The opposition for the final home match of the 2023-2024 cinch Championship season is Duncan Ferguson’s Inverness Caley Thistle. The sides have met 52 times before, Dunfermline winning 11, Inverness 19 with 22 matches having been drawn. At home the record is won 6, lost 9 and drawn 11.
Milestones v Inverness Caley Thistle (home)
Last League Victory | 17/10/20 | 3-1 | Championship Last League Defeat | 25/02/20 | 1-2 | Championship Best League Victory | 07/08/99 | 4-0 | Division 1 Worst League Defeat | 18/01/12 | 1-3 | Division 1 Last Goalless Match | 18/09/21 | 0-0 | Championship First Ever Meeting | 07/08/99 | 4-0 | Division 1
Last Time at KDM Group East End Park Saturday 18th November 2023, cinch Championship Dunfermline 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 1
Inverness pressed towards the break and from a 43rd minute corner from the left former Par, Danny DEVINE was able to find the net from an angle on the right.
Dunfermline pushed up on all sides and eventually in 87th minute Chalmers launched the ball towards the right side of the Caley Thistle box and when it dropped for McCANN his strike found the net, inevitably off the woodwork! 1-1
It was a day where Dunfermline’s luck deserted them. The Pars were disappointed with the result but not the performance. Inverness manager Duncan Ferguson would call it a point gained.
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Sam Fisher, Chris Hamilton (c), Ewan Otoo: Kane Ritchie-Hosler (Michael O’Halloran 70), Paul Allan, Joe Chalmers, Josh Edwards: Owen Moffat (Craig Wighton 70): Matty Todd (Alex Jakubiak 60), Lewis McCann. SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Comrie, Miller Fenton, Harrison Sharp (GK), Max Little (GK)
INVERNESS CT: Mark Ridgers: Nikola Ujdur (Wallace Duffy 65), Danny Devine, Morgan Boyes: David Carson, Charlie Gilmour, Max Anderson, Nathan Shaw, Cameron Harper: David Wotherspoon (Sean Welsh 83), Billy McKay (Luis Longstaff 65). SUBS NOT USED: Cillian Sheridan, Adam Brooks, Zak Delaney, Harry Lodovica, Robert Thomson, Cammy Mackay (GK).
Last 12 League matches v Inverness Caley Thistle
The last dozen league matches between the teams have seen just two Dunfermline wins, six draws and four Caley Thistle wins. Dunfermline’s last home win over Caley Thistle was five games back.
27/02/24: (A) D 0-0 18/11/23: (H) D 1-1 [0-1] Devine, [1-1] McCann 02/09/23: (A) D 1-1 [0-1] Shaw, [1-1] Hamilton. 26/03/22: (A) L 0-2 [0-1] McAlear, [0-2] Samuels. 22/01/22: (H) D 1-1 [0-1] Sutherland, [1-1] Lawless (pen.) 13/11/21: (A) W 2-1 [0-1] McKay, [1-1] Devine o.g, [2-1] Thomas 18/09/21: (H) D 0-0 20/03/21: (H) L 0-1 [0-1] Carson 29/12/20: (A) D 1-1 [1-0] Turner, [1-1] Todorov 17/10/20: (H) W 3-1 [0-1] Todorov, [1-1] E Murray, [2-1] Dow, [3-1] McManus 25/02/20: (H) L 1-2 [0-1] Doran, [1-1] Thomas, [1-2] Walsh 21/12/19: (A) L 0-2 [0-1] Rooney, [0-2] McCart
Recent Form
Inverness Caledonian Thistle have won only three times in their last 13 matches but two of those wins were in their last three games and they did not have any luck in their most recent match, the narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Raith Rovers. The Highlanders have lost only two of their last nine away games.
Dunfermline have lost just one of their last six games but have won only five of their 17 home league games this season. Only their opponents have scored less goals in front of their home fans in this season’s Championship.
