Nicholson makes mark to restore parity for Pars

Who says 13 is an unlucky number? Not Barry Nicholson, who prevented Dunfermline Athletic from succumbing yet again to their Scottish Cup bogey team with the goal that earned the Pars a reprieve in last night's fourth-round tie at East End Park.

The Fife club had won only one of the previous dozen ties between the pair but they could not handpick a better place to go for this replay: this season they ended a 41-year record of failure at Easter Road and won there just seven days ago. Hibernian seemed ready to progress to the quarter-finals on the strength of Ian Murray's opener, but Nicholson's fine finish on the hour restored parity.

Dunfermline enjoyed two Scottish Cup victories in 1961 and 1968, with a losing appearance against Celtic in between. This season's football from Jimmy Calderwood's side in the Scottish Premier League, in pursuit of a Uefa Cup place, has provided the best entertainment since that golden period.

Hibernian's one and only Cup success came in 1902, although they did reach the final two years ago. However, this was not the venue to offer much hope of amending that statistic – the Edinburgh club had not won here for 11 years.

Having won 3-1 at Easter Road a week ago, Dunfermline were eager to keep any psychological edge. A string of attacks was created in the early stages, notably by the creative Jason Dair, whose cross allowed Nicholson to set up Steve Crawford, but before the Scotland striker could pull the trigger, Gary Smith produced a timely intervention.

The stalemate was broken in the 41st minute with a goal of simplicity from Hibernian's point of view, and stupidity from Dunfermline's. Craig James was given time out near the corner flag to whip over a cross which sailed through to the unmarked Murray, profiting from a transfixed defence, and the midfielder brought the ball down and stabbed a shot past the goalkeeper, Derek Stillie, from six yards.

Grant Brebner almost doubled the lead two minutes later with a sublime turn before unleashing a shot that drew an impressive one-handed stop from Stillie. However, that save was eclipsed in first-half stoppage time as Nick Colgan dived down to his right to paw away a downward header from Craig Brewster that had seemed certain to reward Nicholson's fine cross with an equaliser.

The duel of the goalkeepers continued into the second half when Stillie produced another vital save, standing up to parry a fierce shot from James after the youngster had sweetly exchanged passes with Mixu Paatelainen and burst clear.

Dunfermline, though, kept their composure amid the intense scrutiny and equalised in the 59th minute with a delightfully crafted goal. David Grondin, signed a fortnight ago from Arsenal, showed excellent awareness of his new colleagues by delivering a diagonal ball from the left into the run of Crawford, whose headed flick found Nicholson running into space. The midfielder deftly sidefooted a volley past Colgan.

Dunfermline embarked on a quest for the winner, with Grondin leading the charge. With 15 minutes left, the Frenchman's persistence earned a corner, from which Grondin picked out Dair, lurking on the edge of the box, and his right-foot was so venomous that after it hit the inside of the post the ball bypassed him on the way back.

Paatelainen could have stolen a winner for Hibernian four minutes from the end, but the towering Finn's header looped just over the bar.

Dunfermline Athletic 1
Nicholson 58

Hibernian 1
Murray 42

Half-time: 0-1 Attendance: 6,619