Dunfermline Athletic face a key test of their promotion credentials when they travel to face league leaders Stenhousemuir on Tuesday night. The Championship fixture at Ochilview Park kicks off at 19:45 and offers the Pars a chance to cut into an eight-point deficit at the top of the table.
Dunfermline go into the match sitting fifth in the division with 15 points from their opening 10 games, having recorded three wins and six draws from those matches. Their recent form shows three draws and a win from their last five outings, a sequence that began with a heavy friendly defeat to Aberdeen earlier this month. The most recent result was a 1-0 away victory over Queen's Park last Friday, secured by a first-half goal from R. MacLeod, assisted by A. Tod. This followed a 1-1 home draw with Partick on Tuesday 20 October, where A. Tod scored the equaliser, and a goalless draw with Livingston on Saturday 17 October.
Recent form
Stenhousemuir's own form has been mixed, with a loss to Partick Thistle last Friday following a draw with Raith Rovers and a win over Ayr United. Dunfermline's last starting lineup, used in the 1-1 draw with Partick on October 20, featured A. Oxborough in goal and A. Tod providing an assist. The team has been solid defensively this season, conceding only six goals in the league while scoring eight, giving them a goal difference of plus two. