Peter Grant hailed Dunfermline’s walking wounded after revealing he did not know his starting line-up to face Raith Rovers until Wednesday night.
The Pars rescued a 1-1 draw against Raith Rovers at Stark’s Park, with Kevin O’Hara cancelling out a Dario Zanatta opener.
O’Hara, Nikolay Todorov and Craig Wighton all managed just 45 minutes apiece due to ongoing knocks, while Kai Kennedy completed the full 90 minutes despite an ankle issue.
And while the draw — Dunfermline’s third on the spin — sees them remain at the foot of the Championship, the manner of the comeback gives cause for cautious optimism.
“We had a difficult build-up to the game with injuries,” said Grant. “We never really got working on anything.
“I was waiting until [Wednesday] to select a side. I think you could see that in the first half.
“But we were much better in the second half.
“We showed great guts and determination — and I thought we were going to go on and win the game.”
Sacrifice
The efforts of the Dunfermline players were acknowledged by the travelling fans, who gave their players a positive reception as the full-time whistle sounded.
“We had fantastic backing again — I know I have my critics, but they were desperate for us to win,” continued Grant. “I think they could see the spirit the boys showed. They have never waned once.
“I know how much the players are putting in, and how much sacrifice they are making to get that victory. Hopefully, it’s not too far away.”
Mark Connolly was handed an immediate Dunfermline debut following his loan switch from Dundee United on Wednesday morning.
He replaced Paul Watson in the starting line-up, with the experienced Pars stopper absent from the squad entirely.
Grant chose not to expand on the the reason for Watson’s omission, other than to say he was ‘unavailable’.
Raith Rovers 1-1 Dunfermline: Kevin O’Hara rescues a point for the Pars in electric Fife derby
