Preview Ayr United

Prices for this match have been reduced to £5 for everyone. Ayr are seeking a huge crowd on the day to create a special atmosphere and also to raise awareness for Alzheimers Scotland.

With fifteen matches between the clubs in the last three seasons Ayr and Dunfermline know each other very well. The Pars have a pretty good record in those matches but fans who have been at these matches know that they are fiercely competitive ones in which results could have gone either way. When the story resumes this Saturday no one will expect anything to have changed.

This will be the 94th league meeting. the Pars have won 44 to Ayr`s 27, 22 have been drawn. The Pars have lost only three of the last 30 league meetings. . Ayr United have only won 6 of the last 50 games between the sides in all competitions stretching back to 1983. .

This season the sides have met five times last season. Dunfermline won four and Ayr United one. In September at East End Park goals from Alan Forrest, midway through the first half, and then Jordan Preston early in the second, secured a 2-0 victory. Dunfermline then won the Scottish Cup tie at the end of November.

The first league encounter at Somerset Park saw Michael Moffat open the scoring with his first goal against his old club. Gerry McLauchlan equalised within three minutes and after the Pars were reduced to ten men as a result of Cardle`s red card, it was super sub David Hopkirk`s 70th minute goal that was enough to secure the three points for Allan Johnston`s side.

At East End Park in February Ayr romped into a two goal lead through Andy Graham (41) and a Craig Moore penalty (44). Michael Moffat got one back from the spot (45+2 pen) as Ayr went down to ten men as a consequence of Brian Gilmour`s red card. The Pars came back out in the second half and Joe Cardle (54) and Faissal El Bakhtaoui (65) ensured the win.

The last meeting at Somerset Park

March 2016 in Ladbrokes League One: Andy Geggan in for Shaun Byrne, Ryan Wallace in for Michael Moffat. Two goals from Faissal El Bakhtaoui in 62 and 68 minutes settled the outcome and the defeat left Ayr United 14 points behind Dunfermline. Their manager Ian McCall conceded that the play offs there most likely route to promotion and that was duly achieved with two victories over Peterhead and two draws with Stranraer but winning 3-1 on penalties to go up.

AYR UNITED: Greg Fleming. Nicky Devlin, Peter Murphy, Ross McCrorie, Paddy Boyle. Alan Trouten, Jamie Adams (Alan Forrest 55), Ross Docherty (Jordan Preston 65), Brian Gilmour (Robbie Crawford 84). Ryan Stevenson, Craig Moore
SUBS NOT USED: Michael Donald, Gerry McLauchlan, Andy Graham, Shaun Newman (GK)

DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch. Craig Reid, Brad McKay, Ben Richards-Everton, Jason Talbot. Michael Paton (Rhys McCabe 81), Andy Geggan, Josh Falkingham (c), Joe Cardle. Ryan Wallace (Michael Moffat 77), Faissal El Bakhtaoui (David Hopkirk 77).
SUBS NOT USED: Shaun Byrne, Lewis Martin, Shaun Rooney, David Hutton (GK).

Ayr United kicked the season off with three wins out of four in the Betfred Cup but their Championship season started with three defeats, a draw against St Mirren was their first points but then wins at Easter Road and over Morton at Somerset Park hoisted them away from the foot of the league.
Dunfermline have lost five and won two of their league matches so far played. Each of their wins has required them to score four goals as three were conceded in both their wins over Dumbarton and St Mirren. When they have won in the cups they have even scored plenty goals. three against both Arbroath and Cowdenbeath and five against Brechin City.

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v St Mirren): Sean Murdoch: Lewis Martin, Lee Ashcroft, Callum Fordyce (Ryan Williamson HT), Jason Talbot, Michael Paton, Andy Geggan (c), John Herron, Joe Cardle (Paul McMullan 79): Gavin Reilly (Farid El Alagui 73), Nicky Clark.
SUBS NOT USED: Kallum Higginbotham, Rhys McCabe, Michael Moffat, David Hutton (GK)

AYR UNITED (v Falkirk): Greg Fleming. Nicky Devlin, Daryll Meggatt, Conrad Balatoni, Paddy Boyle: Brian Gilmour, Robbie Crawford, Allan Forrest (Paul Cairney 56), Gary Harkins (Jamie Thomas 75), Ross Docherty, Kevin Nesbit (Craig McGuffie 81)
SUBS NOT USED: Michael Rose, Peter Murphy, Mikey Donald, Jordan Hart (GK)

Referee will be Don Robertson.

The match takes on a special meaning for Ayr United chairman Lachlan Cameron and his family with the passing of his father and former chairman Donald Cameron last week and there will be a minute’s silence immediately prior to the match.

C`mon Ye Pars!

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