Ayr United 3 Dunfermline 1
Saturday, 11th Sep 2021cinch Championship: Fôn Williams, Comrie, Jones and Graham start. Tomi Adeloye (2) 1-0: Cammy Salkeld (25) 2-0: Nikolay Todorov (28) 2-1: Tomi Adeloye (63) 3-1:
Dunfermline failed to take any league points for the third successive league match. Their first half performance was better than the interval scoreline suggested but conceding soft goals cost them dearly.
For the away match against ninth placed Ayr United, Peter Grant made four changes from the side that lost last time out against Arbroath. Owain Fôn Williams, Aaron Comrie, Leon Jones and Ross Graham started with Deniz Mehmet, Vytas Gašpuitis, Kyle Macdonald and Kai Kennedy all relegated to the subs bench.
Following the departure of manager David Hopkin, the home side made six changes from the team that started against Raith Rovers in midweek. Like the visitors they too changed their keeper Charlie Albinson coming in for Aidan McAdams. Sean McGinty, Steve Bradley, Andy Murdoch, Daire O’Connor and Cameron Salkeld were introduced for the absent Aaron Muirhead and Jordan Houston while Markus Fjørtoft, Joe Chalmers and Mark McKenzie were on the bench.
Greeted by a 268 strong travelling support, Dunfermline emerged from the far side and the Honest Men from beneath the main stand. The Fifers drummer was behind the goal and the rest of the travelling support were stretched from there to the far side terracing. Kevin O’Hara kicked off with the visitors attacking the goal in front of the home support.
Within 30 seconds Ryan Dow had forced a corner but when Graham Dorrans sent the ball over from the left it was too big. Ayr then scored from their first attack, Daire O’Connor raced away down the left with Jones in pursuit and when he cut the ball into the six yard box Tomi ADELOYE directed the ball past Fôn Williams. 1-0 and just 105 seconds on the clock.
There was shakiness in Pars defence when a cross from the right evaded O’Connor but was met by Patrick Reading. The shot was blocked but then Bradley followed up but Dan Pybus blocked that one. Next minute Ayr forced a corner on the right that Graham got away and then Dunfermline survived a free kick in a central position from 35 yards out.
The Fifers first good opportunity came from a 16th minute free kick 30 yards out that Dorrans drove into the wall and then the follow up hit off Paul Watson. Josh Edwards returned and Nikolay Todorov headed into the hands of Albinson from close range.
Four minutes later O’Hara picked out Edwards on the left and he made ground before delivering an inviting cross that Comrie headed outside the right upright.
Another good chance was created in 24 minutes. Dow slipped a near ball into the opposition penalty box to be met by Pybus and when he slipped it left for O’Hara but the shot was off target.
Having failed to take their opportunity the Pars were then hit on the break. Reading’s cross was met by Cammy SALKELD and his 25th minute header made it 2-0.
Fortunately the Pars goals drought ended just three minutes later when TODOROV finished a fine Fifers move. A Dorran pass was touched on to O’Hara off Pybus and he set up Dow who cut in to smash a good effort on target. The big striker polished off the chance in off the right post after Dow’s shot had been stopped by the 24 year old Ayr United keeper. 2-1
Edwards sent an effort wide left before Pybus forced a 34th minute corner but Todorov couldn’t keep his header down from Dorrans corner. Ayr threatened again from a corner on the right but Todorov headed away the inswinger.
Dunfermline finished the half with two corners and then Todorov chipped an effort over the bar from 18 yards out so the scoreline remained unaltered. It was a first half in which Ayr registered 65% possession but Dunfermline had managed 10 shots to their opponents three.
Half time: Ayr United 2 Dunfermline 1
The sun came out for the second half but it was the home side who turned up the heat and in 50th minute the Pars successfully defended an O’Connor corner. Ayr forced a free kick out beside the left corner flag and when Bradley crossed the ball in the home support reacted loudly as Adeloye went down in the six yard box. Amidst the din McAllister latched on to the chance and pinged his shot narrowly outside the left upright.
Dow made Albinson hold an on target effort and during a period of stalemate Edwards pushed up trying to create the chance for O’Hara on the left wing and then next time taking on the defence to centre a ball into the danger zone. Markus Fjørtoft came on for Ayr before again Edwards fed O’Hara who made Albinson hold at his near post.
