Preview Raith Rovers

Ladbrokes Championship: Saturday 8th April kick off 3.00pm at East End Park

Saturday will be just the second Raith Rovers visit to East End Park on league duty since 2nd January 2013. Every Derby match is important but this one will determine just how comfortable or otherwise the remaining four weeks of the season will be. . In mid season the Kirkcaldy club hit a torrid patch of form that saw them go 17 matches without a win. . Now they occupy eighth place in the league and are only two points clear of the relegation play off spot.

Although still looking upwards with ambitions to at the very least displace Queen of the South from fifth place, a home win would ease the pressure from below and leave the Pars six points ahead of the Rovers with a game in hand.

There have been 97 league meetings between these teams. . Dunfermline have won 40, Raith 33 and 24 matches have been drawn. The best result was a 6-0 win in September 1962 when George Peebles hit a hat trick, Charlie Dickson a double and Alex Edwards scored.

Raith`s 2-0 win over the Pars in August last year was their first in six meetings. Dunfermline have won six of the last dozen league meetings, Raith three and three ended all square.

Between 2013 and 2016 the Rovers visited East End Park both times on League Cup business. The Kirkcaldy side won 2-0 in August 2013 while Dunfermline won 1-0 in August 2014. The Rovers last league win was seven league matches back on 29th August 2009.

Last League Meeting at East End Park
Saturday 5th November 2016
Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 0

Dunfermline were credited with 63% possession in the first half with 8 shots to Rovers none. In the second half Pars keeper Sean Murdoch made several crucial saves to make and the Rovers RossCallachan assisted by crashing the ball wide from 20 yards.

Towards the end there was much excitement and anticipation in the home stands as a Kallum Higginbotham shot was blocked and then Joe Cardle was presented with an opportunity on the left just ten yards out but his shot to the near post was held by the keeper.

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

RAITH ROVERS: Kevin Cuthbert: Iain Davidson, Jean-Yves Mvoto, Kyle Benedictus (c), Kevin McHattie: Ross Matthews, Jordan Thompson, Ross Callachan, Chris Johnston (Scott Roberts 77): Mark Stewart (Rudi Skacel 88), Declan McManus.
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Vaughan, Joel Coustrain, Aaron Lennox, Robbie Crawford, Conor Brennan (GK).

Raith won their first three Championship games but then failed to win in four. . Since 22nd October Raith have won only twice and that was also their last away win - 4-2 at Falkirk. The Rovers four remaining fixtures are at home to Morton and Ayr and away to Hibs and St Mirren, opponents who will probably all be going out for maximum points. So it would appear important to both these Fife clubs to pick up points now before nerves start to fray.

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Hibernian): Sean Murdoch: Andy Geggan (c), Callum Morris, Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Kallum Higginbotham, Nat Wedderburn, John Herron (Rhys McCabe 80), Paul McMullan: Michael Moffat, Nicky Clark.
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Williamson Michael Paton, Gavin Reilly, Joe Cardle, Lewis Martin, Cammy Gill (GK)

RAITH ROVERS (v Falkirk): Pavol Penska: Kyle Benedictus (Scott Roberts 80), Jean-Yves Mvoto, Craig Barr, Kevin McHattie: Iain Davidson, Jordan Thompson, Ross Callachan (Daniel Handling 45), Chris Johnston, Declan McManus, Ryan Hardie
SUBS NOT USED: Bobby Barr, Rudi Skacel, Jonathan Court, Conor Brennan (GK).

The referee will be Andrew Dallas.

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