Dunfermline 0 Ayr United 0

Saturday, 22nd Dec 2018

Ladbrokes Championship: James Craigen in for the injured Ryan Williamson

Ayr United were the visitors for Dunfermline Athletic’s last home league match of 2018. The Honest Men’s manager, Ian McCall brought his table topping team to East End Park and named the same again that included four former Pars in his starting eleven.

Pars manager Allan Johnston was forced to make one change from the side that drew at Dumfries the previous Saturday, James Craigen starting in place of the injured (knee) Ryan Williamson.

The home side kicked off attacking the goal in front of the travelling support and within sixty seconds Faissal El Bakhtaoui’s header gave keeper Ross Doohan his first job holding from six yards. It was Kallum Higginbotham’s cross from an Aidan Keena lay off that created the opportunity. Three minutes later Higgy blasted a 25 yard effort narrowly over the bar.

The visitors took the game to Dunfermline with Robbie Crawford seeing his on target shot blocked before Andy Murdoch’s effort from outside the box was deflected wide left for a corner. That was successfully defended but Declan McDaid forced another off Craigen in 17 minutes. The Ayr no.11 overhit his delivery and although Lawrence Shankland got his head to the back it fell wide right.

On the break Tom Beadling picked out Keena and he was cut down by Michael Rose to hand the Pars a free kick midway into the Ayr half. Higginbotham delivered the ball to the far post and Danny Devine claimed that he was fouled in his attempt to reach the cross. Play on.

In 23 minutes Craigen crossed from the right but El Bakhtaoui could not reach it. Michael Moffat sent a snapshot trundling wide right but at this stage both sides were keeping the ball well clear of the penalty boxes.

On the half hour Higginbotham picked out Lee Ashcroft but Ayr survived despite their keeper not holding first time. When play switched rapidly to the other end Shankland’s pass sent Moffat in on goal but Lee Robinson blocked and Devine swept the ball away from goal.

A super cross on from Higginbotham set up a great 33rd minute chance but unfortunately there was no one to convert it. Moffat fired on target again but the blocked ball dropped to Crawford’ whose shot was then deflected for a corner on the right. That caused no real problem and it was back to the other end and a free kick 27 yards out on the right side. Ashcroft was desperately close to heading home Higginbotham’s cross.

McDaid put in a strong run, cutting inside to drive a powerful shot on goal that was deflected out for an Ayr corner down on the left. That was sent to Crawford lying deep but from 25 yards out he blasted wildly wide and high.

It had been a fairly even first 45 minutes, Ayr’s chances looked more dangerous than Dunfermline’s but the sides went in all square.

Half time: Dunfermline 0 Ayr United 0

In 48 minutes Doohan was the first keeper asked to make a save, pushing away a good strike from Higginbotham after the Pars player had got the better of Liam Smith on the left side of the Ayr box.

Dunfermline kept up the pressure with Jackson Longridge driving forward, cutting the ball square for El Bakhtaoui but his shot was blocked. In 53 minutes a Keena header was sent behind for a corner and then Keena drove a good effort on target only for it to hit Rose.

Further hope for the Pars when Thomson connected 30 yards out and Doohan had to be alert to stop the shot on his goal line. Then Keena’s 59th minute shot brought the home fans into song despite the fact that Rose booted away his effort. Next minute Keena beat off two defenders out on the left to cut in and thump a shot on target and this time it was the Ayr keeper who kept the on loan Jambo out.

The Pars forced a 66th minute corner kick after Longridge and Higginbotham had threatened on the left and when that was sent in the ball evaded everyone as in escaped through the six yard box,

Craig Moore replaced Michael Moffat midway through the half and Shankland won a hotly disputed corner that thankfully Ashcroft dealt with. Myles Hippolyte was the first tactical change for Dunfermline entering the fray in 71 minutes to replace Faissal El Bakhtaoui.

Bell collected a yellow card after he impeded Keena. Then just minutes later in 81, more yellows were flashed after Moore’s robust challenge floored Craigen and in the furory Thomson was also shown a card for over zealous complaints.

There were five minutes remaining when Hippolyte fed the ball in to Thomson and then on to Longridge but the defenders shot from 30 yards out was wayward. The fans of both clubs were well heated through by this stage and on the park there remained great urgency in finding a winner.

