Preview Hearts

Scottish Championship (home) v Hearts, Saturday 3rd April 2021, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park behind closed doors

Tuesday night’s defeat to Raith Rovers was a painful experience for team, management and fans but that has to be put behind everyone very quickly. There are six league matches remaining and if Dunfermline win them they will finish in a play off place.

Now that may sound straight forward but for a team that was undefeated in their first eleven fixtures, they have now won just four times in the last eighteen. If there is to be any success the early season form needs to be rediscovered fast. Losing to Hearts would take the Pars destiny out of their own hands and the Jambos have not proven easy to take points off even at East End.

Milestones v Hearts (Home)

Last Victory | 20/11/20 | 2-1 | Scottish Championship
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

Last meeting at East End Park

Friday 20th November 2020, Scottish Championship

Dunfermline 2 Hearts 1

After a goalless first half the second got off to the best possible start. Fôn Williams held a low Lee corner and sent Dow away up the park. Play continued up the right from a Mayo throw in McInroy turned the ball back for Dom THOMAS who picked up the ball and drove in from the right along the edge of the box before releasing a powerful left footed shot that took a slight deflection off Popescu before bulging the net. Just the fourth minute of the half and 1-0.

Thomas created more danger minutes later cutting in from the right and from the byeline just failing to connect with Turner. The defence intercepted to concede a 54th minute corner on the right but when Thomas delivered his target man Euan MURRAY was right there to head past Gordon from close in for number two. 2-0

The Jambos pressed to try and get back into the game and Stephen KINGSLEY brought them joy heading in from an Irving corner from the right six minutes from time. 2-1

Dunfermline held on however and went top of the league. The unbeaten run extended to 13 games.

DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Lewis Mayo, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Steven Whittaker: Ryan Dow, Kerr McInroy, Dom Thomas (Fraser Murray 85): Kyle Turner: Declan McManus (Kevin O’Hara 83).
SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Comrie, Iain Wilson, Matty Bowman, Lewis McCann, Cammy Gill (GK)
SCORERS: Thomas (49), E Murray (54)
YELLOW CARD: Whittaker (56), Williams (78), Edwards (82), Dow (90+4)

HEARTS: Craig Gordon: Michael Smith, Craig Halkett, Mihai Popescu, Stephen Kingsley: Craig Wighton (Jordan Roberts 63), Olly Lee (Andy Irving 76), Andy Halliday, Steven Naismith (c), Elliott Frear (Jamie Walker 52): Liam Boyce.
SUBS NOT USED: Jamie Brandon, Aidan White, Christophe Berra, Ross Stewart (GK).

Dunfermline have recorded two wins in the last dozen games between the teams, with two draws, and eight defeats. The Pars win in November was just their second win over Hearts in the last nine home meetings.

Last Twelve Matches v Hearts

Date | H/A | F-A | Scorers
30/01/21 | A 0-1 [0-1] Walker
20/11/20 | H 2-1 [1-0] Thomas, [2-0] E Murray, [2-1] Kingsley
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

Recent Form

Dunfermline have won only once in their last six games. At home their record is better with seven wins, one draw and two defeats.

Hearts have won two, drawn two and lost two of their last six matches. It includes the first time that they have lost back to back games since December 2019.

DUNFERMLINE
Raith Rovers (A) L 1-5
Dundee (A) L 2-3
Morton (A) D 0-0
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) L 0-1
Morton (H) W 1-0
Queen of the South (A) L 0-1

HEARTS
Queen of the South (H) L 2-3
Brora Rangers (A) L 1-2
Arbroath (A) D 0-0
Ayr United (H) W 2-0
Dundee (H) W 2-1
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) D 1-1

Current League Stats

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 5th
League Points: 30
Goal Difference: +10
League Record: P21 W8 D6 L7 GF30 GA28
Last Six Match Form: LWLDLL

HEARTS
League Position: 1st
League Points: 46
Goal Difference: +26
League Record: P22 W14 D4 L4 GF50 GA24
Last Six Match Form: DWWDLL

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Raith Rovers): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Lewis Mayo, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Scott Banks (Lewis McCann HT), Ewan Henderson (Declan McManus 60), Kerr McInroy (Iain Wilson HT), Fraser Murray: Kevin O’Hara, Craig Wighton.
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Paul Allan, Dom Thomas, Cammy Gill (GK)

HEARTS (v Queen of the South): Ross Stewart: Craig Halkett, Mihai Popescu, Christophe Berra, Aidan White: Andy Halliday, Andy Irving: Gary MacKay-Steven (Jamie Walker 63), Aaron McEneff (Euan Henderson 70), Armand Gnanduillet, Liam Boyce
SUBS NOT USED: Peter Haring, Elliott Frear, Gervane Kastaneer, Scott McGill, Zdenek Zlamal (GK)

Referee will be Colin Steven, only his second Dunfermline match of the season. The Pars won 4-1 the last time he officiated in the home match against Raith Rovers in February.

Other Championship Fixture
Arbroath v Ayr United

Remaining Dunfermline fixtures:-
03/04/21 - Hearts (H)
10/04/21 - Ayr United (A)
13/04/21 - Dundee (H)
17/04/21 - Queen of the South (H)
24/04/21 - Arbroath (H)
30/04/21 - Alloa Athletic (A)

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