Dunfermline boss Allan Johnston admitted his side’s clash with on-form Peterhead at Balmoor Stadium was anything but a classic.
A bumper crowd was in attendance as the table-topping Pars faced Jim McInally’s Blue Toon, who have now gone 10 games unbeaten and lie just four points behind second-placed Ayr United.
The visitors dominated the early stages but it was Peterhead who created the first chance a Jamie Stevenson daisy-cutter that Pars keeper Sean Murdoch could only push away to his right with nine minutes gone.
Dunfermline almost nicked a goal four minutes later, Michael Moffat pouncing after some casualness in the home rearguard but his shot came off the chest of Blue Toon keeper Graeme Smith.
A Shane Sutherland shot on the turn also kept Murdoch on his toes.
Faissal El Bakhtaoui almost gave the Pars an early second half lead but his shot was saved by the legs of Smith, then a cross by Joe Cardle was headed wide by Andy Geggan.
Another Geggan header, this time from a Michael Paton free-kick, needed a save from Smith whilst at the other end substitute Leighton McIntosh raced forward before shooting over.
Dunfermline continued to dominate but just couldn’t find their way through a resolute Peterhead rearguard.
Johnston said: “It was a hard-fought game and we could have won it in the second half.
“It wasn’t a classic and the windy conditions played their part.
“We dominated the second half but just couldn’t score and their keeper always seems to have a good game against us. We are disappointed, yet this is a tough place to come.”