Dunfermline 0-0 Inverness CT - SPL

23rd December 2006	East End Park, Dunfermline
DUNFERMLINE (Stephen Kenny)	0
Team: De Vries, Shields, Wilson, Bamba, McGuire, Ross (Daquin 60), Young, Mason, Muirhead (O Morrison 66), Crawford, Hamilton (Tod 90)        Subs: S Morrison, Woods, Williamson & McKenzie
INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE	0
Team: Brown, Tokely, Dods, Munro, Hastings, Wilson, Black (Duncan 75), Rankin, McBain, Wyness (Bayne 69), McAllister (McSwegan 82) Subs: McCaffrey, Morgan, Sutherland & Fraser
Referee	William Collum
Attendance	4216
Man of the Match

With Dunfermline at the foot of the SPL this was a realistic target for three points but it did not happen. Both sides had to settle for a point in what was rather a bad-tempered match.

The final crime count was eight yellow cards plus a red for the home side's Stevie Crawford - but others could easily have followed Crawford for an early shower. Referee Willie Collum was not slow with the yellow cards but was clearly reluctant to issue upgrades to red.

The Pars are now under the management of Stephen Kenny and in midweek he was successful in persuading Mark Burchill to extend his contract  the striker was however unfit and missed this match.

Caley Thistle were without the injured Craig Dargo and Rory McAllister started up front with Dennis Wyness. This was not a match to write home about with Dunfermline upfor the challenge and the ICT defence holding firm.

Crawford was through in seven minutes but Mark Brown was equal to his shot. A minute later GaryMason was poised to shoot from 12 yards when Darren Dods stepped in to block and in 15 minutes Ian Black tested Dorus De Vries.

There was little to report up to the break apart from Ross Tokely denying Crawford a shooting opportunity (resulting in penalty claims from the home support) and John Rankin hitting the side netting.

Half Time: 0-0

In 52 minutes De Vries blocked a BarryWilson shot and defenders charged down Wyness's follow up shot. The most notable event of the second half was a clash between Ian Black and Gary Mason just after the hour mark in the centre circle with the result that tempers flared all round. When order was resumed Black and Mason were booked when red cards were a distinct possibility.

Russell Duncan replaced Black in 75 minutes which did not go down well with the outgoing player but he was clearly in danger of a second yellow card. Stevie Crawford's foul on Richard Hastings in 77 minutes resulted in a second yellow card and an involuntary departure then a minute later De Vries tipped over substitute Graham Bayne's header following a blocked Roy McBain shot. Gary McSwegan replaced McAllister with eight minutes left but there was to be no breakthrough.

A disappointing 0-0 draw, ninth place retained and Dunfermline five points adrift at the foot of the table. All thoughts now turn to the post Christmas visit of Rangers to Inverness in front of a sell-out crowd.