Dunfermline Athletic vs Ayr United

2 March 2024

Dunfermline Athletic

Chris Hamilton (41), Chris Kane (45+1)

2

0

HT 2 - 0

Ayr United

Dunfermline Athletic

Chris Hamilton (41), Chris Kane (45+1)

Ayr United

0

Dunfermline return home on Saturday seeking their first success in front of their home fans since 28th November. Back in October when these sides last met at KDM Group East End Park, Ayr United won with the only goal of the game. Just over two months ago Dunfermline went to Somerset Park and were flying after Alex Jakubiak shot the Fifers into a two goal lead after just nine minutes. Lee Bullen’s Ayr did not lie down however and earned a 2-2 draw. Now judging by current form under the guidance of Scott Brown and former Pars player Steven Whittaker, Ayr will prove formidable opponents yet again.

Dunfermline’s league record against Ayr United is won 50, lost 33 and drawn 30. At home the Pars lead 29 v 14 with 13 games drawn.

Milestones v Ayr United (home)

Last League Victory | 16/04/22 | 2-1 | Championship
Last League Defeat | 21/10/23 | 0-1 | Championship
Best League Victory | 10/12/94 | 6-0 | First Division
Worst League Defeat | 13/10/73 | 0-4 | Div One (old)
Last Goalless League match | 23/01/21 | Championship
First League meeting | 30/11/1912 | 0-0 | Div Two (old)

Last time at East End Park
cinch Championship, Saturday 21st October 2023
Dunfermline 0 Ayr United 1

Ayr’s first attempt at goal was a George Stanger header in seven minutes when he was on the end of a dangerous Logan Chalmers cross from the right. Dunfermline then survived a penalty appeal when a cross from the left was deflected behind off a Pars arm. Worse was to follow however when Ayr took a tenth minute lead. It was a ball in from the left with Anton Dowds that picked out CHALMERS in front of goal and he executed the chance perfectly to take the lead. 0-1

It was a first 45 minutes in which Dunfermline had found their opponents difficult to deal with. The Pars chances had been extremely limited while Ayr had created a great many and it was possibly a relief to go in only one behind at the interval.

Ayr put in a strong performance in the second half. Mehmet held a stinger of a shot from Rose in 80 minutes before the Fifers made their final push. Ayr made it hard to break them down and even a long throw into the United box could not alter the scoreline. Every effort was frustrated and the three points took Ayr above the Pars into sixth place.

DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Rhys Breen (Paul Allan HT), Ewan Otoo: Chris Hamilton (c) (Sam Fisher 32): Michael O’Halloran, Ben Summers, Joe Chalmers (Owen Moffat 32), Josh Edwards: Craig Wighton (Alex Jakubiak 63), Lewis McCann.
SUBS NOT USED: Miller Fenton, Harrison Sharp (GK), Max Little (GK).

AYR UNITED: Charlie Albinson: Elicha Ahui, George Stanger, Sean McGinty (c), Paddy Reading: Logan Chalmers (Francis Amartey 88), Jay Senga (Akheem Rose 69), Roy Syla (Paul Smith 76), Jamie Murphy: Mark McKenzie (Jack Young 69), Anton Dowds (Fraser Bryden 76)
SUBS NOT USED: Scott Tomlinson, Finn Ecrepont, Dylan Watertown, Robbie Mutch (GK).

Last Twelve Meetings v Ayr United

Dunfermline have won four of the last twelve league matches, Ayr United three and five have been drawn. The Pars have only won two of the last ten matches between the teams but those two were in the last five.

Date | H/A | F-A | W D L | League

30/12/23 | A | 2-2 | D | Championship
21/10/23 | H | 0-1 | L | Championship
16/04/22 | H | 2-1 | W | Championship
05/02/22 | A | 1-1 | D | Championship
20/11/21 | H | 3-0 | W | Championship
11/09/21 | A | 1-3 | L | Championship
10/04/21 | A | 1-1 | D | Championship
23/01/21 | H | 0-0 | D | Championship
07/11/20 | 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

Recent Form

Dunfermline have won only once in their last 11 matches but they are now undefeated in their last three and everyone hopes that they are finding some form. They have scored only four goals in their last six matches and three of them came in the goalfest against Partick Thistle last Friday night.

Ayr United have won five and lost three of their last eight matches. Their three defeats were against the Championship’s top two – Dundee United and Raith Rovers – and against Rangers in the Scottish Cup and they have not lost any of their last three away matches in the league.

