Preview Raith Rovers

Premiership Play Off Quarter Final, First Leg, Tuesday 4th May 2021, kick off 7.00pm behind closed doors

Dunfermline will be hoping it is a case of third time lucky. On the two previous occasions when they have been involved in top flight play offs they went out in 1995 to Aberdeen and in 2018 to Dundee United. While Aberdeen won both play offs, the Pars came closer second time around losing 2-1 on aggregate after a goalless draw at East End Park in the first leg.

Matches against Raith are always fiercely contested and this season on the Kirkcaldy side’s return to the Championship there have been one win apiece and one draw. It total the clubs have met 119 times, Dunfermline winning 50 and Raith 42. In knock out situations the teams have met ten times with the Pars progressing in six of them.

In total at home Dunfermline have won 28 of their 60 matches against Raith, the visitors winning 22 and ten drawn.

Milestones v Raith Rovers (home)

Last Home Victory | 03/02/21 | 3-1 | Championship
Last Home Defeat | 20/08/13 | 0-2 | Ramsden Cup
Best Home Victory | 08/09/62 | 6-0 | Division One (old)
Best Home Victory | 01/01/68 | 6-0 | Division One (old)
Worst Home Defeat | 19/11/27 | 0-4 | Division One (old)
Last Goalless Home Draw | 05/11/16 | 0-0 | Championship
First Ever Home Meeting | 10/02/23 | 0-3 | Scottish Cup

Last time at East End Park
Wednesday 3rd February 2021, Championship
Dunfermline 4 Raith Rovers 1

The first half was a fairly even affair but in 44 minutes a bit of inspiration from Ryan Dow picking out Iain Wilson who then from inside his own half, spread a fine pass up the right channel for Declan McMANUS to ultimately find the net with a good right footed strike that beat the keeper at the near side. 1-0

Sweet and sour followed six minutes into the second 45. Ryan Dow went down in the centre circle with sever injury as COMRIE intercepted a Musonda pass and broke away up the right to pick his shot. The ball whacked the left post and landed in the right side of the Raith net. The goal really was something to celebrate on the full back’s 24th birthday. 2-0

Raith’s Brad SPENCER sent a fine shot from 30 yards out to hit the left side of the Pars net to make it 2-1 in 64 minutes but the home side would hit back within two minutes.

When Banks was fouled 25 yards out just right of centre Fraser MURRAY dispatched a great effort from the free kick over the four man wall to enter the opposition net off the underside of the crossbar. 3-1

Pars struck again with yet another brilliant Fraser MURRAY strike. The scorer cut in from the left and crashed a great 87th minute shot that deflected off Davidson into the net. 4-1.

DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c)(Steven Whittaker 90), Josh Edwards: Lewis Mayo, Iain Wilson: Scott Banks (Kerr McInroy, 75), Ryan Dow (Kevin O’Hara 56), Fraser Murray: Declan McManus.
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis McCann, Kyle Macdonald, Kyle Turner, Cammy Gill (GK)

RAITH ROVERS: Jamie Macdonald: Reghan Tumilty, Frankie Musonda, Iain Davidson (c), Kieran Macdonald: Daniel Armstrong (Manny Duku 83), Brad Spencer, Dylan Tait (Adam King 56), Kai Kennedy: Lewis Vaughan (Jamie Gullan HT): Timmy Abraham.
SUBS NOT USED: Fernandy Meney, Jack Smith, Quinn Coulson, Robbie Thomson (GK)

Last Twelve Meetings

Dunfermline have won five of the last twelve meetings, lost four and three have been drawn.

27/03/21 | A | Raith Rovers 5 Dunfermline 1 | | L | Championship
03/02/21 | H | Dunfermline 4 Raith Rovers 1 | W | Championship
05/12/20 | A | Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 2 | D | Championship
19/01/19 | A | Raith Rovers 3 Dunfermline 0 | L | Scottish Cup
08/04/17 | H | Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 0| W | Championship
02/01/17 | A | Raith Rovers 0 Dunfermline 2 | W | Championship
05/12/16 | H | Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 0 | D | Championship
20/08/16 | A | Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 0 | L | Championship
05/08/14 | H | Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 0 | W | Challenge Cup
20/08/13 | H | Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 2 | L | Challenge Cup
16/03/13 | A | Raith Rovers 1 Dunfermline 1 | D | Division One
02/01/13 | H | Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 0 | W | Division One

Recent Form

DUNFERMLINE
Alloa Athletic (A) L 0-1
Arbroath (H) W 4-3
Queen of the South (H) W 3-1
Dundee ( H) D 0-0
Ayr United (A) D 1-1
Hearts (H) D 0-0

RAITH ROVERS
Hearts (H) L 0-4
Dundee (A) L 1-2
Alloa Athletic (A) W 2-1
Queen of the South (A) W 1-0
Arbroath (H) D 2-2
Livingston (A) L 1-2

Current League Stats

Dunfermline’s home form this Championship season was only bettered by title winners Hearts.

Raith Rovers away form this Championship season was only bettered by title winners Hearts (by one point).

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 4th
League Points: 39
Goal Difference: +4
Home League Record: P14 W9 D3 L2 GF24 GA13
Last Six Match Form: DDDWWL

RAITH ROVERS
League Position: 3rd
League Points: 43
Goal Difference: +9
Away League Record: P14 W6 D4 L4 GF21 GA18
Last Six Match Form: DDWWLL

Last Time Out



DUNFERMLINE (v Alloa Athletic): Cammy Gill: Kyle Macdonald, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c) (Lewis Mayo 62), Josh Edwards: Paul Allan: Kerr McInroy, Declan McManus (Craig Wighton 72), Ewan Henderson (Scott Banks 64): Lewis McCann, Kevin O’Hara.
SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Comrie, Vytas Gašpuitis, Matthew Todd, Owain Fôn Williams (GK)

RAITH ROVERS (v Hearts): Jamie Macdonald: Reghan Tumilty, Fernandy Mendy (Daniel Armstrong 45), Kyle Benedictus, Kieran Macdonald: Iain Davidson, Regan Hendry, Brad Spencer, Adam King, Lewis Vaughan (Nathan Cooney 60), Jamie Gullan (Gozie Ugwu 66)
SUBS NOT USED: Manny Duku, Timmy Abraham,, Kai Kennedy, Robbie Thomson (GK)

Referee will be Steven Kirkland who has officiated two previous Pars matches this season - the wins over Arbroath and Morton.

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