Stevie Crawford 13th goal of the season certainly proved unlucky for Hibs as Dunfermline held onto third spot.
And the draw extended Hibs' dismal run at East End Park - they have not had a league win there in 11 years.
Constant rain and a sodden pitch did not help things but there could be no excuse for such a dire first-half display.
It took until stoppage time before either keeper had a save to make when the Pars' Gary Dempsey fired a 20-yard drive straight at Nick Colgan.
What few chances there were before that also fell to the home side.
Lee Bullen, Craig Brewster and Barry Nicholson all combined well in the 24th minute but Brewster's final pass was just beyond Crawford.
Three minutes later Bullen headed a Nicholson free-kick back across goal but Brewster somehow failed to connect with the goal at his mercy.
Clearly with manager Bobby Wiliamson's words still ringing in their ears, Hibs created more chances in the two minutes after the restart than the entire first half.
All three fell to club captain John O'Neil who fired inches wide seconds after the re-start, blasted over the bar from the edge of the box moments later and then sent his third effort wide of the left upright.
Hibs continued to press and were finally rewarded in the 58th minute. Gary Smith sent in a free-kick from the left, Mixu Paatelainen headed the ball on and, with the home defence for once flat-footed, the ball fell to Tom McManus who turned and hooked the ball past Derek Stillie.
Jason Dair responded for Dunfermline, rifling a 25-yard effort over the crossbar and then two minutes later he crossed from the left but once again the ball just eluded Brewster.
The equaliser eventually came after 66 minutes. Dair fired in a low cross from the left which found Crawford all alone at the back post for a simple tap in