League Stats

DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 8th
League Points: 29
Goal Difference: -6
Home League Record: P12 W2 D3 L7 GF13 GA20
Last Six Match Form: DLLDWD

AYR UNITED
League Position: 5th
League Points: 32
Goal Difference: -10
Away League Record: P13 W5 D3 L5 GF22 GA24
Last Six Match Form: WLLWLW

Last six matches

DUNFERMLINE
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) D 1-1
Partick Thistle (A) W 3-1
Arbroath (H) D 1-1
Queen’s Park (H) L 0-3
Morton (H) L 0-5
Dundee United (A) D 0-0

AYR UNITED
Partick Thistle (H) W 4-3
Raith Rovers (H) L 1-2
Airdrieonians (A) W 3-2
Rangers (A) L 0-2
Dundee United (H) L 1-2
Queen’s Park (A) W 2-1

Last time out

DUNFERMLINE (v Inverness Caley Thistle): Deniz Mehmet, Miles Welch-Hayes, Chris Hamilton (c), Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Josh Edwards, Matty Todd (Owen Moffat 74), Paul Allan (Michael O’Halloran HT), Ewan Otoo, Ben Summers (Joe Chalmers HT), Alex Jakubiak, Lewis McCann (Brad Holmes 28).
SUBS NOT USED: Miller Fenton, Taylor Sutherland, Xavier Benjamin, Max Little (GK)

AYR UNITED (v Partick Thistle): Josh Clarke: Nick McAllister, Frankie Musonda, Sean McGinty (c), Jack Sanders, Ben Dempsey, Harry McHugh, Fraser Bryden, Jamie Murphy (Scott Tomlinson 76), Kurt Willoughby (Francis Amartey 82), Mark McKenzie (Roy Syla 75).
SUBS NOT USED: Aiden McGeady, Paul Smith, Max Guthrie, Shaun Donnelly, Charlie Albinson (GK)

Other cinch Championship fixtures

Arbroath v Raith Rovers (Friday)
Airdrieonians v Queen’s Park
Morton v Inverness Caley Thistle
Partick Thistle v Dundee United

Last 12 Meetings

30/12/23	Ayr United	2	Dunfermline	2
21/10/23	Dunfermline	0	Ayr United	1
16/04/22	Dunfermline	2	Ayr United	1
05/02/22	Ayr United	1	Dunfermline	1
20/11/21	Dunfermline	3	Ayr United	0
11/09/21	Ayr United	3	Dunfermline	1
10/04/21	Ayr United	1	Dunfermline	1
23/01/21	Dunfermline	0	Ayr United	0
07/11/20	Ayr United	0	Dunfermline	0
04/01/20	Dunfermline	0	Ayr United	1
03/12/19	Ayr United	0	Dunfermline	1
19/10/19	Dunfermline	3	Ayr United	2

Last 6 Matches

Dunfermline Athletic	Ayr United
D Inverness Caley Thistle (Away) 0-0	W Partick Thistle (Home) 4-3
W Partick Thistle (Away) 3-1	L Raith Rovers (Home) 1-2
D Arbroath (Home) 1-1	W Airdrieonians (Away) 3-2
L Queens Park (Home) 0-3	L Rangers (Away) 0-2
L Greenock Morton (Home) 0-5	L Dundee United (Home) 1-2
D Dundee United (Away) 0-0	W Queens Park (Away) 2-1

The first of six matches in March commenced with two home matches that firstly saw Ayr United return to KDM Group East End Park. Now under the leadership of Scott Brown and Steven Whittaker the Honest Men has won their last two away games and had really only come unstuck in their previous nine matches to the two teams at the top of the Championship and Rangers in the Scottish Cup.

Chris Kane and Owen Moffat returned for the Fifers with Alex Jakubiak and Ben Summers finding themselves back on the sub bench which also contained the welcome sight of Kyle Benedictus for the first time in the squad this calendar year. Ayr United made one change with Anton Dowds, unavailable last time out against Partick Thistle, replacing Kurt Willoughby.

There was a minute’s silence before kick off to respect former player and manager, Harry Melrose who passed in midweek. It was Dunfermline who kicked off attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end. The Pars produced a sweet move from Matty Todd to Moffat and then Kane but his effort to direct the ball past Josh Clarke hit the sidenetting. Moffat then forced a fourth minute corner on the right that eventually travelled to Kane but he was adjudged to be offside.

Things were looking good and home fans were behind their team from early on. It was sixth minute when Todd broke through down the left channel but Clarke beat away his effort from the byeline for a corner on the left. Edwards returned the defended clearance and Chris Hamilton was offside when heading on to the roof of the net. There was plenty to keep the fans volume up with a dangerous cross from the right by Lewis McCann and Moffat threatening again down the right.

