Preview St Mirren

Ladbrokes Championship:St Mirren are the East End Park first foots this Saturday and their fans will be hoping they have the bottle when it comes to facing Allan Johnston`s team.

That very frequent prediction and over used phrase `close game` pertains to this fixture possibly more than most. In the last 20 matches between the sides only on four occasions have there been more than one goal between them.

This will be the third league fixture of the season against St Mirren and the Pars have a 100% record so far. With Dunfermline now 12 points ahead of the Buddies there will be pressure on the Paisley club to prevent becoming isolated at the foot of the division and of course there is great desire from the Pars to maintain their unbeaten run that has taken them from ninth to sixth and into potential play off finalists.

Dunfermline`s league record against the Buddies favours them with 38 wins to St Mirren`s 29 and the last defeat at East End Park was over 15 years ago and even that was eight years after the previous one.

Last Meeting at East End Park
24 September 2016

Having relieved Alex Rae of his managerial duties, St Mirren were under the temporary charge of youth team coach Alan McManus and they were ahead at half time following a John Sutton duo in the first half. Dunfermline had a goal courtesy of a diving header by Nicky Clark. An Andy Webster own goal and then another superb goal from Clark put the Pars on track for the three points with just 13 minutes remaining. Ryan Hardie equalised however and it took an 84th minute winner from sub Farid El Alagui to secure the points for the Pars.

ST MIRREN: Scott Gallacher: Jason Naismith, Gary McKenzie (Andy Webster 44), Jack Baird, Gary Irvine: Rocco Quinn, Stephen Mallan, Kyle Hutton, Lewis Morgan (Tom Walsh 68), Ryan Hardie, John Sutton
SUBS NOT USED: Lawrence Shankland, Darren Whyte, David Clarkson, Andrew McDonald, Jamie Langfield (GK)

DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch: Lewis Martin, Lee Ashcroft, Callum Fordyce (Ryan Williamson HT), Jason Talbot, Michael Paton, Andy Geggan (c), John Herron, Joe Cardle (Paul McMullan 79): Gavin Reilly (Farid El Alagui 73), Nicky Clark.
SUBS NOT USED: Kallum Higginbotham, Rhys McCabe, Michael Moffat, David Hutton (GK)

St Mirren`s only away win in the league this season came in the first week of December at Dumfries. That heralded a revival that saw them lose only one game, at Tannadice, in a five match stretch before losing 3-0 at home last Saturday. Dunfermline have now gone eight matches undefeated and have achieved shutouts in their last two games away to Raith Rovers and Ayr United.

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Ayr United): Sean Murdoch: Andy Geggan, Callum Fordyce (c), Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Paul McMullan, John Herron, Nat Wedderburn, Kallum Higginbotham (Joe Cardle 82): Nicky Clark (Gavin Reilly 75), Michael Moffat (Farid El Alagui 87)
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Rhys McCabe, Michael Paton, David Hutton (GK)

ST MIRREN (v Queen of the South): Scott Gallacher: Jason Naismith, Gary McKenzie, Andy Webster (Lawrence Shankland 74), Gary Irvine: Stephen Mallan, Rocco Quinn, Lewis Morgan, Kyle McAllister, Kyle Magennis (David Clarkson 59), John Sutton
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis McLear, Jordan Stewart, Jack Baird, Jamie Langfield (GK). 

Referee for this match will be Willie Collum.

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