Two team-mates fighting each other stole the limelight but Dunfermline’s injury-time equaliser was cruel on Arbroath as they were denied back-to-back victories for the first time since September.
Jay Bird went from saint to sinner after netting the opening goal before being sent-off for his part in a bizarre second-half altercation with team-mate Jermaine Hylton.
The Red Lichties remain second bottom in the SPFL Championship table but there were further green shoots of recovery after their recent run of eight consecutive defeats.
There was really just one talking point after the match, but that was unfair on manager Jim McIntyre and the rest of his players considering their overall display.
Sucker punch
Goal-scorer Bird was enjoying a fine afternoon against Dunfermline and had twice come close to adding to his first-half goal.
On the second occasion, with 16 minutes remaining, only a deflection took the ball wide of the upright.
With a corner to come, Arbroath were looking the more likely to get the next goal, the one that would cement a win to back up their success against Inverness Caley Thistle.
And then all hell broke loose.
Hylton appeared to take umbrage at Bird’s decision not to pass, words were exchanged and pictures would suggest at least one punch was thrown.
Dunfermline defender Rhys Breen attempted to play peace-maker before leaving it to his opponents to sort out.
‘Unacceptable,’ was manager Jim McIntyre’s verdict after the full-time whistle and both will be reprimanded this week.
What made things worse was the team going down to 10 men, because Bird’s second yellow card gave the Pars impetus they had hitherto been sorely lacking.
Wighton’s 91st-minute equaliser would not have lightened McIntyre’s mood any.
Fighting spirit is desperately needed when a team is facing a relegation scrap, but Arbroath were made to pay the cost for that aggression boiling over.
Better times ahead?
The manager bounce is a fabled thing that football club chairmen and their directors desperately hope for when changing bosses.
It does not always transpire instantly – or at all.
But the Gayfield board will be encouraged by Arbroath’s last two outings under McIntyre.
Arbroath boss Jim McIntyre reacts to bust-up between Jay Bird and Jermaine Hylton during draw with Dunfermline Athletic https://t.co/LNRtajyJi8 pic.twitter.com/S6v7CUscfz
— The Courier Sport (@thecouriersport) December 23, 2023
Having lost narrowly to Morton and Raith Rovers, the Red Lichties have now earned a win and a draw from two games in a division where every point in a prisoner.
Undoubtedly, conceding such a late leveller against Dunfermline will have hurt.
All the positive strides that were clear in the preceding 73 minutes before Bird’s red card arguably deserved more than just a solitary point.
But the Pars’ goal did not detract from a performance that was largely full of energy, determination and incisive attacking.
It bodes well for the future as McIntyre continues to put his stamp on the side he inherited just three weeks ago.
A January shake-up
Arbroath will not have the available budget to ‘splash the cash’ in next month’s transfer window but will be expected to source new recruits nonetheless.
Innes Murray, available following Edinburgh City’s financial implosion, has been brought in and will be available from January 1.
Others are required to bolster the threadbare Gayfield squad and to allow McIntyre to remould the team the way he wants.
Arbroath named just five substitutes against Dunfermline and just four the previous week against Inverness Caley Thistle.
With injuries having mounted up, the last time they enjoyed a full complement of replacements was against Dundee United two months ago.
January will be an important month both on and off the pitch for the Angus outfit.
