Preview Forfar Athletic

Ladbrokes League One: Saturday 9th April 2016, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park

It is quite surprising in a league system where you meet opponents four times per season that Dunfermline have not played Forfar since Boxing Day. Back in December the Pars continued their recent success over the Loons with a 4-2 win at Station Park, extending their winning sequence against them to four matches.

Dunfermline Athletic welcome Gary Bollan's Forfar Athletic to East End Park on Saturday fully aware that Bollan's side is in a fight for it League One survival. Forfar sit joint on points with bottom club Brechin and just two behind Cowdenbeath in eighth. there remaining games are against Airdrieonians at home, Albion Rovers away and then what could be a big last day fixture at home to Brechin. So there can be no doubt that Forfar will be trying their hardest to take points from Saturday's game.

This will be the 71st league meeting of the teams and Dunfermline have won 42 to Forfar's 18.  Forfar have won only four times in Dunfermline; in seasons 1922-23, 1950-51 and 1983-84 - all in the Scottish Second Division. Then there was the 3-1 win in April 2015 against a very down beaten Pars side. The Pars have won the last four meetings but had only won one of the previous eight matches.

Meetings this season

This season Dunfermline first played Forfar Athletic in the Petrofac Training Cup. That Tuesday night's 3-0 win at Station Park was overshadowed by the double leg break to Ryan Williamson in the closing minutes but the winning goals came from a Michael Moffat penalty (32), Faissal El Bakhtaoui (44) and another from Michael Moffat (82).

How things have changed. When Dunfermline played Forfar in the league first time around it was the Angus side who were the league leaders.

The 4-0 league win in September is remembered for a Joe Cardle hattrick before Andy Geggan got a late fourth. when Forfar travelled to East End in October they suffered another 4-0 defeat. This time David Hopkirk (8) 1-0; Joe Cardle (63) 2-0; Ryan Wallace (75) 3-0; Ryan Wallace (84) 4-0.

The Boxing Day match in Forfar was a success for the home side in as much as they
scored two goals only to watch Dunfermline score another four. El Bakhtaoui opened the scoring in 18 minutes but Iain Campbell equalised with a penalty four minutes before the break. El Bakhtaoui restored the lead just four minutes into the second half. Cardle made it 3-1 on the hour and although Michael Travis got a goal back, Ryan Wallace made it 4-2 in 79th minute.

League Form

Forfar Athletic's win over Peterhead on Saturday was just their second win in seven. The Loons have only won three away league games this season and their last a 4-1 win at Cowdenbeath was their first on the road since September. Dunfermline are unbeaten in their last ten league matches.

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Albion Rovers): David Hutton; Craig Reid (Shaun Rooney 8), Brad McKay, Ben Richards-Everton, Jason Talbot; Michael Paton, Andy Geggan (c), Ryhs McCabe, David Hopkirk (Michael Moffat 81); Ryan Wallace (Joe Cardle 74), Faissal El Bakhtaoui.
SUBS NOT USED: Shaun Byrne, Lewis Martin, Scott Robinson, Cammy Gill (GK).

FORFAR ATHLETIC: (v Peterhead): Darren Hill, Martin, Thomas O'Brien, Gareth Rodger, Michael Kennedy (Bryan Hodge 39), Omar Kader, Craig Smith (Kerr Hay 91), Gavin Swankie, Danny Denholm, Steven Craig (Mark Fotheringham 86), Andy Ryan
SUBS NOT USED: Derek Young, James Yates, Frankie Devine, Jason King (GK).

Referee will be Craig Charleston.

Come on ye Pars!