There has been precious little home comfort for Dunfermline this season in the league, and that dismal run continued in their Scottish Cup fourth round replay.
The Pars were dumped out of the competition in extra time on Wednesday night by an Inverness side who now have a lucrative tie at home against Celtic to look forward to.
The result means Dunfermline have now played 12 competitive matches at home this season without experiencing the sweet taste of victory.
The Pars took the lead in the first half through Andy Barrowman before conceding a Keystone Kops-style equaliser by Jonny Hayes. But extra-time counters from Inverness substitute Andrew Shinnie and Greg Tansey left Dunfermline heartbroken.
A devastated Pars boss Jim McIntyre said: ”I am very disappointed. I felt we were the better side over the piece but we have gifted them a goal and they took confidence from that.
”I couldn’t believe it happened and it was an absolute hammer blow. We have now missed out on a tie against Celtic which will have a huge impact on whether I can bring new players into the club.”
His delighted opposite number Terry Butcher said: ”Dunfermline were the better team in the first half but we got a gift of a goal. I thought we would win it in normal time but I’m just glad to be through to the next round.
”Great credit though to Dunfermline for their performance.”
McIntyre made three changes from the side that was defeated by Hibs at the weekend with Chris Smith, whose blunder in the first game between the sides had resulted in the need for a replay, replacing the ineligible on-loan Iain Turner in goal, Ryan Thomson coming in for Gary Mason in midfield and Kevin Rutkiewicz making his long-awaited return from injury in the heart of the defence at the expense of John Potter.
For Inverness there was a welcome return for Richie Foran and Ross Tokely.
The Pars were quickly out of the blocks with Barrowman trying his luck from 20 yards with just 13 seconds on the clock, however, the ball flew just past Jonny Tuffey’s right-hand post.
The former Inverness striker had an even better chance after just two minutes when he was played in by Davie Graham down the right to leave him one on one with Tuffey but the keeper won the personal duel, diving to his right to palm away Barrowman’s shot.
Dunfermline continued to press and were awarded a free-kick 35 yards out in the ninth minute. Big Martin Hardie stepped up and bulleted an accurate effort which Tuffey was glad to save at the second attempt.
Continued…
After those early scares, Inverness settled down and started growing in confidence, bossing possession without ever seriously testing Smith.
Indeed, it was the Pars who threatened next on 25 minutes when Barrowman and Andy Kirk linked well with the latter trying a shot on the turn from 18 yards but it flew straight into the arms of Tuffey.
Just seconds later, ICT had a great opportunity when the ball broke to Tansey in the Pars box but he fluffed his lines with a tame mishit shot from 12 yards which Smith easily gathered.
Just after the half-hour mark, Hardie was presented with another opportunity to display his dead-ball prowess when Tokely upended Joe Cardle 22 yards out but Tuffey reacted well to save comfortably.
However, the goalkeeper had no chance at the opener on 39 minutes.
Cardle worked his way down the Pars left before striking a quality delivery to Barrowman lurking unmarked at the Inverness back post and he made no mistake with a bulleted downward header past Tuffey to give Dunfermline the lead.
Butcher made a change at the break bringing on Shinnie and the former Rangers player had an immediate chance but he sliced his shot well wide from 20 yards.
Then disaster struck for McIntyre’s men on 53 minutes.
Alex Keddie played a woeful header back towards his goal and Smith came running out in a bid to clear but he only succeeded in hitting the ball off the retreating Rutkiewicz with Hayes pouncing to fire into the empty net.
Five minutes later, Gregory Tade left Rutkiewicz for dead and galloped off down the left and into the Pars penalty area.
He looked certain to shoot but instead tried to play in Shinnie but his close-range shot was blocked by Paddy Boyle and turned away for a corner.
On 73 minutes, there was an amazing incident when two Inverness players were booked for fighting with each other.
Foran and Hayes exchanged harsh words and then pushed one another before being pulled apart by team-mates with referee Euan Norris then showing them yellow.
Smith was the saviour for the Pars shortly after when he acrobatically saved an Andrew Shinnie effort from just outside the box.
The Pars had an even better opportunity on 79 minutes when Thomson got in behind the Inverness defence but Tuffey once again came to the rescue with a fine save.
With the clock ticking down, Paul Willis curled a tempting pass towards Kirk but the striker just couldn’t stretch enough to turn the ball in and the game entered extra time.
Just three minutes after the restart, disaster struck again for the Pars when Tade played a short pass to Shinnie just inside the Dunfermline box and he curled a terrific finish from 16 yards past the helpless Smith.
With both sets of players tiring, there was little else of note in the first added period.
Inverness extended their lead four minutes after the restart when sub Nick Ross rampaged down the right before cutting the ball back towards Tansey who calmly fired the ball home from the edge of the Pars box.
Attendance 1,594.
Photo David Wardle