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It was just the 14th fixture of the Championship season but for both sides this was a big match in the campaign. St Johnstone went into this game 12 points ahead of the Pars, the latter keen to reduce that to nine.

Dunfermline manager Neil Lennon made three changes to the team that started the previous weekend in the 1-0 win over Ayr United. Billy Terrell started in place of Deniz Mehmet, Alfons Amade and Jefferson Cáceres came in for Chris Hamilton and Rory Macleod. Charlie Gilmour became the fourth Pars player to wear the captain`s armband lead out the team.

The visitors team showed one change from that which trounced Airdrieonians last time out which meant they were missing Josh McPake. Simo Valakari brought in Kai Fotheringham in place of the division`s top goalscorer.

Representatives of both clubs laid Poppy Wreaths in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in wartime before the match got underway. The away team forced a corner in seventh minute and Reece McAleer drove a shot at goal that came back out off the back of Matty Todd. The Pars pushed up and within a minute had Toby Steward picking the ball out of his net. It was Todd`s cross from the right that was slickly nicked past the St Johnstone keeper by Barney STEWART. His fourth goal in four games made it 1-0.

Terrell tipped away a 16th minute Jamie Gullan corner before Dunfermline created danger from a corner of their own. Todd exchanged passes with Robbie Fraser on the left before the latter launched the ball to the far post where Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen rose but headed wide left.

The Fifers were deeply indebted to their keeper when he leapt to get the all important touch to turn an Adama Sidibeh header on a Liam Smith cross around his right hand post. Gullan`s delivery caused mayhem in the Pars box with Andrew Tod eventually denying Sidibeh at the near post to concede another 21st minute corner. The second created just as much of a threat but Gilmour cleared.

St Johnstone kept up the pressure and Dunfermline survived some near things. Terrell punched away a McAleer free kick from the left and when Sibideh pinged the ball through the Pars six yard box from the right Gullan was really unlucky not to get the touch required to net. Gilmour was shown yellow for his challenge on McAleer handing the Perth side the opportunity from a setplay 30 yards out. It was McALEER who recovered to send the ball past the three man wall and into the top corner. On the half hour it was 1-1.

Defender Cheick Diabate and his keeper got in a real mix up and in 39 minutes Stewart came close to stealing a second goal but the Saintees got away with it. The same defender was forward to belt a shot into the McCathie Stand four minutes later. A fan headed that one back.

A 45th minute free kick after ATod was harshly adjudged to have fouled Svedberg saw McAleer pump the ball into the Pars box. A corner was conceded but that was defended to send the teams in level. It was referee Ross Hardie who received the boos as he left the field.

After losing the early goal St Johnstone showed why they were at the top of the league. While they successfully stopped Dunfermline playing for spells there was plenty of half time hope that the home side still could come out on top.

Half time: Dunfermline 1 St Johnstone 1

The visitors forced an early corner, their seventh of the match but it was the home side that turned up the intensity. Jefferson Cáceres picked out Todd on the right and his cross was turned out for a Pars corner by Morgan Boyes. Then when Gilmour picked out Todd his ball into the danger zone was held by Steward. Fraser cut back from the left and Todd`s shot was kept out by Steward low at his right hand post.

It was end to end and Terrell held a Smith attempt on his line in 54 minutes. Two minutes later Todd delivered a free kick that just cleared Nurudeen Abdulai`s leap. Two more minutes and another Dunfermline corner followed but still Saints defended.

Then in 66th minute St Johnstone went ahead after some slick play on the left by Fotheringham and Holt. It was McAleer who eventually supplied the pass to the centre of the Pars box that was dispatched into the Dunfermline goal by the right foot of SMITH. 1-2

Chris Hamilton immediately replaced Alfons Amade in the home side`s first substitution. That was followed by a triple substitution with 15 minutes remaining. Keith Bray, Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Rory Macleod taking the places of Charlie Gilmour, Jefferson Cáceres and Barney Stewart.

An 82nd minute Pars free kick earned a corner but Saints kept Dunfermline out despite Hamilton clipping the ball back into the six yard box where John Tod headed wide. Having not received much from the referee all match decisions began to go the Pars way. Jason Holt, Cheick Diabate and Reece McAleer were shown yellow cards as free kicks and corners followed.

Todd fizzed the ball across the face of goal in 86 minutes with Bray just being denied by the keeper. An 89th minute cross from Macleod almost sneaked in at the far post. The home crowd willed their team to score and got their wishes in the first minute of time added on. Fraser threaded a pass to Andrew TOD who worked his way into a shooting position just outside the box and his rocket of a shot was deflected off Boyes who could not alter the projection. 2-2

There was time for one more save to be made by Terrell but he pushed away Svedberg`s on target attempt and the points would be shared. Dunfermline retained their fourth place two points behind Arbroath in third.

DUNFERMLINE: Billy Terrell: Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Nurudeen Abdulai, John Tod: Matty Todd (Kane Ritchie-Hosler 90+3), Charlie Gilmour (c) (Keith Bray 75), Alfons Amade (Chris Hamilton 67), Robbie Fraser: Jefferson Cáceres (Tashan Oakley-Boothe 75): Barney Stewart (Rory Macleod 75), Andrew Tod
SUBS NOT USED: Ewan Otoo, Sam Fisher, Mason Munn (GK), Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORERS: Stewart (8), A Tod (90+1)
YELLOW CARDS: Gilmour (29), Hamilton (77)

ST JOHNSTONE: Toby Steward: Liam Smith, Cheick Diabate, Jack Baird, Morgan Boyes: Reece McAlear, Jason Holt (c), Jonathan Svedberg, Jamie Gullan: Adama Sidibeh (Uche Ikpeazu 81), Kai Fotheringham (Sven Sprangler 72).
SUBS NOT USED: Reghan Tumilty, Jannik Wanner, Matty Foulds, Sam Stanton, Adam Forrester, Franciszek Franczak, Kyle Thomson (GK)
SCORERS: McAleer (30), Smith (66)
YELLOW CARDS: Holt (80), Diabate (84), McAleer (88)

REFEREE: Ross Hardie
ATTENDANCE: 6894 (inc 1578 away fans)
WEATHER: Fine 13°C

NEXT MATCH (home) v Morton, Saturday 22nd November 2025, kick off 3.00pm at KDM Group East End Park


Dunfermline 2 St Johnstone 2



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