Dundee United goalkeeper Cammy Bell broke a record and Dunfermline hearts at East End Park as he made a historic hat-trick of penalty saves in this thrilling 3-1 win.
The poor Pars players who were thwarted so spectacularly by the Tangerines’ number one were Gavin Reilly on nine minutes, Nicky Clark on 28 and Paul McMullan on 33.
Other keepers have saved three times in the same match but it is understood that Bell stands alone in world football for stopping three attempts in a single half.
After the first kick was saved, United took the lead through a Simon Murray strike from close range.
After referee John Beaton pointed to the spot another couple of times, the Tangerines made it 2-0 two minutes into the second half thanks to a Tony Andreu shot.
The Pars fought back to score themselves just three minutes later through Michael Paton.
The visitors were then reduced to 10 men on with over half-an-hour remaining as Paul Dixon was sent off for two bookings.
To their credit, though, the 10 men made it 3-1 when Andreu fired home two minutes into stoppage time.
Dunfermline were unchanged from their comprehensive 5-1 win over Brechin in the Irn Bru Cup last weekend.
As for the Tangerines, they brought Bell, Tope Obadeyi and striker Murray back into the side that beat Peterhead in the same competition.
The visitors came close to opening the scoring on five minutes when a neat move ended with a great ball over from the left from Obadeyi that flew in front of goal and just a yard away from Murray’s boot.
The hosts had a go themselves just a minute later when captain Andy Geggan’s shot from 25 yards was held by Bell.
There was drama on nine minutes, when United had their keeper to thank for keeping them level.
Tangerines’ defender William Edjenguele was penalised for a push on Dunfermline’s Lee Ashcroft and referee Beaton pointed to the spot and booked the big Frenchman.
It was a golden chance for the Fifers but Reilly’s kick was superbly saved – one-handed – by Bell to keep the game goalless.
Having survived that scare, United took the lead on 21 minutes with a well-worked goal.
Tony Andreu collected a pass from Charlie Telfer in midfield before the on-loan Norwich player fed the ball on to Obadeyi.
He ran forward and then squared the ball to Murray, who had time to turn before firing low into the net from inside the six-yard box.
Murray was in the mood and he shot over from outside the box before the Pars were awarded another penalty.
Bell had to come out after McMullan sent Reilly through on goal. The keeper was brave and seemed to have saved his side again but as the ball bounced towards goal, Frank van der Struijk struggled to boot the ball clear.
After a stumble or two the Dutchman was forced to challenge Clark, who had raced to the ball. As Clark fell to the ground, Beaton pointed to the spot for a second time.
Remarkably, Bell, who had been receiving treatment on the ground, picked himself up to make penalty save number two from Clark this time– much to the delight of the large travelling support behind his goal.
An already amazing match got even more incredible on 31 minutes when Beaton gave Dunfermline a third spotkick. Yes, you read that right, a third spotkick!
Clark’s shot hit Dixon inside the box and the referee ruled it was a handball. Surely Bell couldn’t do it again, could he?
The answer was a resounding yes as he dived once again to save from McMullan this time. It was stunning stuff from the United number one and his teammates queued up to pat him on the back and the fans chanted his name.
Clark wasn’t too far away with a header for the home side then the same player dispossessed Edjenguele inside the box but couldn’t take the chance.
Edjenguele cleared his own bar by a few inches with a header then, up at the other end, an Andreu shot was saved as a memorable first half finally came to a close.
The Tangerines wasted little time – under two minutes to be precise – in making it 2-0 after the turnaround.
Andreu was the scorer, with Pars goalie David Hutton not doing quite enough to stop his shot trundling over the line after the Frenchman was set up by Nick van der Velden.
On 50 minutes, though, Bell was finally beaten.
Paton smashed a shot past him from eight yards after a Clark shot was blocked and fell at his feet to bring the home team right back into it.
On 58 minutes, Dixon was sent off for a second yellow – he had also been booked for the third penalty – for a challenge on Paton and United brought on Jamie Robson for Obadeyi to plug the gap at left-back.
United had to hang on now as Dunfermline  piled forward looking for a leveller.
Paton, Geggan, Rhys McCabe, Callum Fordyce all had opportunities before the match entered the final 10 minutes.
Sub Farid El Alagui also had a header at goal but that was held by the remarkable Bell.
It was United who had the final say, though, when a nice ball from Flood sent Andreu in on goal and he slipped his shot past Hutton in off the post to secure the club’s best result of the season so far.
Attendance: 5,563.
Dunfermline: Hutton, Williamson (El Alagui 76), Martin (Cardle 83), Ashcroft, Fordyce, Geggan, McMullan, Reilly, Clark, McCabe, Paton. Subs not used: Gill, Richards-Everton, Herron, Higginbotham, Moffat.
Dundee United: Bell, Dixon, Toshney, Murray (C. Smith 67), Telfer, Edjenguele, Flood, Obadeyi (Robson 60), Andreu, Van der Struijk, Van der Velden (Donaldson 80). Subs not used: Zwick, Dillon, Spittal, Fraser.
Referee: John Beaton.
