Dunfermline vs Morton – Match Preview

by Dean McKinnon.

Dougie Imrie’s men head to the ‘Kingdom of Fife’ this evening in the knowledge that one more win should guarantee that Championship football will return to Inverclyde next season. Late goals from Gavin Reilly and Robbie Muirhead secured an empathic win for the Sinclair Street side against Partick last Saturday, sparking wild celebrations inside Cappielow. Ton fans could be forgiven for hypothesising that one more win, either against Dunfermline or Ayr the following week at Cappielow, could see them comfortably safe of the drop zone this season.

Photo - GBR Photographs.

Squad Update

Cammy Blues and Gary Oliver, both of whom were omitted from the squad for Morton’s routine 2-1 victory against Partick last week, will face a race against time to feature in the trip to Fife. Darren Hynes, Mark Russell, Alex King and Lewis McGregor all gained match sharpness in a bounce game midweek as a Morton XI took on a US Navy Select side at Parklea.

Current Connections

Nobody in the current Dunfermline squad has ever plied their trade in Greenock. Towering midfielder Iain Wilson joined The Ton in January from the Fife side. Should The Ton win this evening, Wilson will have won more games this season than his former employers have, despite being a Dunfermline player for the first twenty-four Pars games and not being involved in any wins (a stat shamelessly stolen from ‘CallumPar’ on Pie and Bovril).

Gozie Ugwu spent the first half of the 2014/15 season at Dunfermline. The striker enjoyed an excellent strike rate, finding the net on seven occasions in his fourteen League One appearances. He then moved to the English third tier to join Yeovil Town to complete the season.

Photo - GBR Photographs.

Tale of the Tape

Matchday Twenty is one that will live long in the memories of Morton fans, along with manager Dougie Imrie. After postponements and away games, Imrie’s first match in front of the Cappielow faithful was an incredibly successful one. Three outstanding first half goals from Gary Oliver, Cammy Blues and Gavin Reilly set the tone, before a Col Donaldson own goal from a Lewis Strapp header and a beautifully executed lob from Robbie Muirhead rounded off a fine day at his new office for Imrie.

Morton left all three points away from East End Park on Matchday Thirteen. Ahead of this fixture, Dunfermline relieved manager Peter Grant of his duties, handing over the reins to senior player Steven Whittaker on an interim basis. The Ton took the lead in the thirteen minute. After excellent physicality from Gozie Ugwu, young striker Jimmy Knowles showed great awareness to angle a lay-off into Gary Oliver’s path, who passed the ball into the net from around fifteen yards out. The Pars equalised midway through the first half, as Matthew Todd headed from Kevin O’Hara’s cross.

A corner swung towards the back post by Jakko Oksanen was expertly nodded back across goal by Ledger for Gozie Ugwu to regain the away side’s lead. Dunfermline had a number of half-chances and flashes across goal, with outstanding performances from Oisin McEntee and goalkeeper Jack Hamilton keeping The Pars at bay in the second period. As Dunfermline upped the ante in the closing stages, sub Lewis McGrattan drove into the box and unleashed a shot which struck defender Mark Connolly on the arm. Gary Oliver used all his experience to slot the resulting penalty past Owain Fon-Williams, rounding off an impressive win for The Ton.

Morton and Dunfermline shared the spoils in the opening league match of the season at Cappielow. Morton took a first half lead from the spot in the twenty-third minute after Pars goalkeeper Ross Graham was adjudged to have fouled striker Gozie Ugwu in challenging for a high ball. Striker Gary Oliver remained cool and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to give The Ton a 1-0 lead at half time.

Dunfermline fought their way back into the match in the second period, drawing level five minutes after the restart. A Josh Edwards drive was parried away by Jack Hamilton, with his save cannoning off the chest of full-back Lewis Strapp and into the path of Nikolai Todorov, who made no mistake from short range. Kevin O’Hara looked to have secured all three points for the away side, smashing the ball home after a corner into the box caused a ‘stramash’. Youngster Lewis McGrattan managed to snatch a point for the home side, as his cross-come-shot took a deflection before sneaking in at the back post.

Opposition Analysis

The Championship’s basement side are currently struggling in the form book. The Pars were consigned to the foot of the table on a fortnight ago as a result of their loss to Arbroath coupled with Queen of the South’s 3-0 win again Morton. They are currently five matches without a win, with a draw against Ayr United, a defeat and draw with Kilmarnock, defeat to Arbroath and a draw with Hamilton their reward for their recent endeavours.

John Hughes’ side are currently the Championship’s lowest scorers (26 goals in 28 matches played), have conceded the second highest number of goals (43 goals against in 28 matches played), have taken the second least number of shots (8.29 per 90 minutes) and have committed the lowest number of fouls (9.64 per 90 minutes).

Photo - GBR Photographs.

Betting Guide

All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7am on 17^th March 2022 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.

Dunfermline’s home advantage appears to be the only thing splitting the sides, with 6/4 your reward if you back the hosts, with The Ton slightly longer odds at 17/10. If you fancy a repeat of Morton’s previous visit to East End Park, you can back a Morton win with BTTS at 9/2. You can also back Dougie Imrie’s side to keep a clean sheet at odds of 21/10.

Match Officials

Referee – Kevin Clancy

AR1 – John McCrossan

AR2 – Chris Rae

Fourth Official – Chris Fordyce