Dunfermline missed the two targets they had set themselves on Tuesday night ending their home hoodoo and getting off the bottom of the SPL.
They are still searching for their first win at East End Park and, while they may have moved level with Hibs on the 18-point mark, their inferior goal difference keeps them propping up the Premier League.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t the worst of nights for the Pars.
Killie took the lead through James Fowler on 21 minutes, with Andy Kirk levelling for the Fifers just before the break. That meant a point apiece and home manager Jim McIntyre said: ”I think on the balance of play a draw was a fair result. The bottom line was that we wanted to win the game and get above Hibs, but we didn’t do that.
”But we have picked up a point and that has stopped the rot after two defeats (to Motherwell and Aberdeen). It is important to see yourself on the same number of points as Hibs rather than being stuck at the bottom. What we have to do now is take that result and build on it.”
Killie boss Kenny Shiels added: ”I think we deserved to win the game but you don’t always get what you deserve in football.”
Making their debuts for the Pars were the two recruits from Rangers Kyle Hutton and Jordan McMillan. The big surprise was the switch of goalkeepers. Iain Turner’s name was listed on the team sheet, but the loan signing suffered a back spasm in the warm-up so was replaced by Chris Smith.
The pitch had beaten the frost but the surface still posed a challenge to passing football, perhaps explaining the early reticence from both sides. The first real shot of note came on 14 minutes when Pars frontman Kirk did well to control the ball at the right-hand corner of the Killie box before lashing his strike a foot or so wide.
It was Liam Buchanan’s turn to test the visitors’ defence two minutes later, driving a low delivery across the face of goal that deserved to find a Dunfermline boot but didn’t.
So it was against the run of play that the Ayrshiremen took the lead on 21 minutes. Full-back Lewis Toshney fired a deep cross into the box from the right.
The ball was headed away but only as far as Fowler, who was lurking at the edge of the box, and he smashed home a low shot past the wrong-footed Smith.
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Paddy Boyle then came to the Pars’ rescue on 35 minutes when he stuck a boot out to prevent Paul Heffernan pouncing on a ball from Dean Shiels following good build-up play by Danny Racchi.
Smith did well to save from Shiels then Racchi fired over the bar as Killie tried to add to their advantage before the break.
But it was the home side who grabbed a dramatic leveller just a minute before half-time, springing the Kilmarnock offside trap.
David Graham picked up possession from Paul Burns. He then pushed the ball forward as the defenders raced out but the wily Kirk had hung back long enough and timed his run perfectly, going on to slot the ball by the advancing Cammy Bell and into the Killie goal from the right-hand corner of the box. It was a deserved equaliser for McIntyre’s men.
Two minutes into the second period, Pars goalie Smith had home nerves jangling when he somehow turned what should have been a straightforward catch into a flustered kick that barely made its way out of the penalty area.
On 51 minutes the ball broke kindly for Buchanan and he found himself with a clear route to goal. He looked certain to put the hosts 2-1 up but instead skewed his shot past the far post and out for a goal kick.
Dunfermline keeper Smith was having a mixed night but he was the hero on 58 minutes when he got down to save a point-blank shot from Heffernan following a horrific back-pass from Kirk had left the Killie man free in front of goal.
Mind you, the jitters were back a minute later when the goalie sclaffed a far from convincing kick across his own box.
The home side brought on Joe Cardle for Burns on 64 minutes, resulting in a switch to the right for Graham as Dunfermline tried to find a hole in the Killie defence.
Killie defender Lewis Toshney fell to the floor amid claims for a Killie penalty but the challenge was outside the box and ref Calum Murray waved play on anyway.
Up at the other end, Kirk broke clear but once again the ball was pulled across goal and out.
Kirk and Buchanan were replaced by Martin Hardie and Steven McDougall for the last 10 minutes and by now the gap was wide open.
Killie twice came within a whisker of taking the lead, first through a Garry Hay freekick then a Manny Pascali header, the latter attempt being cleared off the line by Pars midfielder Mark Kerr.
Up at the other end, sub Hardie had a header deflected away for a corner, then after a meelee the ball fell to Hardie again but his shot was saved by Bell.
Attendance: 2303.