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Dunfermline match preview
Ayr United vs. Dunfermline Athletic
cinch Championship
Saturday 11th September 2021. Kick-off 3pm
On Saturday, Ayr United host Dunfermline Athletic at Somerset Park with both clubs looking for their first league win of the season. Defeat at home to Raith Rovers on Tuesday evening - the Honest Men’s third in four Championship matches - saw the club part company with manager David Hopkin. Jim Duffy and Dave Timmons will take the team supported by John Joyce and Derek Stillie
Opposition
Dunfermline were forced to forfeit their SPFL Trust Trophy match tie away to Elgin City last weekend when international call-ups, injuries and a number of COVID cases left Peter Grant’s side unable to fulfill the fixture. The Pars were due to travel to Moray on the back of consecutive 3-0 home defeats in the Championship, versus Partick Thistle and Arbroath, and a 5-0 loss away to Rangers in the League Cup.
After good wins over Thistle, Dumbarton and Stenhousemuir in the Premier Sports Cup group stage - which saw the Pars net 13 times - Dunfermline faced Greenock Morton on the opening weekend of the cinch Championship season, claiming a 2-2 draw at Cappielow with goals from Nikolay Todorov and Kevin O’Hara.
Bulgarian striker Todorov is one of a number of new faces at Dunfermline having made the switch from Inverness where he scored 11 goals in 32 appearances last season. Also checking in at East End Park this summer were former Scotland internationalist Graeme Dorrans, Dundee United goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet while highly-rated teen Kai Kennedy has joined on loan from Rangers after impressing in the Championship during spells at Inverness and Raith Rovers last season.
Team News
Michael Hewitt misses out with injury and Aaron Muirhead and Jonathon Afolabi miss out with suspension.
Head to Head
Ayr United wins - 23
Draws - 18
Dunfermline Athletic wins - 24
Recent meetings between the sides have been low scoring affairs, with only one of the last nine match-ups featuring more than two goals.
Last Meeting:
All three meetings between the sides last season ended in a draw. In April, Michael Miller cancelled out an early Declan McManus goal at Somerset Park which led to a share of the points. The two previous matches ended goalless.
Match Officials
Referee – Barry Cook
Assistant Referee 1 – Graeme Stewart
Assistant Referee 2 – George King
Live Coverage
Admission Details:
Entry to Somerset Park is by ticket only. Tickets are available online up until kick-off. Buy on your smartphone and show your QR code at the turnstile.
Home fans: https://tickets.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/packages/LZEmOKzmpW/e/9lJGVDMaEr
Away fans: https://tickets.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/package_link/LZEmOKzmpW/AwayDunfermline
Adults £18
Concessions £12
Child £6
Live Streaming:
Supporters unable to be at Somerset Park can stream the game at a cost of £18. Visit the following link to purchase your PPV pass https://ayrunitedfc.co.uk/live-streaming. Ayr United season ticket holders can log on and watch for free using their QR code.
HonestMen Picks:
Download the HonestMen Picks app on Apple or Android and predict Saturday’s match action for a chance to top the live leaderboard and a share of the £50 (free entry) or £100 (£2 entry) prize pool.
Over 18s only and please play responsibly.