In 63 minutes the defence pressed the self destruct button. A throw in on the far side was launched back towards the Pars penalty box, Watson turned the ball to Fôn Williams and in trying to play it out from the back the Pars Welsh keeper caught Graham out. Bradley nipped in to steal the ball and he crossed into ADELOYE in front of goal. The Ayr striker turned his man impressively to make room to stick the ball away. 3-1
Kai Kennedy had been introduced in place of Ryan Dow and it was the sub who was fouled 24 yards out to earn a free kick. The on loan Ranger took the setpiece and evaded the four man wall but Albinson diving to his left held the shot on the line.
A Pybus run picked out Todorov and he forced an 85th minute corner but Kennedy’s delivery was easy picking for the home defence. Three minutes later Kennedy was brought down on the edge of the D and his free kick got around the five man wall only for Albinson to save at full stretch.
Into added time Ayr had three shots in quick succession culminating in sub Michael Moffat firing over the bar.
It had been a good day for Ayr United who recorded their first home win over the Pars in more than three years. As for Dunfermline now three points adrift at the foot of the table, it was back to the drawing board. It was a cruel result given the chances they failed to take and the weak goals that they gave away.
AYR UNITED: Charlie Albinson: Nick McAllister (Markus Fjørtoft 60), Jack Baird, Sean McGinty (c), Patrick Reading: Cameron Salkeld (Mark McKenzie 86), Andy Murdoch, James Maxwell, Daire O`Connor, Steven Bradley (Michael Moffat 74), Tomi Adeloye.SUBS NOT USED: Joe Chalmers, Finn Ecrepont, Aidan McAdams (GK).
SCORERS: Adeloye (2, 63), Salkeld (25)
YELLOW CARD: Murdoch (39), Albinson (76)
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Leon Jones (Craig Wighton 71), Paul Watson, Ross Graham: Aaron Comrie, Graham Dorrans (c), Josh Edwards: Dan Pybus, Ryan Dow (Kai Kennedy 62): Nikolay Todorov, Kevin O’Hara.
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Vytas Gašpuitis, Paul Allan, Dom Thomas, Deniz Mehmet (GK).
SCORERS: Todorov (28)
YELLOW CARD: Graham (78), Todorov (90)
REFEREE: Barry Cook
WEATHER: Overcast 17°C
ATTENDANCE 1553
NEXT MATCH: cinch Championship (home) v Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Saturday 18th September 2021, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park.
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Ayr United 3-1 Dunfermline
Sat, 11th Sep 2021
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Preview Ayr United
Saturday, 11th Sep 2021cinch Championship (away) v Ayr United, Saturday 11th September 2021, kick off 3.00pm at Somerset Park
Dunfermline will return to action on Saturday when they travel to Somerset Park to face an Ayr United team that will be equally keen to pick up points. Ayr’s defeat to Raith Rovers on Tuesday night means that they are equal on one point, ahead of the Fifers on goal difference.
The Ayr league record against Dunfermline is lost 48, won 31 and drawn 28 but of late it has improved with four wins in the last dozen meetings.
Milestones v Ayr United (away)
Last League Victory | 03/12/19 | 1-0 | Championship
Last League Defeat | 25/08/18 | 1-4 | Championship
Best League Victory | 12/03/94 | 4-0 | First Division
Worst League Defeat | 07/04/51 | 0-8 | Div Two (old)
Last Goalless Draw | 07/11/20 | 0-0 | Championship
First Ever Meeting | 29/03/13 | 0-1 | Division Two
Ayr United 1-1 Dunfermline (goals)
Sat, 10th Apr 2021
Last time at Somerset Park
Ayr United 1 Dunfermline 1
Championship, Saturday 10th April 2021
Dunfermline enjoyed the bulk of the early pressure as Ayr lined five men along the back but in 12th minute Henderson flighted in a great ball from the left that Declan McMANUS directed into the far side of the Ayr net with a brilliant glancing header. 0-1
Twelve more minutes later when Mark McKenzie was allowed to capitalise on a couple of Pars slip ups on the left his cross was hit by Mark MILLER and the shot sneaked through to find the net just inside the right goalpost. 1-1.
