Preview Montrose

Tuesday 18th Janua

After drawing the fourth round Scottish Cup tie away to Montrose on Saturday 8th January, the Pars face a replay at East End Park.  This is scheduled for 7.45pm on Tuesday 18th January.

This is just the second time that the Pars have been paired against the Third Division side in the Scottish Cup, the last time was more than fifty years ago. The first two Scottish Cup matches against Montrose were played at Links Park so the replay will be Montrose`s first visit to Halbeath Road on Scottish Cup duty.  On 14th February 1959 an Alex Smith goal was the difference between the teams in a hard fought encounter. On 8th January a late late Paul Tosh equaliser took the tie to a second game.

Montrose are not a side that Dunfermline have played much in any competition.  Just thirty league matches in total over the years, resulting in 17 wins for the Pars, 4 for Montrose and 9 draws. The teams have never met in the recently introduced Scottish Challenge Cup and have had just three meetings in the League Cup all of which were won by Dunfermline.  It was in this competition at Links Park on the Glorious Twelfth 1992, when one Jim Leishman was Montrose manager that Dunfermline won by a whopping 6-0.

Montrose may have been delighted with the 2-2 draw on 8th January but they possibly didn`t realise that gives them a crack at a nut they have never cracked. In 16 visits to East End Park Montrose have never ever won.  The best they have achieved is three draws.

On Saturday past Dunfermline had 54% possession, 10 shots on target, 14 off target and 14 corners, 8 fouls in contrast to Montrose`s 4 shots on target, 5 shots off target, two corners and 10 fouls. Stats don`t tell the whole story but there is little doubt that Dunfermline dominated without taking enough of  the many chances that came their way.

On Saturday just past Dunfermline drew 0-0 with Dundee, Montrose won 2-0 away to Albion Rovers where Nicky Smith and Dougie Cameron scored the goals.

Saturday`s win was Montrose`s  first  league win since 2nd October but they have won two Scottish Cup ties against Arbroath and Whitehill Welfare.  Their top goalscorer with eleven goals is 37 year old Paul Tosh.

Dunfermline have not lost at home this season and it is almost 17 years since they lost a Scottish Cup replay at home. That was on 8th February 1994 when an Andy Tod goal was countered by three from Airdrie. Since then only Celtic and Rangers have beaten Dunfermline in Scottish Cup replays and the list of clubs seen off in such encounters include Stenhousemuir, Aberdeen, Hibs (twice), East Fife, Inverness Caley Thistle, Livingston and St Johnstone.

Teams on Saturday 8th January

DUNFERMLINE: Chris Smith; Calum Woods, Neil McGregor, Alex Keddie, Austin McCann (c); Paul Willis, Nick Phinn, Gary Mason, David Graham; Andy Kirk, Steven McDougall (Pat Clarke 65)
SUBS NOT USED: Alex Burke, Ryan Thomson, Andy Dowie, Kyle Allison (GK)
SCORERS: Clarke (73), Kirk (81)
YELLOW CARD: Woods (56)

MONTROSE: Sandy Wood; Stephen McNally,Alan Campbell, Steven Tweed, Gordon Pope; Ross McCord (Martin Boyle 80), Terry Masson (Connor Thomson, 86), Aaron Sinclair, Dougie Cameron; Nicky Smith (Hugh Davidson 60), Paul Tosh,
SUBS NOT USED:  Sean Crighton, Tim Capstick (GK).
SCORER: Tosh (27, 91)
YELLOW CARD: Smith (42), McNally (58)