An Ashcroft foul on Shankland in 88 as they both tried to latch on to a bouncing ball, allowed McGuffie to pump the ball into the Pars box from the resulting free kick but Robinson was out commandingly to fist away the danger. Next minute McGuffie got the break off Vincent to cut the ball back from the right and Shankland from 12 yards sent the ball wide left.

There was still time for an added time corner that Higgy sent in from the right but Ayr thwarted Devine’s challenge at the near post. A good determined showing from the Fifers and a particularly attacking second half. No goals, one point each, Ayr United were toppled off the top and the Pars stay in seventh with 20 points.

DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: James Craigen, Lee Ashcroft (c), Danny Devine, Jackson Longridge: James Vincent: Kallum Higginbotham, Tom Beadling, Joe Thomson: Faissal El Bakhtaoui (Myles Hippolyte 73), Aidan Keena.
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis McCann, Mark Durnan, Malaury Martin, Lewis McCann, Robbie Muirhead, Cammy Gill (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Craigen (39), Beadling (74), Thomson (81)

AYR UNITED: Ross Doohan: Liam Smith, Michael Rose, Steven Bell (c), Daniel Harvie: Andy Geggan (Ross Docherty 78), Robbie Crawford, Andy Murdoch, Declan McDaid (Craig McGuffie 71): Michael Moffat (Craig Moore 67), Lawrence Shankland.
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Higgins, David Ferguson, Luke McCowan, Ellis Hare-Reid (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Geggan (56), Bell (79), Moore (81)

REFEREE: Steven McLean
WEATHER: Cloudy 7C
ATTENDANCE 4916

NEXT MATCH: Ladbrokes Championship: (away) v Falkirk, Saturday 29th December 2018, kick off 3.00pm at The Falkirk Stadium


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Preview Ayr United

Saturday, 22nd Dec 2018

Ladbrokes Champiinship (home) Saturday 22nd December 2018, 3.00pm kick off at East End Park

Dunfermline’s next match will be at home against Ian McCall’s Ayr United. The League One champions lead the Championship table and have taken the league by storm this season. Ayr lead Ross County by one point but with a game in hand at home to Inverness Caley Thistle.

Milestones v Ayr United (home)

Last League Victory | 13/02/16 | 3-2 | League One
Last League Defeat | 18/03/17 | 0-1 | League One
Best League Victory | 10/12/94 | 6-0 | First Division
Worst League Defeat | 13/10/73 | 0-4 | Div One (old)
Last Goalless League match | 03/02/82 | First Division
First League meeting | 30/11/1912 | Div Two (old)

Last Meeting at East End Park
Saturday 18th March 2017
Dunfermline 0 Ayr United 1

Joe Cardle and Ryan Williamson returned in the absence of the injured Andy Geggan and Paul McMullan. For Ryan it was his first start since October. Sean Murdoch wore the captain’s armband.

Ayr United had seven players out injured but still named a formidable starting eleven including former Pars Farid El Alagui, Greg Fleming and Paddy Boyle. Three players dropped out of the side defeated 4-1 at home by Falkirk the previous Saturday. Craig Moore, Gary Harkins and Craig McGuffie made way for Alan Forrest, Michael Rose and Ross Docherty.

Despite the Fifers dominating the first half it was all square at the break. It looked as though it was only a matter of time before the Pars would score the eventual opener but that was to come at the other end. A corner from the left was not dealt with and the ball squirmed through Jason Talbot to sneak in at the near post. Ross DOCHERTY was credited with the goal but it was great outcome from a fairly tame header. 0-1

In 57 minutes Michael Rose fired a shot on target from a free kick 35 yards out. Murdoch touched that over the bar. Then a minute later Gilmour drilled the ball tantalisingly through the Pars six yard box. Then Murdoch had to keep out a Forrest shot from an acute angle.

Going for a change, Allan Johnston made a double substitution in 63 minutes - David Hopkirk and Michael Paton replacing Michael Moffat and Kallum Higginbotham. It was five minutes later when Paton pushed Williamson down the right to cut in and find Cardle but amazingly Joe missed from the edge of the six yard box.

Hopkirk and Talbot were to have good efforts but it was to be Ayr’s win and three precious points in their battle to avoid the drop.

DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch (c): Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris, Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Nat Wedderburn: Kallum Higginbotham (Michael Paton 63), John Herron, Joe Cardle (Gavin Reilly 80): Nicky Clark, Michael Moffat (David Hopkirk 63).
SUBS NOT USED: Rhys McCabe, Callum Fordyce, Lewis Spence, David Hutton (GK)

AYR UNITED: Greg Fleming. Nicky Devlin (c), Daryll Meggat, Conrad Balatoni, Paddy Boyle. Robbie Crawford, Michael Rose, Ross Docherty (Craig McGuffie 70), Brian Gilmour: Alan Forrest (Gary Harkins 79), Farid El Alagui (Craig Moore 73)
SUBS NOT USED: Michael Wardrope, Sean McKenzie, Scott McKenna, Jordan Hart (GK)

The Pars have won 45 to Ayr`s 31, 24 have been drawn. The Pars have lost only five of the last 35 league meetings. Ayr United have only won 9 of the last 57 games between the sides in all competitions stretching back to 1983. But they won convincingly in the first fixture of this season 4-1 at Somerset Park in August.

Of the last twelve league meetings against Ayr United, Dunfermline have won seven, lost three and drawn two.

Last Twelve League Meetings v Ayr United
Date | H/A | F-A | W D L | League

25/08/18 | A | 1-4 | L | Championship
18/03/17 | H | 0-1 | L | Championship
07/01/17 | A | 2-0 | W | Championship
03/12/16 | H | 1-1 | D | Championship
01/10/16 | A | 0-0 | D | Championship
12/03/16 | A | 2-0 | W | League One
13/02/16 | H | 3-2 | W | League One
12/12/15 | A | 2-1 | W | League One
12/09/15 | H | 0-2 | L | League One
07/03/15 | H | 2-1 | W | League One
31/01/15 | A | 2-0 | W | League One
06/12/14 | H | 4-2 | W | League One

Form Last Six Matches

DUNFERMLINE
Queen of the South (A) D 0-0
Partick Thistle (A) L 0-2
Morton (H) W 3-0
Ross County (A) L 1-2
Falkirk (H) L 0-1
Alloa Athletic (A) W 1-0

AYR UNITED
Ross County (H) D 3-3
Dundee United (A) W 5-0
Beith Juniors (A) W 3-0
Morton (A) D 0-0
Queen of the South (H) D 1-1
Falkirk (H) W 1-0

League Form
Dunfermline’s home form has troubled them this season but their fortune changed in their last home game winning 3-0 against Morton.

Ayr are unbeaten at home this season and have only lost three times, the league matches in Dumfries and Dingwall and their Betfred Cup tie at Ibrox.

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 7th
League Points: 19
League Record: P17 W5 D4 L8 GF13 GA23
Goal Difference: -7
Last Six League Match Form: WLLWLD

AYR UNITED
League Position: 1st
League Points: 34
League Record: P16 W10 D4 L2 GF33 GA15
Goal Difference: +18
Last Six League Match Form: WWDDWD

Last time out

DUNFERMLINE (v Queen of the South): Lee Robinson: Ryan Williamson, Lee Ashcroft (c), Danny Devine, Jackson Longridge: James Vincent: Kallum Higginbotham, Tom Beadling, Joe Thomson: Faissal El Bakhtaoui (Myles Hippolyte 67), Aidan Keena.
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis McCann, James Craigen, Mark Durnan, Stuart Morrison, Cammy Gill (GK)

AYR UNITED (v Ross County): Ross Doohan: Daniel Harvie, Michael Rose, Steven Bell, Liam Smith, Andy Geggan, Robbie Crawford, Declan McDaid (Chris Higgins 62), Michael Moffat (Craig Moore 70), Lawrence Shankland, Andy Murdoch.
SUBS NOT USED: David Ferguson, Craig McGuffie, Steven Docherty, Luke McCowan, Ellis Hare-Reid (GK)

Lots of former Pars in the Ayr squad - Steven Bell, Andy Geggan, Chris Higgins, Mark Kerr, Michael Moffat and Lawrence Shankland - all of course under the leadership of ex Par Ian McCall.

Referee will be Steven McLean.

Other Championship Fixtures

Alloa Athletic v Queen of the South
Dundee United v Falkirk
Morton v Inverness Caley Thistle
Ross County v Partick Thistle

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