Dunfermline lost ground in the League One title race with a 1-1 draw at Clyde at the ZLX Stadium.
It was the third time this season The Bully Wee have proved stubborn opposition for the Pars, taking two draws from those three.
Martin Rennie put Jim Duffy’s men ahead early in the game before Josh Edwards equalised six minutes before half-time.
James McPake’s side dominated the second half but were unable to get their noses in front.
With Falklirk winning at Edinburgh it leaves Dunfermline five points clear at the top of the league.
Key moments
It was an uncharacteristically sloppy start from the Pars and it saw them go behind from an early corner.
There have been many occasions McPake’s side have taken a while to get going but they have largely kept a solid defence during that time.
Miscommunication and poor decisions by the back three meant some of their issues were self-inflicted.
Edwards went close within minutes of Rennie’s opener, before Matty Todd also shot just wide.
Craig Wighton then missed a close-range header and you wondered if it was going to be one of those afternoons.
Edwards capped off signing a new deal this week with a goal as the half drew close.
Lewis McCann made a difference as one of two half-time changes but it was a frustrating half for the Pars.
Todd had a shot saved after another clever set-piece and Kyle Macdonald flashed over a cross that should have at least been met by someone.
Clyde posed little threat after the break but there were still a few uncomfortable moments for the Dunfermline defence.
McCann sent a header towards goal in injury-time but it was deflected wide.
Player ratings
Dunfermline (3-4-2-1): Mehmet 6; Comrie 7, Benedictus 6, Breen 6; Macdonald 7 (O’Hara 6), Hamilton 7, Chalmers 6 (Ritchie-Hosler 6), Edwards 7; Mochrie 6 (McCann 7), Todd 7; Wighton 6 (Todorov 6). Subs not used: Little, Fenton, Young, Tod, Mahon.
Star man: Josh Edwards
While not a terrible performance there weren’t many competing to be the man of the match either.
McCann made a difference off the bench in the second half but his final touch wasn’t quite there and throughout the match Macdonald was a threat down the right.
It was Edwards’ goal that earned the Pars a point, though, and he also put in the delivery for their other best chance of the afternoon when Wighton headed wide.
Manager under the microscope
McPake was able to bring back his loanees but was without Sam Fisher in the league for the first time after he was recalled by Dundee.
He went with the same starting XI that acquitted itself so well at Firhill the week before.
🏁 Here's how the Pars should line up: pic.twitter.com/ZBhsAOUFTq
— Craig Cairns (@craigcairns001) January 28, 2023
He did not get the same level of performance – in what is their third away game in a week – and made a double-substitution at half-time, replacing Joe Chalmers and Chris Mochrie with Kane Ritchie-Hosler and Lewis McCann.
Nikolay Todorov replaced Wighton in the second half before Kevin O’Hara came on for Macdonald but they couldn’t turn their dominance into the winning goal.
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