Football: BULLEN ATONES FOR HIS SPOT OF KILLIE BOTHER

LEE BULLEN'S missed penalty cost Dunferm-line victory in a match which came to life in the second-half.

Killie keeper Gordon Marshall, who had conceded the 50th minute spot-kick, dived brill-iantly to push the midfielder's effort away.

Both sides were forced to shuffle their packs and this ensured a quite first-half.

The first opportunity was created by Crawford after 13 minutes, when he set up Lee Bullen on the edge of the box but he didn't connect properly with his shot and Marshall was left with a comfortable save.

Killie fought back through Gary McDonald, who was denied by Marco Ruitenbeek.

The Pars threatened again moments later but Barry McLaughlin's brilliant sliding tackle denied Craig Brewster.

Home hearts were in mouths in the 34th minute when Brewster sent Crawford clear but the Scotland star sprayed his shot horribly wide.

The same fans were on their feet in the 39th minute when Freddie Dindeleux brought a great save out of Ruitenbeek.

Following a short corner, Steve Fulton measured a cross and when Andrius Skerla slipped, the Killie skipper had a free header which the Dutch keeper clawed over the bar.

Dunfermline finally broke the deadlock two minutes before half- time, when Gary Dempsey ran at the Killie defence before finding Craig Brewster who fired under Marshall.

Jefferies made a bold double substitution at half-time, replacing Dindeleux and McDonald with the double wing menace of Stevie Murray and Jose Quitongo.

And it was from the right-wing that Killie equalised with a freak goal two minutes into the second-half.

Ex-Par Greg Shields mis-hit his shot and rather than sailing to the far post it swerved inside the near post with the keeper scrambling across the goal.

Any charge that might have been expected from the home side was nipped in the bud when Gary Dempsey powered forward for Dunfermline only to be upended inside the box by Marshall. Referee Ian Fife correctly pointed to the spot and booked the keeper.

Lee Bullen stepped up and aimed his kick inside the right-hand post only for Marshall to guess correctly and produce a stunning save.

Gary McSwegan should have broken his scoring duck for Kilmarnock in the 54th minute when Quitongo's cross broke to him eight-yards out but his effort was blocked.

Bullen then atoned for his penalty miss in the 58th minute when he put the Pars back in front.

Again it was Dempsey who caused the home defence problems when he reached Crawford's cutback. His shot produced another great save from Marshall but the rebound fell kindly to Bullen, who had an easy job scoring.

As the pace of the match became frantic, Jefferies took off McSwegan and intro-duced the burly Chris Boyd and it was the substitute who drew Killie level again.

Gary Locke's corner reached Quitongo at the far post, who nodded it back into the six-yard area where Boyd scramble the ball over the line.

MAN OF THE MATCH GARY DEMPSEY

Caused the Killie defence nightmares every time he supported his strikers.

KILMARNOCK: Marshall 6, Shields 7, McLaughlin 8, Dindeleux 6 (Murray 6), Innes 6, Hay 6, Locke 6, Fulton 6, McDonald 5 (Quitongo 7), McSwegan 5 (Boyd 7), Boutal 6.

DUNFERMLINE: Ruitenbeek 6, Skerla 7 (Nicholls 5), Wilson 6, MacPherson 7, Nicholson 6, DEMPSEY 8 (Dair 4), Bullen 6, McGroarty 6, Mason 6, Crawford 7, Brewster 7.

MANAGER RATINGS: Jefferies 7; Calderwood 7.

REFEREE: I Fyfe 7.

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