Preview Kilmarnock

cinch Championship (away) v Kilmarnock, Saturday 18th December 2021 at Rugby Park, kick off 3.00pm

This Saturday Dunfermline will play their first league match at Rugby Park since 21st January 2012. That day they re-wrote the record book as the Pars won at Rugby Park in the league for the first time for over nineteen years ago. Boxing Day goals two from Hamish French and one from Craig Robertson secured the points in a First Division match back in 1992 and in 2012 the 3-0 win came with goals from Andy Barrowman, Joe Cardle and Liam Buchanan to give Dunfermline their first ever Premier League win there at their 19th attempt.

Milestones Kilmarnock (Away)

Last Victory | 13/10/20 | 3-0 | League Cup
Last Defeat | 10/09/11 | 2-3 | SPL
Best Victory | 16/11/74 | 4-2 | Division One
Worst Defeat | 02/12/06 | 1-5 | SPL
Last Goalless Draw | 26/12/01 | SPL
First Meeting | 28/08/26 | 3-2 | Division One
*Pre league reconstruction

Last Meeting at Rugby Park
Betfred Cup, Tuesday 13th October 2020

Due to the Kilmarnock squad being asked to isolate after positive Covid-19 tests, the game had been in doubt right up until 24 hours before the kick off. Their manager Alex Dyer was able to supplement the first team players who were available with youth team players to be able to fulfil the fixture. Only three players that started their last first team match against St Mirren started this game - Gary Dicker, Chris Burke and Nicke Kabamba.

Killie did a great job to maintain the score at 0-0 at the interval but went behind in the tenth minute of the second half when Thomas’ skills won a free kick on the left just about on the byeline. His delivery was perfect for Euan MURRAY, a cut and paste from Friday night’s headed opener against Falkirk. 0-1

The second Dunfermline goal came in 72nd minute. McManus forced the ball off Sloan at the left corner flag, he laid the ball back to Thomas before running back to collect the next pass and crossing. Fraser MURRAY was perfectly placed to head the ball down into the bottom right. 0-2

Lewis McCann was an 80th minute substitute and when he was taken down it handed the Pars a free kick 35 yards out. Fraser MURRAY stood over the ball clearly aiming up his shot while Killie built a two man wall. That left the on loan Hibee a smashing clinical finish into the top left corner. 0-3

KILMARNOCK: Colin Doyle: Kenny Sloan, Gary Dicker (c), Craig Ross, Euan Deveney: Chris Burke (Fergus Dee 88), Rory McKenzie, Brandon Haunstrup (Keir Russell 76) Innes Cameron (Josh Rennie 65), Steven Warnock (Ross Smith 88), Nicke Kabamba (Michael Mullen 88).
SUBS NOT USED: Harry Broun, Tarek Abed, Justin Deveney

DUNFERMLINE: Cammy Gill: Steven Whittaker, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Fraser Murray, Iain Wilson, Kyle Turner (Paul Allan 73), Dom Thomas (Lewis McCann 80): Kevin O’Hara (Ryan Dow 66), Declan McManus (Gabby McGill 80).
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Miller Fenton, Owain Fôn Williams (GK), Ben Swinton (GK)

Over the last twelve league meetings, Kilmarnock have had the upper hand winning seven of the contests. DA have managed to win only two with three games ending up all square.

Last Twelve League Matches v Kilmarnock

Date . .H/A F-A . . Scorers
16/10/21 H 2-2 [0-1] Hendry, [1-1] Thomas, [1-2] Shaw, [2-2] Comrie
12/05/12 H 1-2 [1-0] Willis, [1-1] Kelly, [1-2] Winchester
07/02/12 H 1-1 [0-1] Fowler, [1-1] Kirk
21/01/12 A 3-0 [1-0] Barrowman, [2-0] Cardle, [3-0] Buchanan
10/09/11 A 2-3 [1-0] J Thomson, [1-1] Heffernan, [1-2] Heffernan, [2-2] R Thomson, [2-3] Kroca
17/02/07 H 1-1 [0-1] Naismith, [1-1] Crawford
02/12/06 A 1-5 [0-1] Hay, [1-1] Crawford, [1-2] Di Giacomo, [1-3] Di Giacomo, [1-4] Nish, [1-5] Nish
09/09/06 H 3-2 [0-1] Invincible, [1-1] Young, [1-2] Wales, [2-2] Mason, [3-2] Crawford
04/03/06 A 0-1 [0-1] Invincible
03/12/05 H 0-1 [0-1] Boyd
10/09/05 A 2-3 [1-0] Burchill, [1-1] Dodds, [1-2] Boyd, [2-2] Derek Young, [2-3] Invincible
21/05/05 A 0-4 [0-1] Locke, [0-2] Dodds, [0-3] Boyd, [0-4] McDonald

Recent Form

Dunfermline have lost three, won two and drawn one of their last six matches. Kilmarnock have won four and lost four of their home league games this season. The Fifers will be looking to emulate the successes of Inverness Caley Thistle, Raith Rovers, Partick Thistle and Arbroath.

Last six matches

DUNFERMLINE
Queen of the South (H) D 3-3
Hamilton Academical (A) L 0-1
Partick Thistle (A) L 0-1
Ayr United (H) W 3-0
Inverness Caledonian Thistle (A) W 2-1
Morton (H) L 1-3

KILMARNOCK
Raith Rovers (A) L 0-1
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) L 0-1
Hamilton Academical W 3-2
Queens Park (A) W 1-0
Arbroath (H) L 0-1
Morton (A) W 2-0

League Record

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 8th
League Points: 14
Goal Difference: -10
League Record: P17 W3 D7 L5 GF18 GA28
Last Six Match Form: LWWLLD

KILMARNOCK
League Position: 4th
League Points: 29
Goal Difference: +9
League Record: P17 W9 D2 L6 GF13 GA23
Last Six Match Form: WLWWLL

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Queen of the South): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Mark Connolly, Rhys Breen, Josh Edwards: Graham Dorrans (c): Kyle Macdonald (Dan Pybus 57), Ryan Dow (Nikolay Todorov 70), Matthew Todd (Kevin O’Hara 57), Kai Kennedy: Lewis McCann
SUBS NOT USED: Ross Graham, Craig Wighton, Paul Allan, Deniz Mehmet (GK)

KILMARNOCK (v Raith Rovers): Zach Hemming, Lee Hodson, Jack Sanders, Dylan McGowan, Euan Murray, Brandon Haunstrup, Blair Alston (Chris Burke 68), Brad Lyons (Rory McKenzie 12), Fraser Murray, Scott Robinson (Callum Hendry 68), Oli Shaw
SUBS NOT USED: Charlie McArthur, Dan Armstrong, Rumarn Burrell, Sam Walker(GK)

Other Championship Fixtures

Arbroath v Morton
Inverness Caley Thistle v Hamilton Academical
Partick Thistle v Raith Rovers
Queen of the South v Ayr United

Related Stories

• Managers post Queen of the South
• Dunfermline 3 Queen of the South 3
• Hamilton Academical 1 Dunfermline 0