A late strike by Dunfermline substitute Simon Donnelly gave the Pars three valuable points as they came past Aberdeen 2-1.

Billy Mehmet fired the home side ahead in the 53rd minute only for Dons defender Alexander Diamond to slam home the equaliser from close range 20 minutes later.

But in the 83rd minute and with the game seemingly heading for a draw, Donnelly, only on for Mehmet eight minutes earlier, latched on to a Lee Makel pass to find the net from close range at the second attempt.

The game got off to a whirlwind start and the home side really should have taken the lead after just 30 seconds when midfielder Barry Nicholson cut in from the right and swung his cross into the six-yard box.

The ball took a deflection and landed perfectly for striker Noel Hunt at the back post but the Irishman's unconvincing header was saved by Dons keeper Ryan Esson on the goalline at the second attempt.

Moments later Pars captain Scott Thomson's header from an Iain Campbell corner was cleared off the line by Aberdeen midfielder Jamie Winter.

The visitors soon settled down and began to make chances of their own.

In the 10th minute only a last-gasp tackle by Campbell four yards from goal prevented Dons striker Darren Mackie tapping a John Stewart cut-back into an empty net.

In the 20th minute Winter's shot from 25 yards took a wicked deflection and nearly dipped under the crossbar, but Pars goalkeeper Derek Stillie read the movement of the ball and tipped it over.

On the half-hour mark Danish striker Jesper Christiansen hit the crossbar with a tremendous volley which had Esson well beaten.

It was the home side who had the first effort of the second half as Mehmet collected Greg Ross' pass in the 47th minute but dragged his angled shot wide.

However, in the 53rd minute the home side finally got their noses in front with a rather simple goal by Mehmet.

A long Thomson free-kick was flicked on by Andy Tod to Mehmet just inside the Aberdeen penalty area and the Londoner turned and drove his shot past Esson and into the corner of the net for his third goal of the season.

In the 61st minute the Pars nearly doubled their lead after Hunt pounced on a rebound, but this time the hapless Pars striker's close-range effort deflected off the post and behind.

Out of the blue, in the 73rd minute, the visitors got back level.

Substitute Scott Morrison, on for Winter, swung a corner in from the left which the hesitant Pars defence failed to deal with properly.

The ball bobbed around the six-yard box before landing at the feet of Diamond, who gratefully slammed the ball into the net.

The Pittodrie men were in the ascendancy now but in the 83rd minute the home side restored their lead.

Pars substitute Donnelly, on eight minutes earlier for Mehmet, latched onto a Makel pass and slipped the ball past Esson at the second attempt.

Teams:

Dunfermline: Stillie, Ross, Tod, Scott Thomson, Campbell, Nicholson, Mason, Makel, Hunt (Darren Young 80), Mehmet (Donnelly 75), Christiansen (Hristov 81).

Subs Not Used: Langfield, McKeown, Craig Wilson, Scullion.

Booked: Nicholson.

Goals: Mehmet 53, Donnelly 83.

Aberdeen: Esson, McNaughton, Diamond, Hart (McGuire 10), Clark, Adams, Heikkinen, Winter (Morrison 63), Byrne, Mackie, Stewart, McGuire (Craig 87).

Subs Not Used: Blanchard, Markus Paatelainen, Kristjansson, Muirhead.

Goals: Diamond 73.

Att: 5,579

Ref: D McDonald (Scotland).