Kilmarnock v Dunfermline

Saturday, 18th Dec 2021

cinch Championship: Paul Allan and Craig Wighton start, Kyle Macdonald and Kai Kennedy on the bench. Oli Shaw (3 pen.) 1-0: Craig Wighton (20) 1-1:
MATCH ABANDONED after 63 minutes.

On the last Saturday before Christmas Kilmarnock entertained Dunfermline, the first league match between the clubs since May 2012. Four Championship places separated the teams but the Ayrshire men started 15 points better off. Dunfermline were seeking a second away league success after their victory in Inverness in November had broken their run without success since October the previous year.

John Hughes made two changes to his starting eleven with Paul Allan and Craig Wighton starting in preference to Kyle Macdonald and Kai Kennedy who were both on the bench. For the hosts Tommy Wright also made two changes from the side that lost the previous Saturday on Stark’s Park with Chris Burke and Rory McKenzie coming on for Lee Hodson and Brad Lyons.

It was a bright day in Kilmarnock in contrast to the fog in the east and central belt. The Dunfermline fans were bathed in the December sunshine in the upper level of the Chadwick Stand as their side emerged from their new changing facilities in the far away corner. The pre match music included Baccara and one hoped it would be the Pars who would be boogie-ing.

Wighton kicked off but Kilmarnock would soon be bearing down on the Pars goal in front of the away supporters. Mark Connolly was forced into conceding what became two second minute corners. Lewis McCann turned the second one behind but when the ball wasn’t cleared, Graham Dorrans was deemed to have fouled Jack Sanders and referee Craig Napier awarded a penalty. Oli SHAW stepped up and scored with a right footed shot to the bottom left and although Owain Fôn Williams went the right way he couldn’t stop the goal. 1-0

McCann’s eleventh minute shot was deflected wide for a corner on the right but when Josh Edwards centred keeper Zach Hemings was out to pluck the ball out of the air. Fraser Murray was picked out on the left and his run and cross forced Edwards to head behind but fortunately Kilmarnock didn’t get a touch when Murray delivered the 18th minute corner from the left.

Two minutes later the Fifers were back on level terms. Ryan Dow rounded his man on the left edge of the Killie box and when he got the break of the ball, was able to cut the ball back. McCann was too close to connect but WIGHTON finished in style giving the on loan Middlesbrough keeper no chance. 1-1

Just four minutes later Allan pushed forward and Wighton then switched the ball right where Dow popped up and flighted an inviting ball to the far post and the home defence could only head behind. Allan’s corner exposed some shakiness in the defence but they cleared.

Minutes later Wighton and Dow combined and the latter lifted another shot to the far post, the right this time, that just fell wide. Kilmarnock might then have regained the lead after a Connolly slip that let Shaw in with a shot from 16 yards out but Fôn Williams was out fast to make a great block.

The Pars continued to string passes together and were achieving their goal to get more control further up the park. McCann showed great control to bring down a ball in the Killie box to earn another corner after some uncertainty from Dylan McGowan. Unfortunately Hemmings take was able to end the threat.

Dunfermline were enjoying more possession and there were boos coming from the home support as the visitors earned another corner when a Matty Todd shot was deflected off Alston and Hemmings had to push the ball around his left hand post. McCann met the corner with a header but the direction was way out.

The half time whistle brought further representations to the referee by John Hughes and Fon Williams about his penalty decision. There had been seven shots by each team in the first 45, Dunfermline with four on target to Kilmarnock’s three.

Half time: Kilmarnock 1 Dunfermline 1

The fog crept in with the dusk coming down. McCann did well to play a dangerous cross into the Kilmarnock box within a minute of the restart running on to a Dow pass, but it was Todd’s low shot in 50th minute that engaged Hemmings first.

First sub of the match was Callum Hendry replacing Oli Shaw in 57 minutes and he had a glorious chance three minutes later when a Burke cross set him up but he blasted the ball over the crossbar from 15 yards out.

A pass from Rhys Breen to Edwards and on to McCann allowed a shot but that was blocked. Todd made a run in from the right and caused some chaos in front of goal. The far side of the ground was becoming increasingly difficult to see and in 63 minutes the match halted. The referee consulted with both managers and the match was given a five minute postponement to see if the fog might clear somewhat.

