Preview Hearts

Scottish Championship: Saturday 30th January 2021, kick off 3.00pm at Tynecastle Park behind closed doors

It is the first time since December 2011 that Dunfermline will travel to Tynecastle for a league match. Unfortunately the Fifers success rate in Gorgie is not good, there being 27 trips there since their last win on 10th February 1990 under the stewardship of Jom Leishman. That win was the second that season with a victory in October 1989 meaning it was the only back to back wins ever at Tynecastle for the Pars.

Records are there to be re-written and the visitors will take confidence from their 2-1 home win over the capital side earlier this season and strangely perhaps, by rivals Raith Rovers win there only last Saturday.

Milestones Hearts (Away)

Last Victory | 10/02/90 | 2-0 | Premier League
Last Defeat | 17/12/11 | 0-4 | SPL
Best Victory | 10/02/90 | 2-0 | Premier League
Worst Defeat | 24/02/01 | 1-7 | SPL
Last Goalless Draw | 19/04/80 | 0-0 | Division One (old)
First Meeting | 08/02/13 | 1-3 | Scottish Cup

Last Twelve Matches v Hearts

Dunfermline have won three including the most recent, lost eight and drawn one of the last twelve games against the Jambos.

Date | H/A | F-A | Scorers
20/11/20 | H 2-1 [1-0] Thomas, [2-0] E Murray, [2-1] Kingsley
18/08/18 | H 0-1 [0-1] Lee
29/07/17 | A 2-2 [0-1] Cowie [1-1], Cardle, [2-1] McManus [2-2] Gonçalves
07/04/12 | H 1-2 [0-1] Glen, [0-2] Keddie og, [1-2] Zaliukas og
17/12/11 | A 0-4 [0-1] Elliot, [0-2] Taouil, [0-3] Templeton, [0-4] Skacel
15/10/11 | H 0-2 [0-1] Webster, [0-2] Skacel
23/09/09 | A 1-2 [1-0] Bayne, [1-1] Glen, [1-2] Stewart pen.
25/09/07 | A 1-4 [0-1] Nade pen [1-1] Simmonds, [1-2] Berra, [1-3] Elliot, [1-4] Elliot
03/02/07 | H 1-0 [1-0] Wilson
02/01/07 | H 0-1 [0-1] Pospisal
28/10/06 | A 1-1 [0-1] Velicka [1-1] Hamilton
29/07/06 | H 1-2 [0-1] Bednar, [1-1] Simmons, [1-2] Pospisal

Last time at Tynecastle
Betfred Cup, Saturday 29th July 2017
Hearts 2 Dunfermline 2

A swift forward move saw Don COWIE receive the ball on the edge of the Pars box and he crashed his low shot past Sean Murdoch for the 20th minute opener. 1-0

Then in 28th minute delight for Joe Cardle and the sun kissed Pars support. Kallum Higginbotham`s pass was gathered by CARDLE just inside the box and he showed great control to beat off John Souttar with first a right footed touch, a turn and then a low left footed shot that nestled in the bottom left of the Jambo`s net. 1-1

The 1132 Pars fans at Tynecastle were elated as their side took a 2-1 lead seven minutes into the second half. Latching on to a long pass up the right from Higginbotham, Callum Smith brushed aside the challenge of Souttar. He could have shot but squared for Declan McMANUS who took the luxury of two touches to get the ball on to his right foot to release a shot that hit the net.

Hearts got a late equaliser from an 86th minute corner on the left. When the ball came over there was a scramble and GONÇALVES managed to net from the melee. 2-2

The match would be decided on penalties even though Dunfermline had already topped the group. The visitors claimed the extra point for winning the shoot out 3-1 after just eight penalties.

HEARTS: Jack Hamilton: Jordan McGhee, John Souttar (Krystian Nowak 53), Christophe Berra, Michael Smith: Don Cowie, Prince Buaben (Cole Stockton 60), Arnaud Djoum (Malaury Martin 74), Jamie Brandon, Isma Gonçalves, Kyle Lafferty
SUBS NOT USED: Ashley Smith-Brown, Rory Currie, Connor Randall, Viktor Noring (GK)

DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c), Lee Ashcroft, Lewis Martin: Kallum Higginbotham, Michael Paton, Nat Wedderburn, Joe Cardle (Jean-Yves M`Voto 89): Declan McManus, Callum Smith (Scott Lochhead 66)
SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Splaine, Jason Talbot, Conner Duthie, Cammy Gill (GK)

Recent Form

Dunfermline are undefeated in their last six matches but have fallen into a habit of drawing, five of those six matches ending all square.

Hearts revenged their defeat in the first of their back to back matches against Raith Rovers, with a 4-0 win at Starks Park on Tuesday night.

Hearts have lost just three of their 17 matches this season, at Dundee and Dunfermline then at home to Raith Rovers last Saturday.

DUNFERMLINE
Ayr United (H) D 0-0
Morton (A) D 0-0
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) D 1-1
Arbroath (H) W 1-0
Dundee (A) D 3-3
St Johnstone (H) D 1-1

HEARTS
Raith Rovers (A) W 4-0
Raith Rovers (H) L 2-3
Alloa Athletic (A) W 3-1
Dundee (A) L 1-3
Arbroath (H) W 3-1
Ayr United (H) W 5-3

Current League Stats

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 2nd
League Points: 21
Goal Difference: +7
League Record: P12 W5 D6 L1 GF20 GA13
Last Six Match Form: DDWDDD

HEARTS
League Position: 1st
League Points: 30
Goal Difference: +22
League Record: P13 W10 D0 L3 GF39 GA17
Last Six Match Form: WWLWLW

Last time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Ayr United): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Euan Murray (c), Josh Edwards: Steven Whittaker (Lewis Mayo 76): Ryan Dow, Iain Wilson, Dom Thomas (Fraser Murray 78): Kyle Turner (Lewis McCann 67), Declan McManus.
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Kevin O’Hara, Kerr McInroy, Cammy Gill (GK)

HEARTS (v Raith Rovers): Craig Gordon: Michael Smith, Mihai Popescu, Craig Halkett, Stephen Kingsley: Andy Halliday, Andy Irving: Josh Ginnelly (Euan Henderson 16), Jamie Walker, Gary MacKay-Steven (Steven Naismith 68): Liam Boyce (Armand Gnanduillet 60)
SUBS NOT USED: Peter Haring, Aidan White, Elliott Frear, Ross Stewart (GK)

Referee will be Willie Collum

Other Championship Fixtures

Ayr United v Alloa Athletic
Inverness Caley Thistle v Queen of the South
Morton v Arbroath
Raith Rovers v Dundee