Pars fightback floors Dundee

Steve Crawford equalised for Dunfermline at Dens

Dundee 2-3 Dunfermline Athletic

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Dunfermline Athletic fought back from two self-inflicted goals behind to move into third spot in the Scottish Premier League.

Barry Nicholson gave Dundee the advantage with an early own goal before Steve Lovell capitalised on poor defending.

But Dunfermline's dangerous strike partnership of Craig Brewster and Steve Crawford pulled the Fifers back level in a thrilling encounter at Dens Park.

Dundee were left with 10 men after defender Lee Wilkie was shown a second yellow card for complaining about Scotland team-mate Crawford's equaliser.

Lovell (right) put Dundee two ahead

And Dunfermline made them pay when Jason Dair twisted past a couple of defenders before driving the ball into the net with six minutes remaining.

Dundee manager Jim Duffy made two changes to the side that lost out to Rangers as his side attempted to overtake their opponents in the SPL table.

Zura Khizanishvili was missing through suspension, while fellow Georgian international Giorgi Nemsadze dropped to the bench.

Tom Hutchinson returned to the defence after an ankle injury, while fellow Englishman Lovell was up front.

Dunfermline manager Jimmy Calderwood stuck by the side that narrowly lost to Rangers in the CIS Cup, apart from the return of captain Scott Thomson in place of the injured Gus MacPherson.

But they were behind after six minutes when Nicholson tried to direct a Gavin Rae cross wide of the post but fired the ball high into his own net from the edge of the box.

Dundee were two ahead 11 minutes later after goalkeeper Marco Ruitenbeek needlessly conceded a corner.

Nacho Novo's cross was headed down by Hernandez and Lovell fired the ball into the net.

Dunfermline battled back and reduced the deficit after 23 minutes.

A superb passing movement ended when Brewster played a one-two with Gary Dempsey before firing a shot that span past Julian Speroni despite the goalkeeper blocking with his hand.

Speroni was the hero for Dundee in the 56th minute when he managed to get a hand to a goal-bound Crawford effort.

Double delight: scorers Dair and Brewster

Dundee should have added a third when Novo was played in by a superbly weighted Lovell pass, but Ruitenbeek managed to knock the ball wide.

Dunfermline got back on level terms in the 73rd minute.

Brewster played the ball through the middle for Crawford, who beat two Dundee defenders for pace, danced around the goalkeeper and blasted the ball into the net.

Wilkie was ordered off for a verbal attack on the referee, as he believed he had been fouled in the lead up to the goal.

Dair wrapped up the points for Dunfermline in the 84th minute when he gathered the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box, took on two Dundee players and unleashed a low drive past Speroni.

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Dundee: Speroni, Smith, Mackay, Wilkie, Caballero, Rae, Hernandez, Novo (Mair), Hutchison, Lovell (Sara), Brady.

Booked: Wilkie, Smith.

Sent off: Wilkie

Goals: Nicholson (own goal), Lovell.

Dunfermline: Ruitenbeek, Dair, Skerla, Thomson, Nicholson, Mason, Crawford, Brewster (Walker), Dempsey, Bullen, Wilson.

Booked: Bullen

Goals: Brewster, Crawford, Dair

Referee: Alan Freeland.