Preview Hearts

Friday 20th November 2020, kick off 7.45pm at East End Park and televised live on BBC Scotland channel.

Dunfermline welcome Hearts to East End Park for their first league meeting since April 2012. Hearts are odds on favourites to win, as they are to win the Championship outright and in doing so rebound straight back up to the Premiership. The match has been re-scheduled for a Friday night to allow live broadcast on the BBC Scotland channel.

After the international week those players who have been away will return to their clubs meaning both Dunfermline and Hearts will probably be much changed from their starting elevens at the weekend.

Milestones v Hearts (Home)
Last Victory | 03/02/07 | 1-0 | Scottish Cup
Last Defeat | 18/08/18 | 0-1 | League Cup
Best Victory | 02/01/69 | 4-2 | Div One*
Worst Defeat | 26/11/55 | 0-5 | Div A*
Last Goalless Draw | 28/02/04 | 0-0 | Premier League
First ever meeting | 18/12/26 | 0-2 | First Division*
*Pre league reconstruction

Dunfermline have recorded just one win in the last dozen games between the teams, with two draws, and nine defeats. The Pars have only won one of their last eight home games against Hearts.

Last Twelve Matches v Hearts

Date | H/A | F-A | Scorers
18/08/18 | H 0-1 [0-1] Lee
29/07/17 | A 2-2 [0-1] Cowie [1-1], Cardle, [2-1] McManus [2-2] Gonçalves
07/04/12 | H 1-2 [0-1] Glen, [0-2] Keddie og, [1-2] Zaliukas og
17/12/11 | A 0-4 [0-1] Elliot, [0-2] Taouil, [0-3] Templeton, [0-4] Skacel
15/10/11 | H 0-2 [0-1] Webster, [0-2] Skacel
23/09/09 | A 1-2 [1-0] Bayne, [1-1] Glen, [1-2] Stewart pen.
25/09/07 | A 1-4 [0-1] Nade pen [1-1] Simmonds, [1-2] Berra, [1-3] Elliot, [1-4] Elliot
03/02/07 | H 1-0 [1-0] Wilson
02/01/07 | H 0-1 [0-1] Pospisal
28/10/06 | A 1-1 [0-1] Velicka [1-1] Hamilton
29/07/06 | H 1-2 [0-1] Bednar, [1-1] Simmons, [1-2] Pospisal
24/04/06 | A 0-4 [0-1] Pospisal, [0-2] Bednar, [0-3] Mikoliunas, [0-4] Makela

Last meeting at East End Park
18th August 2018, League Cup
Dunfermline 0 Hearts 1

The Pars reward for topping their Betfred Cup group was a home tie in the Second Round against Heart of Midlothian. The visitors battled through to a quarter-final place thanks to a late Olly Lee goal but the Pars produced a creditable performance boosting their confidence to take into the league campaign.

In ten minutes Ryan Williamson evaded the offside trap and he forced another corner on the right. James Craigen’s cross was headed away but very quickly Faissal El Bakhtaoui found himself though on the right and his shot from an angle came back out off the left goalpost.

It was late on in the second half before the stalemate was broken when Olly LEE struck a low shot at an angle from the right. His 79th minute attempt went between Jackson Longridge and Danny Devine to find the far left of the net. 0-1

The Jambos’ keeper Zdenek Zlamal prevented extra time being necessary with a tremendous save in the fourth minute of added time. Williamson had terrorised the Hearts left and he centred another cross that firstly Connolly hit at the keeper and then El Bakhtaoui’s follow up was also blocked.

Craig Levein had warned his players that they would face a stern test at East End Park and he was proved correct. Some would say that they made it difficult for themselves but the Hearts fans celebrated the win while the Pars fans could certainly celebrate a fine Dunfermline performance.

DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: Lee Ashcroft (c), Mark Durnan, Danny Devine: Ryan Williamson, James Vincent, Louis Longridge, James Craigen (Andy Ryan 86), Jackson Longridge: Faissal El Bakhtaoui, Myles Hippolyte (Aidan Connolly 81).
SUBS NOT USED: Kallum Higginbotham, Stuart Morrison, Joe Thomson, Callum Smith, Cammy Gill (GK)

HEARTS: Zdenek Zlamal: Michael Smith, John Souttar (c), Aaron Hughes (Oliver Bozanic HT), Ben Garuccio: Jake Mulraney (Callumn Morrison 77), Olly Lee, Peter Haring, Steven Naismith: Steven MacLean, Uche Ikpeazu (Kyle Lafferty 70)
SUBS NOT USED: Harry Cochrane, Anthony McDonald, Bobby Burns, Colin Doyle (GK).

Recent Form

Both the Pars and their opponents are undefeated in their eight matches this season. Dunfermline are unbeaten at home since 25th February.

DUNFERMLINE
Clyde (H) W 3-2
Ayr United (A) D 0-0
Queen of the South (H) W 3-2
Alloa Athletic (A) W 4-1
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) W 3-1
Kilmarnock (A) W 3-0

HEARTS
East Fife (A) W 3-2
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) W 2-1
Hibernian (N) D 1-1
Arbroath (A) W 1-0
Dundee (H) W 6-2
Raith Rovers (H) W 3-1

Current League Stats

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 2nd
League Points: 10
Goal Difference: +6
League Record: P4 W3 D1 L0 GF10 GA4
Last Six Match Form: WWWWWD

HEARTS
League Position: 3rd
League Points: 9
Goal Difference: +6
League Record: P3 W3 D0 L0 GF9 GA3
Last Six Match Form: WWDWWW

Last time out

DUNFERMLINE (v Clyde): Cammy Gill: Matty Bowman (Lewis McCann 84), Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Ryan Dow, Fraser Murray (Dom Thomas 67), Iain Wilson (Kyle Turner 53), Kerr McInroy, Kevin O’Hara, Declan McManus
SUBS NOT USED: Steven Whittaker, Miller Fenton, Lucas Berry, Ben Swinton (GK).

HEARTS (v East Fife): Ross Stewart: Jamie Brandon, Aidan White, Mihai Popescu, Christophe Berra (Stephen Kingsley 71), Elliott Frear, Oliver Lee (Steven Naismith 49), Euan Henderson, Scott McGill, Andy Irving, Craig Wighton
SUBS NOT USED: Arron Darge, Lewis Moore, Cammy Logan, Aidan Denholm, Zdenek Zlama

Hearts will have midfielder Andy Halliday. Goalkeeper Craig Gordon, defender Michael Smith and striker Liam Boyce back from international duty and the injured duo - Jordan Roberts and Jamie Walker - could return. Josh Ginnelly is reported to still be out.

The referee will be Don Robertson.

Other Championship Fixtures

Arbroath v Morton
Ayr United v Dundee
Inverness Caley Thistle v Raith Rovers
Queen of the South v Alloa Athletic

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• 18/09/18: Betfred Cup - Dunfermline 0 Hearts 1