Preview Morton

Scottish Championship (home) v Morton, Saturday 13th March 2021, 3.00pm kick off at East End Park, behind closed doors

Two weeks after losing by the only goal of the match to Queen of the South, Stevie Crawford’s team’s next match is at home to Morton. The Pars record of two wins in the last fourteen meetings against Morton suggests the Greenock side have become a bit of a bogey team.

Morton’s interim manager Anton McElhone said that Saturday’s 2-0 defeat against Ayr United was “massively disappointing” and showed his frustration at the lack of chances created. On Tuesday night however they righted that with a 1-0 at Inverness courtesy of an Aidan Nesbitt goal early in the second half.

Milestones v Morton (Home)

Last League Victory: 07/12/19 | 3-1 | Championship
Last League Defeat: 12/12/20 | 1-2 | Championship
Best League Victory: 29/01/66 | 6-0 | Division One*
Worst League Defeat: 28/03/15 | 0-4 | League One
Last Goalless Draw: 17/03/18 | 0-0 | Championship
First League Meeting: 25/12/26: | 1-1 | Division One*
*Pre league reconstruction

This is the 107th league meeting between these teams and Dunfermline hold the better record 46 wins to Morton’s 33, 27 have been drawn.

The last dozen meetings have resulted in three Pars wins, four defeats and five draws but the record is improving with only one defeat to Morton in the last eight meetings.

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

Second placed Pars, unbeaten in their 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

When the ball broke off Nesbitt’s hand in his penalty box, the Pars were awarded a 74th minute 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)

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.

Five of the last twelve matches between the sides have been drawn, three of them with no goals. Five of the twelve were lost and two were Dunfermline wins.

Last Twelve Matches v Morton

15-01-21 (A) D 0-0 Championship
12-12-20 (H) L 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

Recent Form

Dunfermline have won two, drawn one and lost three of their last six matches. They are unbeaten in their five home games since losing to Morton on 12th December.

Morton’s win on Tuesday night was their first since 19th December. Their win at Inverness was their second away win of the season. They have now lost three, drawn two and won one of their last six matches.

DUNFERMLINE
Queen of the South (A) L 0-1
Alloa Athletic (H) W 2-1
Arbroath (A) L 0-2
Raith Rovers (H) W 4-1
Hearts (A) L 0-1
Ayr United (H) D 0-0

MORTON
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) W 1-0
Ayr United (H) L 0-2
Dundee (H) D 2-2
Hearts (A) D 1-1
Raith Rovers (H) L 0-1
Arbroath (H) L 0-1

Current League Stats

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 3rd
League Points: 27
Goal Difference: +7
League Record: P17 W7 D6 L4 GF26 GA19
Last Six Match Form: DLWLWL

MORTON
League Position: 6th
League Points: 22
Goal Difference: -7
League Record: P19 W5 D7 L7 GF17 GA24
Last Six Match Form: LLDDLW

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Queen of the South): Owain Fôn Williams: Kyle Macdonald, Paul Watson (c), Lewis Mayo, Josh Edwards: Dom Thomas (Scott Banks 73), Steven Whittaker (Iain Wilson 68), Kerr McInroy, Fraser Murray: Craig Wighton, Declan McManus (Kevin O’Hara 68)
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Turner, Lewis McCann, Vytas Gašpuitis, Cammy Gill (GK)

MORTON (v Inverness Caley Thistle): Aidan McAdams: Michael Ledger, Brian McLean, Sean McGinty, Markus Fjørtoft: Kyle Jacobs: Aidan Nesbitt (Cameron Salkeld 89), Reece Lyon (Cameron Blues 84), Luca Colville (Robin Omar 89), Craig McGuffie: Kazaiah Sterling
SUBS NOT USED: Gary Oliver, Chris Millar, Darren Hynes, Justin Johnson

Other Championship Fixtures

Inverness Caley Thistle v Raith Rovers (Friday)
Dundee v Arbroath
Hearts v Ayr United
Queen of the South v Alloa Athletic

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