Dunfermline remained in their perilous position at the foot of the Premier League table with a point against Hearts.

A defeat would have put them six points adrift at the bottom and placed manager Bert Paton's job on the line.

For a local derby it was mostly a scrappy affair and apart from four magnificent saves from both keepers there was little for the fans to enthuse over and both teams were booed off the park at the end.

They made chances with the finishing particularly by Dunfermline left a lot to be desired.

Neither goal was threatened until the eighth minute when Dunfermline keeper Lee Butler displayed lightning reflexes to save a Jim Hamilton blockbuster from 16 yards.

He connected first time with a Derek Lilley pass.

Four minutes later a Leigh Jenkinson shot was deflected wide of the Dunfermline post by Scott McCulloch with keeper Butler caught out of position.

A few minutes later Jenkinson again saved at the far upright despite being challenged by Richard Huxford near goal.

Play deteriorated into a kick-and-rush affair, but George Shaw gave the game a lift in the 31st minute when he headed an Andy Smith cross to the corner of the Hearts goal but keeper Roddy McKenzie brilliantly palmed the ball round the post at full stretch.

Six minutes later it was the turn of Dunfermline's keeper Butler to show his brilliance.

Tommy Flogel's short free-kick found Steve Fulton, who rifled his shot to the corner of the Dunfermline net but was brilliantly blocked at the far post by keeper Butler.

In the 40th minute Dunfermline had their best effort yet.

Dave Graham blasted an Andy Smith pass from close range but keeper McKenzie once again managed to turn it away for a corner.

On the restart Dunfermline did a little better for a while and Andy Tod struck the Hearts crossbar with a header from a Stewart Petrie corner.

But after that play once again deteriorated and a poor draw was a fair result.

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies said: "I was without 10 of my first team squad because of injury and suspension. Now that we have the break, I expect to have players of quality back when we resume and that should give a new cutting edge to the team."

Dunfermline assistant manager Dick Campbell said: "We are disappointed we didn't take three points. It was a strange game, with so many strikers on the field for us we cannot understand why we are not scoring goals."

Dunfermline: Butler, Shields, McCulloch, Tod, French, Huxford, Smith, Britton (Edinho 85), Petrie, Shaw, Graham (McDonald 88).

Subs Not Used: Westwater, Martin, Templeman.

Hearts: McKenzie, McPherson, Jenkinson (McSwegan 88), Fulton, Hamilton, Locke, Flogel, McKinnon, Pressley, Murie, Lilley.

Subs Not Used: Quitongo, Hogarth, Horn, Holmes.

Att: 9,227

Ref: G Simpson (Westhill).