Arbroath made it four games without defeat but will be disappointed not to have picked up all three points after taking a second half lead against Dunfermline Athletic.
The Pars were the stronger side for large parts of the afternoon, but it was the Lichties who moved in front through Mikey McKenna’s finish. However, Josh Cooper levelled for the visitors midway through the second period with the sides sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
Scott Constable’s red card against Livingston last week saw him sidelined, with Gavin Reilly, Scott Stewart and Stuart Morrison picking up knocks and Scott Robinson also missing the matchday squad.
After an uneventful opening quarter of an hour, it was the Pars who took control of the game and had the first chance of the match when Aidan McAdams came racing out of his goal to deny Andy Tod’s sliding effort.
The Lichties’ shot stopper was called into action in a matter of minutes soon after, first to deny Olamilekan Adams’ headed effort and then a speculative strike from distance from Tod that had to be tipped over. The resultant corner was worked back into the box for Nurudeen Abdulai to attempt an acrobatic effort, but his attempt flew harmlessly wide.
It was more of the same shortly before half time with Tod managing to beat a static Arbroath defence’s offside trap to find himself in on goal, but once more McAdams stayed big to deny him. Both Adams and Tod had further chances with a header glanced wide before Tod’s powerful strike on the angle was sent blazing over the bar.
Arbroath finally created a notable chance with one of the last kicks of the half as Scott McGill clipped a beautiful pass through to Andy Winter who looked to have scored when he got his toe to the ball, but it dropped the wrong side of the post for the forward.
Man of the match Tam O’Brien went powering through the middle of the park early in the second half before being stopped by Alfons Amade who picked up a booking, with that foul then leading to the opening goal.
The free kick was brilliantly whipped into the middle where O’Brien’s knockdown was turned home via the post by the alert McKenna.
Dunfermline were adamant they should have had a penalty just beyond the hour mark when Tod got into the box under pressure from Craig Watson before going down as he took his shot, but their protests were waved away as the ball trickled out for a goal kick.
Cooper went close with a low shot that McAdams reacted well to get down to stop, but the midfielder wasn’t to be denied with his next attempt, collecting Robbie Fraser’s pass before turning well and firing the ball into the net.
Both sides pressed in search of a late winner, but neither could muster any real efforts on goal as it ended all square in the Gayfield sun.
Arbroath: McAdams; Watson, Dewar, O’Brien, Mackie; Flynn, McGill (Beadling, 71’); Bonnar (Paterson, 80’), McKenna, Dow; Winter (Daly, 71’)
Dunfermline Athletic: Oxborough; Lobban, Cleall-Harding, Abdulai, Fraser; Oyirwoth, Amade (Gilmour, 62’), Cooper (Bray, 87’); Rudden (Kane, 62’), Adams (Macleod, 83’), Tod
