Preview Morton

Scottish Championship (away) Friday 15th January 2021 kick off 7.45pm at Cappielow Park, live on BBC Scotland channel

This Friday night fixture will be the Pars first match of 2021. From a situation of preparing for three important matches in seven days, postponements now mean that Stevie Crawford`s side turn their entire focus on this trip to Greenock.

The second placed Fifers face a major challenge and the much over-used description of away grounds being tough places to go, really does relate to Pars trips to Cappielow where they have won just one of the last ten meetings and have failed to win there over the last three seasons.

Add to that, Morton have inflicted two of just three defeats suffered by Dunfermline Athletic in the last 12 months. There is plenty of motivation to improve the record against Morton while the previous meeting is still reasonably fresh.

Pars v Morton: The Full Record

P59 | W30 | D13 | L16 | GF111 | GA70 | at East End Park
P57 | W18 | D17 | L22 | GF69 | GA78 | at Cappielow
TOTALS
P116 | W48 | D30 | L38 | GF180 | GA148

Last Time v Morton
Scottish Championship, Saturday 12th December 2020
Dunfermline 1 Morton 2, East End Park

An unfancied Greenock Morton side ended the Pars unbeaten run with a sturdy win and a strong defensive performance.

Second placed Pars, unbeaten in eleven matches this season took on seventh placed Morton who arrived in Fife having failed to win in their last five matches and having lost their manager David Hopkin who resigned on the Thursday prior to this game.

Morton would go ahead from a 24th minute Lewis Strapp throw in. A long throw from close to the left corner flag targeted Brian McLean at the near post but it was Watson who headed the ball, Kerr McInroy’s attempt then to clear set up Jim McALISTER poised 15 yards out to volley home with the possible help of a deflection. 0-1

In 74 minutes the ball broke off Aidan Nesbitt’s hand in his own penalty box to earn the Pars a penalty. Declan McMANUS drove the spot kick down the middle past McAdams, his fifth goal of the season made it 1-1.

Morton regained their lead five minutes later. From halfway McLean launched the ball into the Dunfermline penalty box, Murray headed clear but it was gathered by Strapp and Fôn Williams pulled off a great save from the 21 year old’s fierce left footed shot but sub Craig McGUFFIE, on only three minutes, was well placed to bury the loose ball. 1-2

DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Ryan Dow, Kyle Turner, Kerr McInroy (Lewis McCann 83) Dom Thomas: Kevin O’Hara (Fraser Murray 62), Declan McManus
SUBS NOT USED: Iain Wilson, Lewis Mayo, Matty Bowman, Miller Fenton, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: McManus (74 pen)

MORTON: Aidan McAdams: Kyle Jacobs (Robin Omar HT), Brian McLean, Sean McGinty, Lewis Strapp: Jim McAlister (c), Reece Lyon, Josh McPake (Aidan Nesbitt 60), Robbie Muirhead (Craig McGuffie 76): Kalvin Orsi, Cameron Salkeld.
SUBS NOT USED: Ross McIver, Markus Fjørtoft, Gary Oliver, Chris Millar.

Milestones v Morton (Away)

Last Victory | 25/03/17 | 1-0 | Championship
Last Defeat | 11/01/20 | 2-3 | Championship
Best Victories
11/12/99 | 3-0 | Division 1
23/08/88 | 3-0 | Premier League
25/11/67 | 3-0 | Division 1
Worst Defeat | 16/02/80 | 0-5 | Scottish Cup
Last Goalless Draw | 26/01/19 | 0-0 | Championship
First Meeting | 14/08/26 | 0-3 | Division One

Last Twelve Matches v Morton

The last dozen meetings have resulted in two Pars wins, five defeats and five draws.

12-12-20: (H) 1-2 Championship
11-01-20: (A) L 2-3 Championship
07-12-19: (H) W 3-1 Championship
05-10-19: (A) D 1-1 Championship
05-04-19: (H) L 0-1 Championship
26-01-19: (A) D 0-0 Championship
01-12-18: (H) W 3-0 Championship
22-09-18: (A) D 1-1 Championship
17-03-18: (H) D 0-0 Championship
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

Recent Form

Morton have lost only one home match this season against Hearts in early December. They return to Cappielow for only the third time since October but nevertheless are unbeaten in their last four games and won two of their last six.

Dunfermline only lost four matches in 2020 but two of them were against Morton. The Fifers are undefeated in their last four matches since the defeat to Morton on 12th December.

DUNFERMLINE
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) D 1-1
Arbroath (H) W 1-0
Dundee (A) D 3-3
St Johnstone (H) D 1-1
Morton (H) L 1-2
Raith Rovers (H) D 2-2

MORTON
Alloa Athletic (A) D 1-1
Ayr United (A) D 1-1
Queen of the South (H) W 2-0
Dunfermline (A) W 2-1
Hearts (H) L 0-2
Arbroath (A) D 0-0

Current League Stats

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 2nd
League Points: 18
Goal Difference: +7
League Record: P10 W5 D4 L1 GF20 GA13
Last Six Match Form: DLDDWD

MORTON
League Position: 5th
League Points: 15
Goal Difference: -3
League Record: P10 W4 D3 L3 GF10 GA13
Last Six Match Form: DLWWDD

Last time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Inverness Caley Thistle): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Lewis Mayo: Kyle Turner, Iain Wilson, Kerr McInroy (Ryan Dow 66): Lewis McCann (Declan McManus 69), Kevin O’Hara (Dom Thomas 80).
SUBS NOT USED: Steven Whittaker, Fraser Murray, Lucas Berry, Cammy Gill (GK)

MORTON (v Alloa Athletic): Aidan McAdams: Michael Ledger, Markus Fjørtoft, Sean McGinty, Lewis Strapp: Reece Lyon (Chris Millar 88), Jim McAlister (c), Cameron Salkeld (Roman Omar 83), Luca Colville (Gary Oliver 64), Aidan Nesbitt, Kalvin Orsi
SUBS NOT USED: Cameron Blues, Alexander Easdale, James Wallace

Referee will be Steven Kirkland.

Other Championship Fixtures

Alloa Athletic v Heart of Midlothian
Dundee v Ayr United
Queen of the South v Arbroath
Raith Rovers v Inverness Caledonian Thistle

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