A 13th minute corner kept Ayr penned in and when Todd returned the ball from the right Malachi Fagan-Walcott was on hand in front of goal but against the odds he turned the ball over the crossbar. Six minutes passed and then Kane’s knock down to Todd sent him into an area 25 yards out where he could get a shot in. Unfortunately the outstretched right hand of Clarke turned the low effort around the post.

After a stoppage for a head injury to Mark McKenzie Dunfermline were on the attack again. McCann dispossessed Nick McAllister deep down the left, cut back for Todd to smash the ball towards the bottom right of the Ayr goal only to be kept out by what many thought was the hand of Ben Dempsey. Referee Peter Stuart did not agree. In 29 minutes Edwards played McCann in behind the United defence but his cross would only lead to a corner where Fagan-Walcott was penalised for his challenge on Sean McGinty.

In 41 minutes referee played advantage to allow Kane to feed Moffat on the right. He forced the corner that would break the deadlock. When Paul Allan’s delivery came over HAMILTON rose the meet it and his header found the net. 1-0

It was a first half where Dunfermline had the bulk of the possession, forced six corners to Ayr’s none and would justifiably have deserved a one goal lead at the interval. Then in the first minute of the three minutes added on Chris KANE took advantage of slackness from a Frankie Musonda throw in. He tried to send the ball back to McGinty but the on-loan Saint nipped in and finished from the right side of the penalty box for a second!

Half time: Dunfermline 2 Ayr United 0

Ayr United introduced Logan Chalmers for Fraser Bryden for the second half and within two minutes won their first corner. It came from a mix up on defence where Dowds almost scrambled a goal. The corner from the right was duly defended without any danger.

Frankie Musonda was shown the first yellow card of the game for stopping the run of Moffat down the right and from the 56th minute free kick, Allan’s cross was met by the head of Welch-Hayes but he headed wide.

There was a period around the hour mark where the visitors were able to retain a fair bit of possession and completed passes. Fortunately they were kept well out of shooting distance. Alex Jakubiak replaced Owen Moffat in 64 minutes and prevent the sub being gifted the ball, keeper Clarke conceded an indirect free kick just inside the Ayr box. Ayr had everyone back inside their box when Todd touched the ball to McCann who twice blasted the ball into the four man wall.

Michael O’Halloran replaced Lewis McCann before James McPake made a triple substitution ten minutes later on 82 minutes. Joe Chalmers, Ben Summers and Brad Holmes took over from Paul Allan, Matty Todd and Chris Kane.

O’Halloran’s cross forced an 88th minute corner on the right. Chalmers swung the ball in from the right corner flag and Welch-Hayes came off worst when Clarke came out to clear. The full back was fit to continue after the physio’s attentions.

Ayr earned an added time corner that Jakubiak belted away, Chalmers cleared off the line and Mehmet held a dangerous cross as the Fifers saw out the time added on to claim the three points from their first home win since November. The result took Dunfermline up to fifth equal on points with Airdrieonians and Ayr United.

DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet, Miles Welch-Hayes, Chris Hamilton (c), Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Josh Edwards, Matty Todd (Joe Chalmers 82), Paul Allan (Ben Summers 82), Ewan Otoo, Owen Moffat (Alex Jakubiak 64), Chris Kane (Brad Holmes 82), Lewis McCann (Michael O’Halloran 72).
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Benedictus, Taylor Sutherland, Xavier Benjamin, Max Little (GK)
SCORERS: Hamilton (41) Kane (45+1)
YELLOW CARD: Welch-Hayes (74)

AYR UNITED: Josh Clarke, Nick McAllister, Frankie Musonda, Sean McGinty (c), Jack Sanders, Ben Dempsey (Paul Smith 75), Harry McHugh, Fraser Bryden (Logan Chalmers HT), Jamie Murphy (Roy Syla 75),, Anton Dowds, Mark McKenzie (Kurt Willoughby 55)
SUBS NOT USED: George Stanger, Nathan McGinley, Scott Tomlinson, Aiden McGeady, Charlie Albinson (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Musonda (56)

REFEREE: Peter Stuart
WEATHER: Overcast 7°C
ATTENDANCE 5050
Manager’s post match comments

NEXT MATCH: cinch Championship (home) v Airdrieonians Tuesday 5th March 2024, kick off 7.45pm at KDM Group East End Park

The winner(s) for the 50/50 DAFC v Ayr United 02 03 2024 draw was Ian Cochrane no. WEB9547