Preview Raith Rovers

cinch Championship (away) Wednesday 29th September 2021, kick off 7.05pm at Stark’s Park

On Wednesday night there will be a second attempt to play the cinch Championship match against Raith Rovers, the first in front of fans since 2nd January 2017. That sunny Monday afternoon Dunfermline proved to be troublesome first foots for their hosts. They scored twice through Clark and Ashcroft and with a little more luck it could have been an even more convincing scoreline.

Unfortunately that was the Pars last win there and the four subsequent matches away to Raith have seen three defeats and one draw. The teams go head to head after indifferent starts to their league campaigns but as we all know anything can happen in a derby and it regularly does.

Dunfermline have won 22 of the 60 matches that they have played at Stark’s Park, Raith have won 21 and 17 have been drawn. The Pars have only won two of their last ten away to Raith Rovers.

Milestones v Raith Rovers (away)
Last Victory | 02/01/17 | 2-0 | Championship
Last Defeat | 08/05/21 | 2-0 | Premiership play off
Best Victory | 29/10/94 | 5-2 | Div One (old)
Worst Defeat | 01/01/83 | 0-6 | Div One (old)
Last Goalless Draw | 08/09/81 | 0-0 | Division One
First League Meeting | 24/03/28 | 1-5 | Div One (old)

In the last dozen fixtures it is four wins, five defeats and three draws.

Last Twelve Meetings

08/05/21 | A | Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 0 | L | Premiership play off
04/05/21 | H | Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 0 | D | Premiership play off
30/03/21 | 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

Last time at Stark’s Park
Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 0, Saturday, 8th May 2021
Scottish Premiership Quarter Final Play Off Second Leg

Dunfermline’s season ended with defeat to rivals Raith Rovers. John McGlynn’s side took their chances in a game which many considered the Pars were the better team.

It was a Second Leg with fewer chances than the First Leg and Dunfermline dearly paid for not cashing in on Tuesday night’s opportunities. The Pars season would come to a sad and abrupt end and Raith Rovers went on to play Dundee in the Premiership Play Off Semi Final.

Raith got the long awaited breakthrough in 64 minutes when a Macdonald cross from the left could not be cleared properly and Tumilty was able to shoot from the right side. Fôn Williams saved but the ball dropped for VAUGHAN to nip in to finish over the unlucky keeper. 1-0

The game was put beyond the Pars when McManus’ pass went to an opponent and the ball was lashed forward by Spencer for UGWU to latch on to, brushing off two defenders before crashing an 89th minute shot past the helpless keeper. 2-0

RAITH ROVERS: Jamie Macdonald: Reghan Tumilty, Iain Davidson (Fernandy Mendy 85), Kyle Benedictus (c), Kieran Macdonald: Ross Matthews (Dylan Tait 76), Regan Hendry, Brad Spencer, Dan Armstrong: Lewis Vaughan, Jamie Gullan (Gozie Ugwu 82).
SUBS NOT USED: Adam King, Timmy Abraham, Nathan Cooney, Robbie Thomson (GK)

DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c)(Fraser Murray 85), Josh Edwards: Dom Thomas, Steven Whittaker, Lewis Mayo (Scott Banks 70), Ewan Henderson: Kevin O’Hara, Craig Wighton (Declan McManus 70).
SUBS NOT USED: Kerr McInroy, Kyle Macdonald, Vytas Gašpuitis, Cammy Gill (GK)

Recent Form

Raith Rovers win over Partick on Sunday took John McGlynn’s men into fourth place. They have won five of their last seven matches including a home win over Aberdeen in the Premier Sports Cup. Their vulnerability was revealed with a 1-0 defeat to Queen of the South on 11th September.

Dunfermline lost four matches in between draws - 2-2 at Morton and 0-0 at home to Caley Thistle. On Saturday they took on Hamilton Academical and despite a clean sheet only took one point from the match.

Last six matches

DUNFERMLINE
Hamilton Accies (H) D 0-0
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) D 0-0
Ayr United (A) L 0-3
Arbroath (H) L 0-3
Rangers (A) L 0-5
Partick Thistle (H) L 0-3

RAITH ROVERS
Partick Thistle (H) W 3-2
Celtic (A) L 0-3
Morton (A) W 1-0
Queen of the South (H) L 0-1
Ayr United (A) W 2-0
Forfar Athletic (H) W 1-0

League Record

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 10th
League Points: 3
Goal Difference: -8
League Record: P6 W0 D3 L3 GF3 GA11
Last Six Match Form: LLLLDD

RAITH ROVERS
League Position: 4th
League Points: 10
Goal Difference: +2
League Record: P6 W3 D1 L2 GF10 GA8
Last Six Match Form: WWLWLW

Last time out

DUNFERMLINE (v Hamilton Accies): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Vytas Gašpuitis, Josh Edwards: Ryan Dow, Dan Pybus, Graham Dorrans (c), Kai Kennedy (Dom Thomas 72): Nikolay Todorov (Reece Cole 63), Craig Wighton (Kevin O’Hara 61)
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Paul Allan, Leon Jones, Deniz Mehmet (GK)

RAITH ROVERS (v Partick Thistle): Jamie MacDonald: Reghan Tumilty, Kyle Benedictus, Christophe Berra, Liam Dick: Aidan Connolly, Ross Matthews, Brad Spencer (Blaise Riley-Snow 71), Dylan Tait, Dario Zanatta (Kieran Mitchell 83), Ethon Varian (Matej Poplatnik 80).
SUBS NOT USED: David McKay, Kai Fotheringham, Tom Lang, Robbie Thomson (GK).

Referee will be Euan Anderson.

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