Preview Raith Rovers

cinch Championship (away) v Raith Rovers, Sunday 2nd January 2022, kick off 3.00pm at Stark’s Park

Dunfermline make the trip east to first foot Raith Rovers on 2nd January in search of their first win in Kirkcaldy since 2nd January 2017. That Fife derby on a sunny Monday afternoon Dunfermline proved to be troublesome for their hosts. They scored twice through Clark and Ashcroft and with a little more luck it could have been an even more convincing scoreline.



Unfortunately that was the Pars last win there and the five subsequent matches away to Raith have seen three defeats and two draws. Dunfermline have won 22 of the 61 matches that they have played at Stark’s Park, Raith have won 21 and 18 have been drawn. The Pars have only won two of their last eleven away to Raith Rovers.



Milestones v Raith Rovers (away)

Last Victory | 02/01/17 | 2-0 | Championship

Last Defeat | 08/05/21 | 2-0 | Premiership play off

Best Victory | 29/10/94 | 5-2 | Div One (old)

Worst Defeat | 01/01/83 | 0-6 | Div One (old)

Last Goalless Draw | 08/09/81 | 0-0 | Division One

First League Meeting | 24/03/28 | 1-5 | Div One (old)

Last time at Stark’s Park

Mark Connolly and Reece Cole started in place of Paul Watson and Craig Wighton.

Rovers would take the lead in 11 minutes when there was no catching ZANATTA as he streaked down the left wing, cut back and and then smashed his shot into the far side of the Dunfermline net. The goal was a big disappointment because the visitors had started fairly well but it was the injection of power that created the chance. 1-0.

The home side would lead for over an hour but after a much better second half performance Dunfermline found the equaliser. The fast moving Edwards received the ball back off Kennedy to cross from the left. That was met by Kevin O’HARA at the near post to finish with class. 1-1

It would end all square, the Pars third successive draw but one point not enough to lift Dunfermline off the foot of the table.

RAITH ROVERS: Jamie MacDonald: Reghan Tumilty, Kyle Benedictus, Christophe Berra, Liam Dick: Aidan Connolly, Ross Matthews, Brad Spencer, Dylan Tait (Kai Fotheringham 83), Dario Zanatta: Ethon Varian (Matej Poplatnik 73)
SUBS NOT USED: Blaise Riley-Snow, Kieran Mitchell, David McKay, Tom Lang, Robbie Thomson (GK).

DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Mark Connolly, Vytas Gašpuitis, Josh Edwards: Graham Dorrans (c): Ryan Dow, Dan Pybus (Dom Thomas 72), Reece Cole (Kevin O’Hara HT), Kai Kennedy: Nikolay Todorov (Craig Wighton HT)
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Paul Allan, Leon Jones, Deniz Mehmet (GK)

Last Twelve Meetings



Dunfermline have won three of the last twelve meetings, lost four and five have been drawn.


26/10/21 | H | Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 1 | D | Championship
29/09/21 | A | Raith Rovers 1 Dunfermline 1 | D | Championship

08/05/21 | A | Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 0 | L | Premiership Play Off

04/05/21 | H | Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 0 | D | Premiership Play Off

27/03/21 | A | Raith Rovers 5 Dunfermline 1 | | L | Championship

03/02/21 | H | Dunfermline 4 Raith Rovers 1 | W | Championship

05/12/20 | A | Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 2 | D | Championship

19/01/19 | A | Raith Rovers 3 Dunfermline 0 | L | Scottish Cup

08/04/17 | H | Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 0| W | Championship

02/01/17 | A | Raith Rovers 0 Dunfermline 2 | W | Championship

05/12/16 | H | Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 0 | D | Championship 

20/08/16 | A | Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 0 | L | Championship


Recent Form



Dunfermline have lost three, won two and drawn one of their last six matches. Raith Rovers have won two and drawn two of their last six games. Level on points with Kilmarnock, Raith sit fourth in the Championship and have lost only one home game this season when Queen of the South left with a 1-0 win. The last two Raith games have been defeats, only the second time they have lost back to back league matches since March 2018.

Last six matches



DUNFERMLINE

Arbroath (H) L 0-3

Queen of the South (H) D 3-3

Hamilton Academical (A) L 0-1

Partick Thistle (A) L 0-1

Ayr United (H) W 3-0

Inverness Caledonian Thistle (A) W 2-1



RAITH ROVERS

Ayr United (A) L 0-2
Partick Thistle (A) L 0-1

Kilmarnock (H) W 1-0
Arbroath (A) D 0-0
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) D 0-0
Falkirk (A) W 2-1



League Record


DUNFERMLINE

League Position: 9th

League Points: 14

Goal Difference: -13

League Record: P18 W3 D7 L6 GF18 GA31

Last Six Match Form: WWLLDL



RAITH ROVERS

League Position: 4th

League Points: 33

Goal Difference: +8

League Record: P19 W9 D6 L4 GF27 GA19

Last Six Match Form: WDDWLL

Last time out

DUNFERMLINE (v Arbroath): Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Mark Connolly, Rhys Breen, Josh Edwards: Matthew Todd (Kai Kennedy 62), Graham Dorrans (c), Paul Allan, Ryan Dow: Craig Wighton (Kevin O’Hara 62), Lewis McCann
SUBS NOT USED: Ross Graham, Kyle Macdonald, Nikolay Todorov, Deniz Mehmet (GK)

RAITH ROVERS (v Ayr United): Jamie MacDonald: Regan Tumilty, Tom Lang, Kyle Benedictus, Liam Dick: Aidan Connolly, Dylan Tait, Ross Matthews, Ethan Ross: Dario Zanatta (Matej Poplatnik 77), Ethon Varian.
SUBS NOT USED: Frankie Musonda, Blaine Riley-Snow, Aaron Arnott, Greig Young, Kieran Mitchell, Robbie Thomson (GK)

Referee will be David Munro who will be remembered for his penalty decision at Hamilton and the red card shown to Graham Dorrans.

Other Championship fixtures

Arbroath v Inverness Caley Thistle
Partick Thistle v Morton
Queen of the South v Hamilton

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