Preview Stranraer
Saturday, 16th Apr 2016Fourth place is the best Stranraer can do but they will be hoping to stay ahead of their Lanarkshire rivals
This Saturday Dunfermline are on the road again, back to Stranraer. Last time the Pars were at Stair Park it was after their hosts sat out a week due to being out of the Petrofac Training Cup. Same again this time since Peterhead's appearance in that contest's final had brought forward the fixture, so it was two Saturdays ago that the Blues defeated Airdrieonians. That 4-0 win was a six pointer and now the Galloway side are in the final play off spot three ahead of Albion Rovers and five ahead of Airdrieonians.
It goes without saying that Stranraer go into the match with the greater incentive. With three games remaining Dunfermline sit top of the division 16 points clear of second placed Peterhead. Fourth place is the best Stranraer can do but they will be hoping to stay ahead of their Lanarkshire rivals with games away to Brechin City and at home to Cowdenbeath to follow.
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Milestones v Stranraer (away) |
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|
Last Victory |
17/10/15 |
3-0 |
League One |
|
Best Victory |
30/01/54 |
4-1 |
Scottish Cup |
| Last Defeat |
28/02/15 |
1-5 |
League One |
|
Worst Result |
28/02/15 |
1-5 |
League One |
Stranraer have just five wins ever in the 37 league games between the sides, but their win in February last year was also their best ever against the Pars. That match will be remembered for the red card shown to Gregor Buchanan for standing on Longworth. Andy Geggan had only just got the Pars back on level terms when they were reduced to ten men and then Chris Aitken and Willie Gibson struck before half time. Longworth's 49th minute strike ended the contest and Jon McShane rubbed salt into the widening wound with an 83rd minute fifth.
| Last twelve matches v Stranraer | ||||
| Date | H/A | WDL | F-A | Scorers |
| 27/02/16 | H | W | 6-1 | [1-0] El Bakhtaoui, [2-0] Cardle, [2-1] McGuigan, [3-1] McKay, [4-1] El Bakhtaoui [5-1] Cardle, [6-1] Cardle |
| 17/10/15 | A | W | 3-0 | [1-0] Moffat, [2-0] Richards-Everton, [3-0] Antoine-Curier |
| 29/08/15 | H | W | 3-1 | [1-0] El Bakhtaoui; [2-0] Talbot; [3-0] Geggan [3-1] Longworth. |
| 11/04/15 | H | W | 1-0 | [1-0] El Bakhtaoui |
| 28/02/15 | A | L | 1-5 | [0-1] Gallagher; [1-1]Geggan (26), [1-2] Chris Aitken [1-3] Willie Gibson; [1-4] Jamie Longworth; [1-5] Jon McShane |
| 20/12/14 | H | L | 0-1 | [0-1] McKeown |
| 09/12/14 | H | L | 1-3 | [0-1] Winter, [0-2] Stephen Stirling, [1-2] Millen pen. [1-3] Longworth |
| 29/11/14 | A | D | 2-2 | [1-0] Geggan, [2-0] Buchanan, [2-1] Gibson, [2-2] Geggan o.g. |
| 30/08/14 | A | W | 2-1 | [1-0] Ugwu, [1-1] [2-1] Moffat |
| 10/05/14 | H | W | 3-0 | [1-0] Geggan; [2-0] Geggan; [3-0] El Bakhtaoui |
| 07/05/14 | A | L | 1-2 | [0-1] Grehan; [1-1] El Bakhtaoui; [1-2] Bell. |
| 01/03/14 | A | L | 1-3 | [0-1] Grehan pen, [0-2] McKenna, [0-3] McKenna, [1-3] Grainger pen. |
This Season
Dunfermline were comfortable 3-1 winners at East End Park back at the end of August. Faissal El Bakhtaoui shot the Pars into a 13th minute lead and the visitors found themselves 3-0 down just six minutes into the second half after Jason Talbot and Andy Geggan netted. Although Jamie Longworth got one back for Stranraer it turned out only to be a consolation.
In October at Stair Park Michael Moffat gave the Pars a fourth minute lead, Ben Richards-Everton scored his first ever Pars goal to make it 2-0 after 32 minutes. Mickael Antoine-Curier came off the bench to net the third near the end.
The return at East End Park was an emphatic win for Allan Johnston's team. A Joe Cardle hattrick, a doubles from Faissal El Bakhtaoui and a Brad McKay goal were only countered by Mark McGuigan's goal in the third minute of the second half.
Statistics
| Stranraer | Dunfermline |
| Current League Position | |
| 4 | 1 |
| Recent League Results | |
| WWDWLW | DWWWWD |
| League Points | |
| 45 | 76 |
| Goal Difference | |
| -9 | +58 |
| Home / Away League Record | |
| P16, W6, D2, L8 | P16, W12, D3, L1 |
Stranraer have won their last three home games and won four of their last six matches. Dunfermline are unbeaten in their last eleven matches and unbeaten in their last 14 league matches on the road.
| Last Six League Form | ||||||
| Stranraer Home | Dunfermline Away | |||||
| Airdrieonians | W | 4-0 | Albion Rovers | W | 1-0 | |
| Stenhousemuir | W | 3-1 | Cowdenbeath | W | 1-0 | |
| Forfar Athletic | W | 1-0 | Ayr United | W |
2-0 |
|
| Albion Rovers | D | 0-0 | Brechin City | W | 2-1 | |
| Brechin City | W | 2-0 | Stenhousemuir | W |
3-0 |
|
| Peterhead | L | 1-5 | Peterhead | D |
0-0 |
|
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Forfar Athletic): Sean Murdoch (c); Ryan Williamson (Craig Reid 84), Brad McKay, Lewis Martin, Jason Talbot; Michael Paton, Rhys McCabe, Scott Robinson (Josh Falkingham 79), Conner Duthie, Ryan Wallace, Michael Moffat
SUBS NOT USED: Joe Cardle, Andy Geggan, David Hopkirk, Faissal El Bakhtaoui, David Hutton (GK).
STRANRAER (v Airdrieonians): Cameron Belford; Craig Pettigrew, Scott Robertson, Steven Bell, Liam Dick; Andy Stirling; Ryan Thomson (Kyle Turner 81), Paul Cairney, Willie Gibson, Malcolm (Jamie Longworth 75), Mark McGuigan (Calvin Kemp 70)
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Aitken, Sam McCloskey, Kerr Samson, Scott Rumsby, Max Currie (GK)
Referee will be Crawford Allan.
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