Both sides had chances to win the match in the second half but a draw was probably a fair result.
AYR UNITED: Peter Morrison: Jordan Houston, Jack Baird (c), Corrie Ndaba, Patrick Reading: Aaron Muirhead: Jamie Barjonas, Michael Miller, Sam Roscoe, Luke McCowan (Andre Wright 65): Mark McKenzie.
SUBS NOT USED: Andy Murdoch, Tom Walsh, Joe Chalmers, Dario Zanatta, Michael Hewitt, Peter Urminsky (GK)
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams: Aaron Comrie, Vytas Gašpuitis, Euan Murray (c) (Steven Whittaker 73), Josh Edwards: Dom Thomas (Craig Wighton 73), Ewan Henderson, Lewis Mayo, Fraser Murray (Paul Watson 65): Declan McManus: Kevin O’Hara
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis McCann, Kyle Macdonald, Kerr McInroy, Cammy Gill (GK)
Last Twelve League Meetings v Ayr United
Dunfermline have won four of the last twelve league matches, Ayr United four and four have been drawn. The Pars are undefeated in their last four visits to Somerset Park.
Date | H/A | F-A | W D L | League
10/04/21 | A | 1-1 | D | Championship
23/01/21 | H | 0-0 | D | Championship
7/11/20 | A | 0-0 | D | Championship
04/01/20 | H | 0-1 | L | Championship
03/12/19 | A | 1-0 | W | Championship
19/10/19 | H | 3-2 | W | Championship
29/03/19 | H | 0-1 | L | Championship
23/02/19 | A | 1-0 | W | Championship
22/12/18 | H | 0-0 | D | Championship
25/08/18 | A | 1-4 | L | Championship
18/03/17 | H | 0-1 | L | Championship
07/01/17 | A | 2-0 | W | Championship
Recent Form
Dunfermline’s last win was five matches back in the Premier Sports Cup match against Stenhousemuir. They have lost their last three matches without scoring a goal and sorely need a confidence boosting result.
Ayr suffered a 2-0 home defeat against Raith Rovers on Tuesday night and so have lost three of their four league matches so far. Their other defeats were narrow 1-0 reversals against Kilmarnock and Inverness. The Honest Men are tied on one point with the Pars.
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Arbroath (H) L 0-3
Rangers (A) L 0-5
Partick Thistle (H) L 0-3
Morton (A) D 2-2
Stenhousemuir (H) W 4-1
Dumbarton (H) W 5-1
AYR UNITED
Raith Rovers (H) L 0-2
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) L 0-1
Dundee United (H) D 1-1
Arbroath (H) D 2-2
Kilmarnock (A) L 0-1
Hamilton (A) W 1-0
Current League Stats
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 10th
League Points: 1
Goal Difference: -6
League Record: P3 W0 D1 L2 GF2 GA8
Last Six Match Form: WWDLLL
AYR UNITED
League Position: 9th
League Points: 1
Goal Difference: -5
League Record: P4 W0 D1 L3 GF2 GA7
Last Six Match Form: WLDDLL
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Arbroath): Deniz Mehmet: Kyle Macdonald, Vytas Gašpuitis, Paul Watson, Josh Edwards: Ryan Dow (Craig Wighton 63), Dan Pybus (Dom Thomas HT), Graham Dorrans (c), Kai Kennedy: Nikolay Todorov (Reece Cole 90+1), Kevin O’Hara.
SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Comrie, Paul Allan, Matty Todd, Owain Fôn Williams (GK).
AYR UNITED (v Raith Rovers): Aidan McAdams: Jordan Houston, Jack Baird, Markus Fjørtoft, Patrick Reading: Nicholas McAllister (Cameron Salkeld 72), Aaron Muirhead, Joe Chalmers (Steven Bradley 59), James Maxwell, Mark McKenzie (Jonathan Afolabi 59), Tomi Adeloye.
SUBS NOT USED: Sean McGinty, Michael Moffat, Daire O`Connor, Charlie Albinson (GK).
Afolabi and Muirhead were shown red cards in the match against Raith Rovers.
Other Championship Fixtures
Arbroath v Hamilton Academical
Inverness Caley Thistle v Partick Thistle
Kilmarnock v Morton
Raith Rovers v Queen of the South
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