With no improvement and visibility not good, the match was abandoned in what would have been the 70th minute.

KILMARNOCK: Zach Hemming: Jack Sanders, Dylan McGowan, Euan Murray, Brandon Haunstrup, Blair Alston, Rory McKenzie, Chris Burke, Fraser Murray, Scott Robinson, Oli Shaw (Callum Hendry 57).
SUBS NOT USED: Lee Hodson, Stephen McGinn, Dan Armstrong, Rumarn Burrell, Steven Warnock, Sam Walker(GK)
SCORERS: Shaw (3 pen.)

DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Mark Connolly, Rhys Breen, Josh Edwards: Matthew Todd, Graham Dorrans (c), Paul Allan, Ryan Dow: Craig Wighton: Lewis McCann
SUBS NOT USED: Ross Graham, Kyle Macdonald, Kevin O’Hara, Kai Kennedy, Nikolay Todorov, Dan Pybus, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
SCORERS: Wighton (20)

REFEREE: Craig Napier
WEATHER: Sunny 4°C
ATTENDANCE

NEXT MATCH: cinch Championship (home) v Arbroath, Sunday 26th December 2021, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park

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Preview Kilmarnock

Saturday, 18th Dec 2021

cinch Championship (away) v Kilmarnock, Saturday 18th December 2021 at Rugby Park, kick off 3.00pm

This Saturday Dunfermline will play their first league match at Rugby Park since 21st January 2012. That day they re-wrote the record book as the Pars won at Rugby Park in the league for the first time for over nineteen years ago. Boxing Day goals two from Hamish French and one from Craig Robertson secured the points in a First Division match back in 1992 and in 2012 the 3-0 win came with goals from Andy Barrowman, Joe Cardle and Liam Buchanan to give Dunfermline their first ever Premier League win there at their 19th attempt.

Milestones Kilmarnock (Away)

Last Victory | 13/10/20 | 3-0 | League Cup
Last Defeat | 10/09/11 | 2-3 | SPL
Best Victory | 16/11/74 | 4-2 | Division One
Worst Defeat | 02/12/06 | 1-5 | SPL
Last Goalless Draw | 26/12/01 | SPL
First Meeting | 28/08/26 | 3-2 | Division One
*Pre league reconstruction

Last Meeting at Rugby Park
Betfred Cup, Tuesday 13th October 2020

Kilmarnock 0 Dunfermline 3
Fri, 9th Oct 2020

Due to the Kilmarnock squad being asked to isolate after positive Covid-19 tests, the game had been in doubt right up until 24 hours before the kick off. Their manager Alex Dyer was able to supplement the first team players who were available with youth team players to be able to fulfil the fixture. Only three players that started their last first team match against St Mirren started this game - Gary Dicker, Chris Burke and Nicke Kabamba.

Killie did a great job to maintain the score at 0-0 at the interval but went behind in the tenth minute of the second half when Thomas’ skills won a free kick on the left just about on the byeline. His delivery was perfect for Euan MURRAY, a cut and paste from Friday night’s headed opener against Falkirk. 0-1

The second Dunfermline goal came in 72nd minute. McManus forced the ball off Sloan at the left corner flag, he laid the ball back to Thomas before running back to collect the next pass and crossing. Fraser MURRAY was perfectly placed to head the ball down into the bottom right. 0-2

Lewis McCann was an 80th minute substitute and when he was taken down it handed the Pars a free kick 35 yards out. Fraser MURRAY stood over the ball clearly aiming up his shot while Killie built a two man wall. That left the on loan Hibee a smashing clinical finish into the top left corner. 0-3

KILMARNOCK: Colin Doyle: Kenny Sloan, Gary Dicker (c), Craig Ross, Euan Deveney: Chris Burke (Fergus Dee 88), Rory McKenzie, Brandon Haunstrup (Keir Russell 76) Innes Cameron (Josh Rennie 65), Steven Warnock (Ross Smith 88), Nicke Kabamba (Michael Mullen 88).
SUBS NOT USED: Harry Broun, Tarek Abed, Justin Deveney

DUNFERMLINE: Cammy Gill: Steven Whittaker, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Fraser Murray, Iain Wilson, Kyle Turner (Paul Allan 73), Dom Thomas (Lewis McCann 80): Kevin O’Hara (Ryan Dow 66), Declan McManus (Gabby McGill 80).
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Miller Fenton, Owain Fôn Williams (GK), Ben Swinton (GK)

Over the last twelve league meetings, Kilmarnock have had the upper hand winning seven of the contests. DA have managed to win only two with three games ending up all square.

