Preview Queen of the South

Ladbrokes Championship: Fifth place decider

The final match of the Championship season takes Dunfermline to Dumfries. If the Pars can win or even draw, they will finish in fifth place. A defeat would see their hosts, Queen of the South leapfrog them. Queen of the South have only won twice in their last ten league games and Dunfermline have won four of their last ten.

The Dumfries club have had an up and down season. They won ten of their first twelve matches and were the early league leaders. Then they went on a horrific run, winning one match in seventeen and that was at home against Alloa Athletic in the Challenge Cup. . They have won six matches in 2017 and there is little doubt that they will be going out to make that seven on the final day of the season. .

The Pars record against the Dumfries men is fairly good winning more matches than they lose and draw put together. There have been 72 league meetings between the clubs with the Fifers having won 36 of them, QOS 24 with 12 having been drawn. .

Having gone fifteen league matches with a draw, the last two have ended all square. . In the last dozen league meetings Dunfermline have won six, lost four and there have been two drawn league matches since May 2009.

Last visit to Palmerston Park
Saturday 17th December 2016
Queen of the South 2 Dunfermline 2

A late Stephen Dobbie goal earned Queen of the South a point. The home side had gone ahead thanks to an own goal but a better second half performance in which Jason Talbot and Kallum Higginbotham got the Pars ahead only to be pegged back 12 minutes from time.

Five minutes before the interval QOS took the lead. Anderson`s shot was deflected behind for a corner on the left and when that was sent over by Millar the ball ended up in the net. Brownlee was credited with heading the ball home from close range but the ball went in off Lee ASHCROFT. 1-0

In 61 minutes TALBOT crashed the ball home from 20 yards out into the bottom left. 1-1 The scorer then became provider controlling on the left to send in the perfect ball for HIGGINBOTHAM to head home just inside the right upright. 1-2

The lead lasted for only five minutes. Carmichael made the break away from his marker to cross into the Pars box, Lyle hooked the ball on forcing Murdoch to parry the ball that then landed nicely for DOBBIE to tap home. 2-2

QUEEN OF THE SOUTH: Lee Robinson: Darren Brownlie, Andy Dowie, Chris Higgins (c), Jordan Marshall: Grant Anderson (Owen Moxon 74), Jamie Hamill, Mark Millar, Kyle Jacobs (Daniel Carmichael 13): Derek Lyle (Ross Fergusson 90), Stephen Dobbie.
SUBS NOT USED: Scott Hooper, Ryan Nelson, Dean Brotherston, Jim Atkinson (GK)

DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch: Lewis Martin, Callum Fordyce (c), Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Kallum Higginbotham, Nat Wedderburn, Rhys McCabe, Paul McMullan (Joe Cardle 70): Nicky Clark, Michael Moffat.
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Williamson, Farid El Alagui, Andy Geggan, David Hopkirk, Gavin Reilly, David Hutton (GK)

How they stand

Stephen Dobbie is the league`s leading goalscorer on nineteen goals.

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Morton): Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Fordyce (c), Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Kallum Higginbotham, Nat Wedderburn, Rhys McCabe, Paul McMullan (Michael Paton 54): Nicky Clark (Callum Smith 82), Michael Moffat (Gavin Reilly 86).
SUBS NOT USED: Stuart Morrison, Lewis Spence, Joe Cardle, David Hutton (GK).

QUEEN OF THE SOUTH (v Falkirk): Lee Robinson: Jordan Marshall: Darren Brownlie, Chris Higgins, Scott Mercer (Callum Tapping 65): John Rankin, Kyle Jacobs, Joe Thomson (Dominic Thomas 62), Danny Carmichael: Lyndon Dykes, Stephen Dobbie.
SUBS NOT USED: Andy Dowie, Connor Murray, Connor McManus, Dale Hilson, Jim Atkinson (GK)

Referee will be 

C`mon Ye Pars!

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