ANDY Tod’s first half wonder goal cancelled out an early Thistle lead, and Dylan Lobban surely breathed a sigh of relief as it had been his defensive gaffe that allowed Tony Watt to open the scoring.

Dunfermline need to start turning draws into wins if they want to challenge for the Championship title.

But taking a point from an end-to-end battle with the possible league favourites felt like more of an achievement compared to previous games in which they were comfortably on top but chucked away a plethora of chances.

Manager Neil Lennon said: “It could have gone either way. I wouldn't say we dominated the game, but we played very well against a very good side.

“They're giving me everything at the minute and we're just missing that little bit of quality, experience, or maturity at times.”

In the 13th minute Watt was handed a golden opportunity through Lobban’s misplaced pass and smashed the ball past keeper Aston Oxborough.

“I thought we started the game ever so well and an individual mistake cost us the goal,” said Lennon. “But Dylan has been sensational for me and he was again tonight.”

The home side did their best to hit back, and Olamilekan Adams forced a save from away goalie Lewis Budinauckas.

A fair amount of criticism had been levelled at the Nigerian after he failed to take a decent opportunity to convert against Livingston, choosing to try and set up Tod instead. This time round, he was shooting from anywhere.

But Pars did spend a lot of time passing to each other while they looked for an opening through the robust Thistle defence.

Adams pulled off a nice bit of skill to keep possession when he received the ball on the right wing, and he released it to Tod in the middle of the park, who brought it down and went on a short dribble before blasting it into the top right corner in minute 41.

Lennon commented: “It was world-class. He played really well tonight, and we've been waiting and waiting for that.

“That’s the sort of talent that he has, he’s a top player. He’s young and he's going to be inconsistent, but he's got real quality.”

It ended not only the Grandson of God’s personal goal drought, but his team’s streak of two fixtures without scoring from open play.

Discussing the fact that it came from outside the box after so many clear-cut chances weren’t taken in those Ayr and Livingston games, the boss said: “It's Sod’s law sometimes, but we'll take it.

"We’ve just seen it again and it's a wonderful finish. I just want more of the same, but I want others contributing.

“I want us to finish off all our good work. Our build-up play at times is exceptionally good but there is a lack of quality in our finishing overall.”

Athletic started the second period on top, and Allan Oyirwoth rattled the left post with an ambitious strike.

There was a nervy moment when Robbie Fraser played a pass across his own goal that could have easily seen a second gift given to the Jags, but he was fortunate that none of their forwards could capitalise.

The moment Athletic looked most likely to find a winner arrived in front of the Norrie McCathie Stand when Lobban swung an excellent delivery into Tod, whose close-range volley went over the bar.

Oxborough did well to deny Watt and Alex Samuel at the other end, and neither side could be too upset by the final result.

Missing from the defence was Sam Cleall-Harding, who picked up a hamstring injury at the weekend.

Lennon said: “He's going to be out for a considerable period of time. We don't know how long yet and so he needs to see a consultant, then we'll have more of an indication.

“He’s had a scan, it's just a case of making sure that he doesn't need surgery.

“He's been brilliant, but I thought Aaron Donnelly did really well tonight.

"Considering he hasn't started a game for a while, I thought he was excellent.

"They all were, there's no criticism of the team.”

Pars have had three draws in a row and they’ll be looking to get back to winning ways on Saturday against rock-bottom Queen’s Park.

Lennon hopes Tod’s screamer will be a big confidence boost for the youngster and his teammates.

He said: “We're playing well. There’s not one game where we've come away thinking we weren't the better side or we deserved to lose.

"There’s a real zest about us and a thrust.”