Dunfermline 0 Morton 0

PARS blew a golden opportunity to claim three points from a match they dominated but just couldn’t find the net.

James McPake’s men are desperate for victories to get them away from the wrong end of the table and should have claimed one here after being on top for almost the whole game.

Morton caused problems early on but Dunfermline finished the first half strongly with Kane Ritchie-Hosler and Chris Kane denied by the goalie and Matty Todd flashing a drive just wide of the post.

And they completely bossed the second half with Joe Chalmers swerving a terrific shot inches off target and Morton goalie Gary Woods blocking Kane’s goalbound header on the line with his leg.

It was constant pressure towards the end, with so many close calls, but there was only frustration at the full-time whistle with Dunfermline missing out on a morale-boosting win before travelling to face league leaders Falkirk next Saturday.

Pars began the day joint bottom of the table and welcomed back Tobi Oluwayemi for his first match since the 2-0 win over Raith on September 13.

The on-loan keeper missed four matches due to injury and replaced Deniz Mehmet in the Athletic line-up.

New signing Dapo Mebude picked up a knock in his first game for the club, last week’s 2-1 SPFL Trust Trophy win over Kelty, and the striker didn’t make the team to face Morton with his place going to Todd.

Last time the Greenock side was here, in February, they spanked the Pars 5-0.

And Dougie Imrie’s men began brightly with Alex King getting into the box for a free header in the third minute which, thankfully for Dunfermline, was straight into Oluwayemi’s gloves.

Former Pars winger Owen Moffat then escaped down the right, jinked inside Chris Hamilton and thumped a low drive that the keeper got down well to block.

Dunfermline’s first effort at goal was in the 21st minute when Joe Chalmers’ low ball from the left was directed wide by an under pressure Craig Wighton.

Filip Stuparevic then bought a foul from Wighton on the edge of the Athletic box and the striker took it himself, blootering it high and wide into the Norrie McCathie Stand, to jeers from the home fans.

That was the direction of travel, with Morton asking a number of questions, before McPake’s side began to wrestle back control of the match.

Wighton did well to get to the line and stand up a cross for Aaron Comrie, the ball found its way to Craig Clay but his effort was somewhere between a shot and a cross and no problem for goalie Gary Woods.

An off-balance Hamilton nodded wide at the back post, from a corner, as Dunfermline started to enjoy more possession in the Ton half and string some passes together in the final third.

Clay’s header from a 38th minute corner was deflected just wide, for another set-piece, and this one was straight from the training ground with a short one taken to Todd who rolled it back for Ritchie-Hosler.

He took a touch and had a blast with Woods standing firm at his front post to make the save.

In the 42nd minute the goalie saved Imrie’s side again when Ritchie-Hosler escaped down the right lofted the ball into the box, Kane spun and drove a close range shot at goal but Woods instinctively stuck up an arm to block.

The Pars fans were on their feet when Todd accepted a pass and sent a skidding effort inches past the post, before Niall McGinn warmed Oluwayemi’s palms with a crisp strike.

At the start of the second half Kirk Broadfoot was booked for a very late tackle on Ritchie-Hosler – it looked like it could have been red – that left the winger needing treatment.

Wighton had an effort blocked in the box, he was closed down almost immediately when the ball broke his way, before Hamilton bravely put his head in the way of a ferocious Stuparevic hit that left him flat out.

Luckily he was ok to carry on although Pars rang the changes on the hour with Todd and Clay making way for David Wotherspoon and Kieran Ngwenya.

Wasting no time, Wotherspoon had King on toast, dummying him twice before swinging in a teasing delivery that panicked the Ton rearguard, as Athletic chased a winner.

Ritchie-Hosler looked back to his best when he burned the full back for pace and whipped in a terrific cross that Kane just couldn’t reach.

You could tell Pars were getting on top when Woods started time-wasting – with more than 20 minutes to go – and the crowd thought Chalmers had given them the lead in the 68th minute when he swerved a 25 yarder just wide.

Sub Josh Cooper then did brilliantly to trick his way to the line and the ball was pulled back for Ewan Otoo whose shot was heading towards the net before it took two deflections and Morton could hack it clear.

The Greenock side were hanging on and Ritchie-Hosler and Ngwenya both put terrific crosses into the box but Dunfermline couldn’t take advantage.

In the 81st minute Otoo shrugged off a challenge and slid the ball through for Cooper who thumped it hard and low from a tight angle but Woods made the stop.

With five minutes left Otoo’s excellent pass found Ngwenya breaking down the left, his cross was perfect for Kane but the striker’s downward header was blocked by Woods’ outstretched leg.