League Record
DUNFERMLINE League Position: 6th League Points: 43 Goal Difference: -5 Home League Record: P17 W5 D4 L8 GF19 GA24 Last Six Match Form: WWWDLD
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE League Position: 8th League Points: 38 Goal Difference: -1 Away League Record: P17 W6 D5 L6 GF23 GA20 Last Six Match Form: LDLWWL
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE Queen’s Park (H) D 0-0 Airdrieonians (A) L 1-2 Partick Thistle (H) D 1-1 Arbroath (A) W 3-2 Morton (A) W 1-0 Dundee United (H) W 3-1
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE Raith Rovers (H) L 0-1 Queen’s Park (A) W 1-0 Arbroath (H) W 2-1 Partick Thistle (A) L 0-1 Dundee United (A) D 1-1 Ayr United (H) L 1-2
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Queen’s Park): Deniz Mehmet, Sam Fisher (Rhys Breen 86), Kyle Benedictus (c), Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Miles Welch-Hayes (Alex Jakubiak 68), Chris Hamilton, Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Josh Edwards, Matty Todd, Lewis McCann (Brad Holmes 80), Chris Kane. SUBS NOT USED: Joe Chalmers, Owen Moffat, Michael O’Halloran, Taylor Sutherland, Xavier Benjamin, Max Little (GK)
INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE (v Raith Rovers): Mark Ridgers: Danny Devine (Aribim Pepple 80), Morgan Boyes, Jamie Carragher, Cameron Harper, Cammy Kerr, Aaron Doran Cogan (Sean McAllister 19), Max Anderson, Luis Longstaff (Samson Lawal 60), Billy McKay, Alex Samuel SUBS NOT USED: Â Wallace Duffy, Remi Savage, Roddy McGregor, Adam Brooks, Cameron Mackay (GK)
Referee for this match will be Alan Muir, his first Dunfermline match since February last year v Montrose. He officiated in Caley’s last away game – the 1-0 win over Queen’s Park on 13th April.
Other cinch Championship Fixtures
Airdrieonians v Dundee United (Friday) Arbroath v Queen’s Park Morton v Raith Rovers Partick Thistle v Ayr United
Last 12 Meetings
27/02/24
Inverness CT
0
Dunfermline
0
18/11/23
Dunfermline
1
Inverness CT
1
02/09/23
Inverness CT
1
Dunfermline
1
26/03/22
Inverness CT
2
Dunfermline
0
22/01/22
Dunfermline
1
Inverness CT
1
13/11/21
Inverness CT
1
Dunfermline
2
18/09/21
Dunfermline
0
Inverness CT
0
20/03/21
Dunfermline
0
Inverness CT
1
29/12/20
Inverness CT
1
Dunfermline
1
17/10/20
Dunfermline
3
Inverness CT
1
25/02/20
Dunfermline
1
Inverness CT
2
21/12/23
Inverness CT
2
Dunfermline
0
Last 6 Matches
Dunfermline Athletic
Inverness CT
D
Queens Park
(Home)
0-0
L
Raith Rovers
(Home)
0-1
L
Airdrieonians
(Away)
1-2
W
Queens Park
(Away)
1-0
D
Partick Thistle
(Home)
1-1
W
Arbroath
(Home)
2-1
W
Arbroath
(Away)
3-2
L
Partick Thistle
(Away)
0-1
W
Greenock Morton
(Away)
1-0
D
Dundee United
(Away)
1-1
W
Dundee United
(Home)
3-1
L
Ayr United
(Home)
1-2
It turned out to be Dunfermline’s last home match of the season but the manager would be disappointed with the performance that saw the Pars hold on for the draw in the end.
Dundee United were champions, Arbroath were relegated, the top four were already settled but the Pars last home league game season still mattered to both sides. Inverness Caledonian Thistle in eighth faces sixth placed Dunfermline with the home side needing a point to be safe from a play-off place and the Highlanders looking for points to distance themselves from ninth placed Queen’s Park.
Both teams made two changes from the last time out. James McPake brought in Paul Allan and Owen Moffat in place of Miles Hayes-Welch and Lewis McCann while Inverness manager Duncan Ferguson was without Aaron Doran and he chose to place former Par Danny Devine on the bench. Into the Caley side came Remi Savage and Sean McAllister.
Dunfermline kicked off playing into the April sun and a neat back heel from Chris Kane set up Josh Edwards for an early cross there were no takers. Then when Allan and Edwards clashed in the centre circle Inverness broke causing Kyle Benedictus to put a crunching tackle into Billy McKay that earned the Pars captain a second minute yellow card. The Fifers then successfully defended the resultant free kick and a corner from the left.