Last Twelve League Matches v Kilmarnock

Date . .H/A F-A . . Scorers
16/10/21 H 2-2 [0-1] Hendry, [1-1] Thomas, [1-2] Shaw, [2-2] Comrie
12/05/12 H 1-2 [1-0] Willis, [1-1] Kelly, [1-2] Winchester
07/02/12 H 1-1 [0-1] Fowler, [1-1] Kirk
21/01/12 A 3-0 [1-0] Barrowman, [2-0] Cardle, [3-0] Buchanan
10/09/11 A 2-3 [1-0] J Thomson, [1-1] Heffernan, [1-2] Heffernan, [2-2] R Thomson, [2-3] Kroca
17/02/07 H 1-1 [0-1] Naismith, [1-1] Crawford
02/12/06 A 1-5 [0-1] Hay, [1-1] Crawford, [1-2] Di Giacomo, [1-3] Di Giacomo, [1-4] Nish, [1-5] Nish
09/09/06 H 3-2 [0-1] Invincible, [1-1] Young, [1-2] Wales, [2-2] Mason, [3-2] Crawford
04/03/06 A 0-1 [0-1] Invincible
03/12/05 H 0-1 [0-1] Boyd
10/09/05 A 2-3 [1-0] Burchill, [1-1] Dodds, [1-2] Boyd, [2-2] Derek Young, [2-3] Invincible
21/05/05 A 0-4 [0-1] Locke, [0-2] Dodds, [0-3] Boyd, [0-4] McDonald

Recent Form

Dunfermline have lost three, won two and drawn one of their last six matches. Kilmarnock have won four and lost four of their home league games this season. The Fifers will be looking to emulate the successes of Inverness Caley Thistle, Raith Rovers, Partick Thistle and Arbroath.

Last six matches

DUNFERMLINE
Queen of the South (H) D 3-3
Hamilton Academical (A) L 0-1
Partick Thistle (A) L 0-1
Ayr United (H) W 3-0
Inverness Caledonian Thistle (A) W 2-1
Morton (H) L 1-3

KILMARNOCK
Raith Rovers (A) L 0-1
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) L 0-1
Hamilton Academical W 3-2
Queens Park (A) W 1-0
Arbroath (H) L 0-1
Morton (A) W 2-0

League Record

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 8th
League Points: 14
Goal Difference: -10
League Record: P17 W3 D7 L5 GF18 GA28
Last Six Match Form: LWWLLD

KILMARNOCK
League Position: 4th
League Points: 29
Goal Difference: +9
League Record: P17 W9 D2 L6 GF13 GA23
Last Six Match Form: WLWWLL

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Queen of the South): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Mark Connolly, Rhys Breen, Josh Edwards: Graham Dorrans (c): Kyle Macdonald (Dan Pybus 57), Ryan Dow (Nikolay Todorov 70), Matthew Todd (Kevin O’Hara 57), Kai Kennedy: Lewis McCann
SUBS NOT USED: Ross Graham, Craig Wighton, Paul Allan, Deniz Mehmet (GK)

KILMARNOCK (v Raith Rovers): Zach Hemming, Lee Hodson, Jack Sanders, Dylan McGowan, Euan Murray, Brandon Haunstrup, Blair Alston (Chris Burke 68), Brad Lyons (Rory McKenzie 12), Fraser Murray, Scott Robinson (Callum Hendry 68), Oli Shaw
SUBS NOT USED: Charlie McArthur, Dan Armstrong, Rumarn Burrell, Sam Walker(GK)

Other Championship Fixtures

Arbroath v Morton
Inverness Caley Thistle v Hamilton Academical
Partick Thistle v Raith Rovers
Queen of the South v Ayr United

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