Preview Morton

Ladbrokes Championship (home) v Morton, Saturday 17th March 2018, 3.00pm kick off at East End Park

Following on from the win over Inverness Caley Thistle on Tuesday night the Pars are keen to take the chance to close the gap on Morton, the team immediately above them. Three points off Jim Duffy’s side would reduced the deficit to one point with a game in hand against Brechin City.

Milestones v Morton (Home)

Last League Victory: 29/04/17 3-1 Championship
Last League Defeat: 28/03/15 0-4 League One
Best League Victory: 29/01/66 6-0 Division One*
Worst League Defeat: 28/03/15 0-4 League One
Last Goalless Draw: 02/12/92 0-0 Division One
First League Meeting: 25/12/26: 1-1 Division One*
*Pre league reconstruction

This is the 97th league meeting between these teams and Dunfermline hold the better record 44 wins to Morton’s 30. 22 have been drawn.

This will be the fifth meeting this season with Morton having three wins all courtesy of winning goals in the closing stages of the matches.

Of the last twelve league meetings Morton have won eight and three have been won by Dunfermline and just one drawn.

Last Twelve Matches v Morton

03-02-18: (A) L 1-2 Championship
20-01-18: (H) L 1-2 Scottish Cup
21-11-17: (H) D 1-1 Championship
09-09-17: (A) L 2-3 Championship
29-04-17: (H) W 3-1 Championship
25-03-17: (A) W 1-0 Championship
10-12-16: (H) W 2-1 Championship
17-09-16: (A) L 1-2 Championship
02-03-16: (H) L 0-4 League One
24-01-15: (A) L 0-2 League One
25-10-14: (H) L 1-2 League One
20-09-14: (A) L 1-2 League One

Last Meeting at East End Park
William Hill Scottish Cup, 20 January 2018
Dunfermline 1 Morton 2

After 24 minutes Gary OLIVER was picked out on the right side of the Pars box and his angled shot beat Lee Robinson.

Playing the ball through the middle paid off for an equaliser with Declan McMANUS receiving a pass from Nicky Clark to make the break and ram the ball home from the edge of the box. Twelve minutes into the second half and it was 1-1.

Then in 85 minutes fed by Oliver, Morton sub Jai QUITONGO found himself with time to pick his spot from 20 yards out and beat the diving Robinson with a shot that crept in at the right goalpost. 1-2

DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c), Jean Yves M`Voto, Jason Talbot: Michael Paton, Nat Wedderburn, Dean Shiels (James Craigen 66), Joe Cardle (Kallum Higginbotham 66): Nicky Clark, Declan McManus.
SUBS NOT USED: Fraser Aird, Andy Ryan, Lee Ashcroft, Callum Smith, Cammy Gill (GK)

MORTON: Derek Gaston: Michael Doyle, Thomas O`Ware (c), Luca Gasparotto, Jack Iredale: Michael Tidser, Gary Harkins, Andy Murdoch, Frank Ross (Jai Quitongo 65): Scott Tiffoney (Mark Russell 90+4) Gary Oliver (Bob McHugh 90).
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Strapp, Ruaridh Langan, Darren Hynes, Conor Brennan (GK)

League Stats

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 65th
League Points: 38
League Record: P27 W10 D8 L9 GF40 GA30
Goal Difference: +10
Last Six League Match Form: LLDDLW

MORTON
League Position: 4th
League Points: 42
League Record: P28 W11 D9 L8 GF38 GA28
Goal Difference: +10
Last Six League Match Form: DWWLLD

Morton have lost only twice away from home in this Championship season - against Dundee United in September and at Falkirk on 10 March.

Form last six matches

DUNFERMLINE
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) W 1-0
St Mirren (A) L 0-2
Queen of the South (A) D 0-0
Livingston (A) D 0-0
Morton (A) L 1-2
St Mirren (H) L 1-2

MORTON
Livingston (A) D 1-1
Falkirk (A) W 3-1
Celtic (A) L 0-3
Livingston (H) L 0-1
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) W 2-0
Dumbarton (A) W 1-0

Last time out

DUNFERMLINE (v Inverness CT)Lee Robinson: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c) Lee Ashcroft, Lewis Martin: James Craigen, Tom Beadling, James Vincent, Kallum Higginbotham, Declan McManus, Nicky Clark.
SUBS NOT USED: Fraser Aird, Dean Shiels, Dan Armstrong, Scott Lochhead, Nat Wedderburn, Andy Ryan, Cammy Gill (GK)

MORTON (v Livingston): Derek Gaston: Tom O`Ware, Andy Murdoch (John Baird 89), Ricki Lamie, Jack Iredale, Michael Tidser, Mark Russell, Gary Harkins, Frank Ross, Scott Tiffoney, Gary Oliver
SUBS NOT USED: Ruaridh Langan, Bob McHugh, Lewis Strapp, Luca Gasparotto, Conor Brennan (GK)

Referee will be Andrew Dallas.

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

Related Stories

• Dunfermline 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 0
• St Mirren 2 Dunfermline 0
• Queen of the South 0 Dunfermline 0
• Supporters Information - Morton