Anxiety swept down from the stands on to the pitch at East End Park, with Dunfermline frustrating their fans with their inability to break down 10-man Dundee.
The Dark Blues were a player light for 44 minutes of the second half, thanks to Sean Higgins’ two bookings, but the Pars passed up all their chances and were knocked off the top of the first division table by rivals Raith Rovers as a result.
It is one of football’s favourite theories that it is often harder to play against 10 men than 11, and this match provided further proof for that argument.
“Dundee got their 10 men behind the ball and made it difficult for us to get through themwell done to them for that,” said Dunfermline central defender Neil McGregor.
“We also allowed them to take confidence from seeing that we were a bit slack in the second half.
“It maybe wasn’t our day, while we also did not move the ball sharply enough.
“In the end, we have dropped two points. We have to take it on the chin and get on with it.”
The weight of expectation will be on the Pars’ shoulders again on Tuesday night, when they welcome third division side Montrose for their Scottish Cup fourth round replay.
Patience could be the watchword against the Gable Endies, with McGregor adding, “We now move on to the cup tie and it might be the same story, with Montrose coming here and sitting in.
“We need to do a professional job and, unlike this match, take those chances when they come along.”
Manager Jim McIntyre felt the Pars were more comfortable before Higgins’ red card than they were afterwards.
“I think we were better when it was 11 versus 11 than when we had the extra man,” he said.
“We dominated the first half, had a couple of near misses and their keeper had a couple of good saves.
“So I was disappointed not to go in at half-time ahead, because I thought our play merited it.
“In the second, though, we never moved the ball quickly enough and were a bit pedestrian in our play.
“I was impatient with my centre-backs because I felt they were taking too long to do things.
“They were only up against the one (striker) so I wanted them to commit and get the full-backs playing like wingers.
“They were great defensively and did their job that way, but I just thought we moved the ball quicker when it was 11-a-side.”