Dunfermline remain rooted to the foot of the Championship following a 0-0 stalemate against Hamilton which does nothing to ease the pressure on embattled boss Peter Grant.
The Pars remain winless in the league this term and have failed to score a goal in four consecutive matches at East End Park.
The audible jeers that greeted Scott Lambie’s full-time whistle underlined the disenchantment in the stands, with a few vocal, seething supporters calling for Grant’s removal.
Dunfermline, who did strike the post through Craig Wighton, remain two points adrift of Accies at the bottom of the table.
And far from Grant’s pre-season aspirations of a title challenge, the Pars are already 16 points behind leaders Inverness.
Early threat
Wighton came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the opening exchanges.
The former Dundee forward met a pin-point Nikolay Todorov delivery flush on the volley, only for his effort to kiss the post and drift to safety.
Josh Mullin was proving Accies’ biggest threat and forced a super finger-tip save from Owain Fon Williams.
The flow of a watchable opening third was halted after ex-Par Lewis Spence suffered a nasty looking knee injury following a ferocious 50/50 with Ryan Dow.
Hamilton boss Stuart Taylor will have his fingers’ crossed that Spence’s absence is not a lengthy one.
Josh Edwards then flashed a drive inches past the post.
Hamilton rattle the woodwork
It was Accies’ turn to strike the post after the break courtesy of a sumptuous curling effort from Lewis Smith.
Nerves jangling, the Pars were wobbling — and a fizzing free-kick by Mullin was parried clear by Fon Williams.
Dom Thomas entered the fray with 17 minutes to play and, while his arrival was heralded, the decision to replace Kai Kennedy was met with vociferous boos.
The on-loan Rangers kid was, however, carrying an ankle knock.
But it was Hamilton who came closest to pinching all three points when a Mihai Popescu header drifted over the bar.
