A Steve Crawford penalty gave newly-promoted Dunfermline their first goal of the new campaign but was not enough to give the Pars all three points.

A penalty each side of the interval ensured the game ended on level terms after Graeme Jones equalised from the spot six minutes into the second half.

Jones' strike proved to be a cruel blow to Dunfermline who more than matched the Perth side - reduced to 10 men in the final moments after John Paul McBride was sent off - despite going into the game in the wake of a heavy 3-0 defeat at the hands of Premiership giants Arsenal.

St Johnstone took just one minute to mount an attack on the home goal. John Paul McBride burst into the box and unleashed a shot from just outside the six-yard area, but the effort was cleared by keeper Marco Ruitenbeek.

Two minutes later a great one-two between Ian Ferguson and Barry Nicholson provided Dunfermline's first attack only for Ferguson to fire the ball into keeper Alan Main's hands.

St Johnstone were on the defensive again after four minutes when Stewart Petrie found Scott Thomson in front of goal but he nodded wide.

After an explosive opening spell both teams settled down with the most of the play confined to the midfield.

However, the Pars suffered a serious setback when Petrie was carried off on a stretcher with a suspected broken leg and was replaced by veteran Owen Coyle.

Paul Kane then had a great opportunity for the visitors after 22 minutes when he rifled a shot from 25 yards only for it to scrape over the crossbar.

Six minutes later Andrei Skerla hauled down Kiegan Parker just outside the 18-yard box and Garry Bollan forced Ruitenbeek into a superb save from the resulting free-kick.

A couple of minutes later Saints were troubling the home defence again.

Jones laid off to Nick Dasovic but his thunderbolt shot flew over the cross-bar.

Ruitenbeek came to the rescue after 36 minutes when Craig Russell looked certain to snatch the opener only for the Dutch keeper to touch the ball over the bar.

At the other end of the park, Crawford's 15-yard drive was blocked by the keeper. Nicholson pounced on the rebound but his shot was cleared by Mohammed Sylla.

But St Johnstone were looking the more likely team to score and Darren Dods called the keeper into action once again.

However it was Dunfermline who went into the interval with the lead.

Jim Weir pulled down Crawford in the box and after consulting his linesman referee Dave Somers gave the penalty just before the break and it was Crawford who converted from the spot.

Former St Mirren striker Junior Mendes had looked busy enough in the first half without actually creating much in the way of real chances.

So when he tried an opportunist strike from the edge of the penalty box immediately into the second period no-one was more surprised than Ruitenbeek but the keeper was let off as Mendes' effort whizzed by the post.

But Saints were soon back on level terms after the referee pointed to the spot again.

This time Michael Doesburg was the culprit as he blatantly fouled McBride. Jones stepped up for the kick and coolly slotted past Ruitenbeek.

Crawford almost grabbed the second for the Pars in 56 minutes when he met Skerla's header right in front of goal but nodded off target.

Russell started off a good move when he crossed to Paddy Connolly who side-stepped the Dunfermline defence but his final touch was weak and easily held by the keeper.

After 82 minutes the impressive Sylla came close to giving the Saints the three points.

A Jones effort was blocked and fell to the feet of Sylla and his long-range effort looked certain to go in, but just skimmed the crossbar instead.

Just before the whistle Saints found themselves down to 10 men after McBride was red-carded for a second bookable offence, but they held on for a point.