Dunfermline Athletic 3 - 3 Aberdeen: David Graham laments late collapse after Pars miss out on elusive home win

DUNFERMLINE winger David Graham was disappointed that the Pars failed to make the most of favourable results in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League as they surrendered a two-goal lead in their draw against Aberdeen.

The Fife outfit – without a win in the league at East End Park – were winning 3-1 after 69 minutes but the Dons, still searching for their first away victory of the campaign, fought back to earn a share of the spoils.

Graham’s frustration against Aberdeen was compounded by the fact that Inverness – who are now two points behind Dunfermline – and fellow strugglers Hibernian also lost.

Former Hamilton forward Graham said: “It would have been a massive three points with the teams around about us in the league losing.

“It feels like a defeat. We’re not defending properly, it needs to stop. It’s a team game, it’s all of us.

“With us going to Ibrox to face Rangers next week, that makes it all the more deflating that Aberdeen came back to snatch a point.”

Aberdeen took the lead in first-half injury time through Andrew Considine’s header from a Rob Milsom corner.

But Dunfermline rallied after the break with Andy Barrowman, David Graham and substitute Liam Buchanan on target.

Dunfermline defender Alex Keddie gave the away side hope with an own goal in the 81st minute and Josh Magennis rescued a point for the Dons with a strike in the 88th minute.

Graham added: “To go 1-0 down right before half-time was a sucker punch and to then go 3-1 up, we were cruising and had them under the cosh.

“Andy Barrowman had a chance to put us four up but David Gonzalez pulled off a world-class save.

“They then go and get an own goal and put us under the cosh. It takes the wind out your sails altogether when they get the equalising goal, so it feels like a defeat.”

Graham’s joy at scoring his first goal of the campaign was quickly forgotten following their late collapse.

He added: “The gaffer (Jim McIntyre) is on at me for not scoring more and I should be, that’s my first this season.

“It means nothing now after throwing away a two-goal lead and only getting a point.”

Despite seeing his team come from two goals down to earn a point, Aberdeen manager Craig Brown admitted the draw was not acceptable.

He said: “The players were not elated coming into the dressing-room because they were not in the door five seconds before they were told.

“If you look at the mistakes made, you’re really annoyed if you’re the manager of Aberdeen. Defensively, we should not have had to lose the three goals. It was unacceptable the way we defended the three goals that Dunfermline scored.”