Both teams cancelled each other out with neither goalkeeper tested. Inverness fell foul of the home side’s offside trap before Kane Ritchie-Hosler successfully got around the Caley defence to centre for Kane who turned and shot but Mark Ridgers beat that away. Edwards missed the follow up and it was Allan who then swept the ball towards the right side post where Ridgers plucked the shot out of the air.
Moffat had an effort from just inside the visitors box but his 28th minute shot was blocked. Then just three minutes later the Blackpool loanee received the ball from Chris Hamilton to cut in from the left and release an on-target shot that Ridgers dropped to his side to hold. An Inverness free kick in 34 minutes was launched into the Dunfermline box from 35 yards out on the right side but Benedictus rose to head Kerr’s delivery away. Caley continued to press and Mehmet had to be alert to turn a Carragher header over his bar.
The Pars struggled to take the play into the opposition half and while they had possession it tended to be in their own half. A Sam Fisher ball towards Allan earned the home team their first corner of the afternoon and it proved to break the deadlock. Allan’s delivery created a lot of head tennis in front of goal before Ridgers fisted the ball away. The return from Allan was met by BENEDICTUS and the skipper powered his header into the net from close in. 1-0
Just before the interval Matt Todd sent an inviting ball along the 18 yard line to be met by Alan but his good attempt narrowly cleared the crossbar.
News of Queen’s Park being 3-0 up at Arbroath had to increase the incentive for the away team who were now occupying the play-off place. It was Dunfermline who almost scored just five minutes into the second half. Hamilton threaded the ball through to play Todd in on the right side but Ridgers outstretched right foot diverted the shot around the far post.
In the 54th minute Moffat was adjudged to have handled the ball and referee Alan Muir awarded Caley Thistle a penalty. Billy McKay who had already had a spot kick saved by Deniz Mehmet this season stepped up again. The Dunfermline keeper made it four penalty saves in a row diving to his right to hold the shot.
The visitors forced two corners on the hour mark and it was Allan who cleared from the second. Andrew Tod made his return to the first team as a 62nd minute sub for Matty Todd. It continued to be a defensive performance from the Fifers with Mehmet fisting away a corner from the left and then holding a Cameron Harper shot from distance.
Alex Jakubiak was introduced in place of Chris Kane for the final twenty minutes but still Caley Thistle kept the pressure on the Dunfermline defence. It was the Inverness substitute Aribim PEPPLE who got his side back into the match just five minutes after his introduction. 1-1. The 319 away supporters were suddenly injected with fresh hope and encouraged their side on.
Mehmet held a speculative shot from McAllister in 84 minutes, Carragher launched a long throw in that was cleared but as the time ran out Dunfermline got the ball into the Caley half to see the match out.
It had been a real battle of a second half just as could have been anticipated. The point suited Dunfermline since it meant Championship football for the next season but Inverness were left needing to beat Morton at home on Friday night and hope that Queen’s Park don’t win over Airdrieonians at Hampden.
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet, Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus (c), Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Kane Ritchie-Hosler (Miles Welch-Hayes 75), Chris Hamilton, Paul Allan, Josh Edwards, Matty Todd (Andrew Tod 62), Owen Moffat (Lewis McCann 79), Chris Kane (Alex Jakubiak 69) SUBS NOT USED: Joe Chalmers, Rhys Breen, Michael O’Halloran, Brad Holmes, Max Little (GK) SCORERS: Benedictus (41) YELLOW CARD: Benedictus (2), Tod (90+1)
INVERNESS CT: Mark Ridgers, Remi Savage (Aribim Pepple 70), Morgan Boyes, Jamie Carragher, Cameron Harper, Cammy Kerr, Sean McAllister, Max Anderson, Luis Longstaff (Samson Lawal 79), Billy McKay (c) (Roddy McGregor 76), Alex Samuel SUBS NOT USED: Danny Devine, Wallace Duffy, Austin Samuels, Cameron Mackay (GK) SCORERS: Pepple (75) YELLOW CARD: Carragher (24)
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