Arbroath manager Allan Moore believes his side must learn to scrap and grind out results if they are to hold on to top spot in League Two.
The Red Lichties have gone four games without a win, and the seven-point lead they once held over closest challengers Albion Rovers has been wiped out.
The Gayfield side still lead the table, but only on goal difference, and Rovers have a game in hand.
Moore said: “I’m not panicking. I would be in April if Albion Rovers were five points ahead of us, and then we’d start worrying, but not now.
“I’ve said to the boys it’s going to be a scrap until the end of the season. We’re still top on goal difference and we still have to play Albion Rovers, so that’ll be a cracker. But what we’ve got to do is learn to grind out some results.”
The Lichties had by far the better of the chances on Saturday but paid the penalty for not converting them as East Fife battled back to gain a point.
Moore added: “1-0 in any game is dangerous, and we didn’t put it to bed
“All credit to East Fife, they came back into the game and got the draw.”
Arbroath’s opener in the 36th minute was a nightmare for East Fife goalkeeper Jordan Millar, who took his eye off a Liam Smith pass-back and could only look on in horror as the ball bobbled over his foot and trundled towards the goal before Simon Murray gleefully bundled it over the line.
Millar said: “It’s just of those moments, and that’s what happens in football. I don’t let things like that get to me.
“I know when I’ve made a mistake and I just get on with it. I got a lot of stick from the home fans but I thought I did well after that.”
Murray earlier came close with a ferocious shot which cannoned off the underside of the crossbar before being cleared, and Paul McManus was unlucky to see his 25-yard free-kick fly narrowly wide.
Bobby Linn hit the woodwork midway through the second half, and Millar brilliantly tipped over McManus’s follow-up as the Lichties went in search of what would probably have been a decisive second goal.
East Fife substitute Nathan Austin came within inches of levelling the game with a 20-yard effort which sailed narrowly past Marc McCallum’s right-hand post to remind the home side there was work to do.
That warning wasn’t heeded and six minutes from the end the Methil men equalised, Allan Walker just managing to squeeze the ball home following a frantic scramble in the Arbroath box.
Lichties keeper Marc McCallum was yellow carded in the aftermath for being vociferous in protesting that the ball hadn’t crossed the line.