Preview Ayr United

The Pars have won nine of the last dozen league meetings but the December match broke a run of 16 league games since Ayr United won.

When they travelled to Ayr in December last year the Pars were on their best run since season 1999/2000 but Brian Reid`s side won 1-0 to put paid to that.  The Honest Men then repeated that scoreline on their visit to East End Park in February.  In total Dunfermline and Ayr United have now met in 80 league games; the Pars have won 33 to Ayr`s 26, 21 have been drawn.

The Pars have won nine of the last dozen league meetings but the December match broke a run of 16 league games since Ayr United won. Ayr have only won 5 of the last 30 games between the sides in all competitions stretching back to 1983. The Honest Men`s most recent victory against the Fifers was their first since their 3-0 Scottish Cup win at Somerset Park in January 2002. James Grady, John Robertson and a spectacular own goal from Gus McPherson saw Ayr on their way passed Jimmy Calderwood`s side to a Quarter Final tie with Dundee United.

Dunfermline will not have an easy match as their opponents will be out to hoist themselves out of ninth place. Ayr are level on points with the Pars when the sides first met this season on 10th October but now there is a 21 point margin between them and more importantly for Ayr four points behind eighth placed Morton. With five games remaining Ayr occupy the play off place and could face an end of season fight for survival against Cowdenbeath, Stirling and Brechin City.

Dunfermline will be hoping to pick up three points that would go some way to guaranteeing their top four place and one less round to play in next season`s Scottish Cup..

Two former Pars: Tam McManus and Junior Mendes could play against us on Saturday

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Ross County): Chris Smith; Greg Ross (Joe Cardle 35), Neil McGregor, Andy Dowie, Austin McCann (c); Steven Bell, Gary Mason (Nick Phinn 76), Willie Gibson; Calum Woods, Ross Campbell (David Graham 55), Steven McDougall.
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Higgins, Greg Fleming (GK).

AYR UNITED (v Raith Rovers): Craig Samson; Chris Mitchell, Andy Aitken (Billy Gibson 40), Martyn Campbell (Willie Easton 72), Danny Lafferty (Junior Mendes 72), McGowan, Steve Bowey, Ryan Borris, Mark Roberts, Tam McManus
SUBS NOT USED: Steve Grindlay, Kenny Connolly.

Dunfermline will be without Joe Cardle who serves the first of two match bans. Ayr`s Martyn Campbell and Andy Aitken sustained knocks in Wednesday night`s home defeat to Raith.

Referee will be George Salmond.

C`mon Ye Pars!