Preview Ayr United

Ladbrokes Championship: 3.00pm kick off at East End Park on Saturday 3rd December. One-minute silence prior to kick-off.

Dunfermline`s next match will be at home against Ian McCall`s Ayr United, the team that lies immediately above the Pars in seventh place in the Championship.
A home win on Saturday would take the Pars above their opponents but given this season`s results - just two league wins at East End Park v Dumbarton and St Mirren - this is no easy match.

The record book reveals that in the league the Pars have won 44 to Ayr`s 27, 23 have been drawn.

The Pars have lost only three of the last 31 league meetings. . Ayr United have only won 6 of the last 52 games between the sides in all competitions stretching back to 1983. .In the four matches between the teams last season Dunfermline won three and lost one when Ayr United were the first team of only two to inflict a league defeat at East End Park.

Last Meeting
Ayr United 0 Dunfermline 0
Somerset Park, Saturday 1st October 2016

Dunfermline made one change for the trip to Somerset Park, Ryan Williamson starting in place of Callum Fordyce. Their hosts returning after trips to Easter Road and Falkirk, made one change from that which was unlucky to lose the previous week, Jamie Adams coming in for Kevin Nisbet.

It was no boring goalless and at the end of the day most conceded that a draw was a fair result. Allan Johnston felt his side just shaded it and had the better chances. First half injuries to John Herron and Nicky Clark forced Dunfermline into two early substitutions and the manager summed it up:-

"We had to defend long throws, kick outs, and the physical presence that they have got but I thought we handled it really well. We got a wee bit frustrated with not breaking the deadlock with some of the opportunities that we had."

AYR UNITED: Greg Fleming. Nicky Devlin (c), Conrad Balatoni, Daryll Meggatt, Paddy Boyle: Brian Gilmour, Robbie Crawford (Paul Cairney 85), Jamie Adams (Craig McGuffie 80), Ross Docherty, Gary Harkins, Alan Forrest (Kevin Nesbit 69)
SUBS NOT USED: Jamie Thomas, Peter Murphy, Mikey Donald, Jordan Hart (GK)

DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Lewis Martin, Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot, Michael Paton, Andy Geggan (c), John Herron (Rhys McCabe 18), Joe Cardle: Gavin Reilly (Michael Moffat 80), Nicky Clark (Farid El Alagui 34).
SUBS NOT USED: Ben Richards-Everton, Paul McMullan, Kallum Higginbotham, David Hutton (GK)

Ayr United have recorded two wins on the road during this Championship campaign - at Hibs and Dumbarton. This Saturday is their fifth away from home out of theirlast seven fixtures, their most recent was was a 1-0 cup win at Brechin on Tuesday night.

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Buckie Thistle): Sean Murdoch: Lewis Martin, Callum Fordyce (c), Lee Ashcroft, Conner Duthie: Michael Paton (Kallum Higginbotham HT), Nat Wedderburn, Rhys McCabe (John Herron 82), Paul McMullan: Nicky Clark (Farid El Alagui 78), Michael Moffat.
SUBS NOT USED: Jason Talbot, Joe Cardle, Lewis Spence, David Hutton (GK) 

AYR UNITED (v Brechin City): Greg Fleming. Nicky Devlin, Daryll Meggat, Conrad Balatoni, Paddy Boyle. Robbie Crawford, Jamie Adams (Alan Forrest 63), Craig McGuffie (Brian Gilmour 72), Ross Docherty, Gary Harkins, Andy O`Connell (Michael Rose 81).
SUBS NOT USED:  Michael Wardrope, Michael Donald, Andy Lyall (GK)

Referee will be Barry Cook.

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