet hesitated as the ball bounced towards the goalie and Pepple got between them and stuck out a boot to poke it into the net.

Pepple had another chance, forcing the Pars goalie into a low block, while McAllister let fly with a shot that the goalie clutched gratefully.

Inverness threw everything at Dunfermline in search of a winner but McPake's men, held together by the excellent Benedictus and Fagan-Walcott in the heart of defence, just about held on.