Preview St Mirren

Ladbrokes Championship: (away) v St Mirren, Saturday 16th December 2017, kick off 3.00pm at the Paisley 2021 Stadium

St Mirren have been one of the teams of the season so far. After winning a fight to stave off what at one point last season certain relegation, Jack Ross` team currently sit second just one point behind league leaders Dundee United.

The first meeting with the Buddies at East End Park in September was a resounding 3-0 win for the Fifers. Since the Saints have won six of their subsequent ten league games, Dunfermline have won just two.

In league matches between the clubs, the Pars hold the advantage overall with 37 wins to Saints 29.

League Record v St Mirren
Pld 91 W39 D25 L29

Record win away to Saints is 5-0 when Bert Paton (2), Hugh Robertson, Hugh Maxwell and Jim Fleming did the damage in season 66/67. The Buddies have won by four goals a few times, 6-2 being the biggest result in February 1959 when they even scored one of the Pars two.

Milestones St Mirren (Away)

Last League Victory 19/11/16 1 - 0 Championship
Last League Defeat 10/10/15 1 - 2 League Cup
Best League Victory * 15/10/66 5 - 0 Div One*
Worst League Defeat* 18/02/59 2 - 6 Div One*
* Pre Reconstruction

The 1-0 win in November 2016 was Dunfermline first away win over St Mirren since the Buddies moved from Love Street to Greenhill Road. Prior to that success, the Pars had won only once in Paisley since March 2000, a 1-0 win in 2007 but of the last dozen matches Dunfermline have won four, St Mirren three and five have been drawn.

Last Twelve Matches v St Mirren
16-09-2017 Dunfermline 3-0 St Mirren Championship
11-03-2017 St Mirren 0-0 Dunfermline Championship
14-01-2017 Dunfermline Athletic 1-1 St Mirren Championship
19-11-2016 St Mirren 0-1 Dunfermline Athletic Championship
24-09-2016 Dunfermline Athletic 4-3 St Mirren Championship
10-10-2015 St Mirren 4-0 Dunfermline Athletic Scottish Challenge Cup
26-08-2014 St Mirren 2-1 Dunfermline Athletic Scottish League Cup
22-04-2012 St Mirren 4-4 Dunfermline Athletic SPL
24-03-2012 Dunfermline Athletic 1-1 St Mirren SPL
19-11-2011 St Mirren 2-1 Dunfermline Athletic SPL
25-07-2011 Dunfermline Athletic 0-0 St Mirren SPL
23-09-2008 Dunfermline Athletic 2-0 St Mirren Scottish League Cup

Last Meeting in Paisley - 11th March 2017
Ladbrokes Championship
St Mirren 0 Dunfermline 0

This result turned out to be a good one given the seven match unbeaten run that this started for St Mirren.

The Pars almost had the first success, hitting on the break. Michael Moffat started the move in his own half, picking out Kallum Higginbotham on midway and he then switched the ball on for Paul McMullan who squared for Higgy to shoot but keeper Billy O`Brien blocked the shot.

For a time it was all St Mirren and a good exchange on the left put Stephen Mallan in for a fine strike from 18 yards but Sean Murdoch earned his oats. Then a 27th minute free kick 30 yards out saw Mallan`s shot deflected off the Pars man for a corner on the left that was to be overhit and wasted.

As the interval approached St Mirren continued to cross balls into the box from both flanks but nothing to trouble the Fifers defence. Within 40 seconds of the restart Moffat fired a good chance just over the bar. The Pars initially started the half the better team and pushed up with some nice interchanges between Moffat and Higginbotham, then in 49th minute Morris was penalised as Morgan shot off target. Mallan had the opportunity from the free kick 25 yards out but struck that at the four man defensive wall.

McMullan saw his shot from the edge of the box tipped over by O`Brien. A further break by Saints then quickly set up Morgan but there were groans as his not so well connected shot went straight to Murdoch. The draw suited Dunfermline much more than it did St Mirren.

ST MIRREN: Billy O`Brien: Gary Irvine, Gary Mackenzie, Harry Davis, Adam Eckersley: Stephen Mallan, Cameron Smith (Stelios Demetriou 80), Lewis Morgan, Stephen McGinn, Josh Todd (Rory Loy 54), John Sutton
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Magennis, Jack Baird, Craig Storie, Pal Fjelde, Jamie Lanfield (GK).

DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch: Andy Geggan (c), Callum Morris, Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Nat Wedderburn: Kallum Higginbotham (Michael Paton 74) John Herron, Paul McMullan: Nicky Clark, Michael Moffat.
SUBS NOT USED: Joe Cardle, Gavin Reilly, Rhys McCabe, Callum Fordyce, Lewis Spence, Cammy Gill (GK)

Form last six matches

DUNFERMLINE
Queen of the South (H) L 2-5
Dundee United (A) L 1-2
Dumbarton (H) D 2-2
Morton (H) D 1-1
Queens Park (A) W 4-1
Falkirk (A) D 1-1

ST MIRREN
Brechin City (A) W 2-1
Dumbarton (H) L 0-1
Livingston (W) W 3-1
Inverness Caley Th (A) W 2-0
Lothian Thistle (A) W 7-1
Dundee United (A) L 1-2

Recent Form

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 5th
League Points: 23
League Record: P16 W6 D5 L5 GF32 GA22
Goal Difference: +10
Last Six League Match Form: LDDDLL

ST MIRREN
League Position: 2nd
League Points: 32
League Record: P16 W10 D2 L4 GF31 GA20
Goal Difference: +11
Last Six League Match Form: DLWWLW

Teams last time out

DUNFERMLINE (v Queen of the South):Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c), Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot (Fraser Aird 87): Michael Paton, Nat Wedderburn (Dean Shiels 35), Lewis Martin (Kallum Higginbotham 65), Joe Cardle: Nicky Clark, Declan McManus.
SUBS NOT USED: Callum Smith, Jean-Yves M`Voto, Cammy Gill (GK)

ST MIRREN (v Brechin City):Craig Samson: Liam Smith, Jack Baird, Harry Davis, Adam Eckersley, Ian McShane (John Sutton 61), Stephen McGinn, Kyle Magennis, Cammy Smith (Jordan Kirkpatrick), Lewis Morgan (Gregor Buchanan 87), Gavin Reilly
SIBS NOT USED: Conor O`Keefe, Daryl Duffy, Ross Stewart, Jamie McCart

Referee will be Craig Charleston.

Other Championship Fixtures
Falkirk v Brechin City
Inverness Caley Thistle v Dumbarton
Livingston v Morton
Queen of the South v Dundee United

Related Stories

• Dunfermline 2 Queen of the South 5
• Managers post Queen of the South
• Dundee United 2 Dunfermline 1
• Hospitality v Brechin City
• 11/03/17: St Mirren 0 Dunfermline 0