Preview Inverness CT

Scottish Championship: Saturday 20th March 2021 v Inverness Caley Thistle, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park behind closed doors

Saturday sees the return to East End Park of Inverness Caley Thistle, a side now under the temporary leadership of Neil McCann and Billy Dodds. Their win over ten man Raith on Tuesday night was just the Highlanders second victory in 14 matches.

Stevie Crawford’s men will be keen to capitalise on Raith Rovers and Dundee failing to take anything from their midweek home games. Dunfermline have won seven of their nine home league games and in doing so conceded just eight goals.

Milestones v Inverness Caley Thistle (home)
Last League Victory | 17/12/20 | 3-1 | Championship
Last League Defeat | 25/02/20 | 1-2 | Championship
Best League Victory | 07/08/99 | 4-0 | Division 1
Worst League Defeat | 18/01/12 | 1-3 | Division 1
Last Goalless Match | 02/05/12 | 0-0 | Premier League
First Ever Meeting | 07/08/99 | 4-0 | Division 1

Last time at East End Park

Dunfermline 3 Inverness Caley Thistle 1

Championship, Saturday 17th October 2020

This was the opening league match of the Pars campaign and it got off to a dreadful start. Inverness had failed to score in their previous two competitive matches but broke their duck within 90 seconds. Nikolay TODOROV converted their first chance from a ball crossed early from the right by Daniel Mackay. 0-1

The Pars struck back from a corner midway through the first half. Thomas sent the ball in from the left and Euan MURRAY arrived to head the ball into the centre of the goal. 1-1

A 78th minute Edwards free kick was swept from the left to the far side of the Caley box, Watson headed the ball back across the face of goal, McManus worked the keeper who did really well to keep him out but Ryan DOW pounced to stick away the loose ball. 2-1

The lead was extended six minutes from the end with a brilliant finish from the edge of the box by McMANUS after he had turned Brad Mackay.

In the end the second half performance earned the Fifers a well deserved win and got them off to a great start in the league campaign.

DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Ryan Dow, Iain Wilson, Kyle Turner (Kerr McInroy 78), Dom Thomas: Kevin O’Hara (Fraser Murray 65), Declan McManus
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Lewis McCann, Paul Allan, Lewis Mayo, Cammy Gill (GK)

INVERNESS CT: Mark Ridgers: Wallace Duffy, Brad Mackay, Robbie Deas, Kevin McHattie: James Keatings, Sean Welsh, Scott Allardice, Roddy Macgregor (Cameron Harper, 85), Nikolay Todorov (James Vincent 19), Daniel Mackay .
SUBS NOT USED: Danny Devine, Lewis Hyde, Shane Harkness, Ryan Fyffe, Cameron Mackay (GK)

The last dozen league matches between the teams have seen three Dunfermline wins, three draws and six Caley Thistle wins.

Last 12 League matches v Inverness Caley Thistle
29/12/20 (A) 1-1 [1-0] Turner, [1-1] Todorov
17/10/20 (H) 3-1 [0-1] Todorov, [1-1] E Murray, [2-1] Dow, [3-1] McManus
25/02/20 (H) 1-2 [0-1] Doran, [1-1] Thomas, [1-2] Walsh
21/12/19 (A) 0-2 [0-1] Rooney, [0-2] McCart
14/09/19: (H) 0-1 [0-1] Welsh
04/05/19: (A) 0-1 [0-1] Austin
16/02/19: (H) 1-0 [1-0] Thomson
30/10/18: (A) 2-2 [1-0] Keena, [1-1] Calder, [2-1] Keena, [2-2] White
01/09/18: (H) 0-3 [0-1] Rooney, [0-2] Polworth, [0-3] Oakley
21/04/18: (A) 2-2 [1-0] Ryan, [1-1] Chalmers, [1-2] Austin, [2-2] Clark.
13/03/18: (H) 1-0 [1-0] Craigen
28/10/17: (A) 0-1 [0-1] Bell

Recent Form

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

Inverness’ win on Tuesday night at Stark’s Park was just their second win since 4th December. Their three most recent league wins have all come away from home and they have now lost two, drawn three and won one of their last six matches.

DUNFERMLINE
Morton (H) W 1-0
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

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
Raith Rovers (A) W 1-0
Raith Rovers (H) D 0-0
Morton (H) L 0-1
Alloa Athletic (A) D 1-1
Dundee (A) L 1-2
Hearts (H) D 1-1

Current League Stats

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 2nd
League Points: 30
Goal Difference: +8
League Record: P18 W8 D6 L4 GF27 GA19
Last Six Match Form: LWLWLW

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE
League Position: 6th
League Points: 24
Goal Difference: +3
League Record: P20 W5 D9 L6 GF26 GA23
Last Six Match Form: DLDLDW

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Morton):Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Kyle Macdonald: Steven Whittaker, Iain Wilson: Dom Thomas (Kyle Turner 80), Scott Banks (Vytas Gašpuitis 89), Fraser Murray: Craig Wighton (Declan McManus 81).
SUBS NOT USED: Kevin O’Hara, Lewis McCann, Matthew Todd, Cammy Gill (GK)

INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE (v Raith Rovers): Mark Ridgers: David Carson, Danny Devine, Brad McKay, Robbie Deas: MacGregor, Scott Allardice, Sean Welsh (James Keatings 79 (Kevin McHattie 90+1)), Daniel Mackay, Shane Sutherland (Miles Storey 63), Nikolai Todorov.
SUBS NOT USED: Wallace Duffy, Harry Nicolson, Lewis Hyde, Cameron Mackay (GK).

Referee will be Peter Stuart, his first time ever in charge of a Dunfermline game and just his fifth at Championship level. His third Inverness Caley Thistle match of this season.

Related Stories

• How to watch Saturday`s match v Inverness CT
• Dunfermline 1 Morton 0
• Wighton is right on
• Managers’ Post Morton