Pars 0 Queen's Park 0
CHRIS Kane apologised to his team-mates for the late miss that could have won the match and kept the Pars slim promotion hopes alive.
The striker put a free header over the bar with seconds left and the draw means that Dunfermline cannot go up - and they've still got work to do to ensure they don't go down.
Athletic boss James McPake said Kane was "devastated" in the changing room and went on: "He is walking off apologising. He doesn’t need to apologise to anybody for anything at this football club.
"Since he has come in he has been outstanding, the way he holds the ball up, the way he brings others into play and the chances that he is getting."
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He added: "It is good that he is hurting but he is experienced, he will pick himself up and knowing Kano he will be back on the scoresheet next week.”
If you're looking for confirmation of just how crazy the Championship is, the scenario ahead of kick-off on Saturday summed it up.
With three matches to play Dunfermline - and Ayr - still had a chance of finishing in the promotion play-off place and the relegation play-off place.
After this goalless draw the Pars cannot now catch Airdrie or Partick Thistle but they're still within reach of second bottom Queen's Park, who are six points behind them with two games left.
That's an unlikely scenario, goal difference is also in Athletic's favour, but McPake said: "They are a team that is fighting for their lives and so were we. Let’s be honest about it, we can still be caught as well so there is that edginess about it.
"Their goalkeeper, Callum Ferrie, I know him very well because I had him at Dundee, made three or four spectacular saves in the game.
"He was excellent and that’s why he is in the (SPFL Championship) team of the year.
“Deniz (Mehmet) had a great save in the second half, other than that I don’t think they threatened too much."
Asked if he thought the point had secured their Championship status, the boss said: "No, until it is mathematically impossible to be caught then we have to think that way.
"It is disappointing again with the score at Maryhill (Partick beat Airdrie 4-0), if we had got the win today with the goal difference we are looking at a different thing again.
"We have still got two very important games and another team in Inverness coming down here that will be desperate for three points next week.
“Let’s be honest, we are all desperate for three points but when you are within arms length of that play-off position you become that wee bit more desperate.
"So we need to be ready for that. It could end up being an important point."
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Josh Edwards was the only Dunfermline player to be chosen for the Championship team of the year and he underlined the reasons why as he barrelled his way to the line and stood up a cross for Miles Welch-Hayes, whose firm header was booted clear.
Kane fired wide and Ferrie pushed away a Lewis McCann effort as Athletic came fast out of the traps.
The strikers went hunting again but Queen's goalie stopped a close range Kane half volley with his legs and McCann nodded a header off target.
Dunfermline faded after that bright opening and needed skipper Kyle Benedictus' sliding block to prevent Stuart McKinstry opening the scoring.
Malachi Fagan-Walcott needed treatment after being flattened in the Queen's box while McCann was denied just as he was about to pull the trigger.
Queen's turned up the heat with McKinstry forcing Mehmet into a stunning stop.
A superb Edwards pass saw Todd racing from the halfway line but Zach Mauchin held him up and stopped him getting a shot away.
Ferrie was in the right place to palm away a McCann header and the away side demanded a red card when Hamilton tripped McKinstry just as he threatened to go one-on-one with Mehmet.
The ref booked the Pars enforcer and Ruari Paton's free kick whistled just over.
Dunfermline should have won it with seconds left but Kane's free header from eight yards sailed over the bar.
McPake thought a booking for Hamilton was the right call and went on: "I thought we should have had a penalty for the boy’s challenge on Malachi Fagan-Walcott.
"It is a hard one for the ref to call but I don’t think the Queen's player takes the ball at all and his shoulder hits Mal."
Overall he admitted: "It was a tricky game on a really tricky pitch for both teams.
"I don’t think it would have been an enjoyable game to watch."
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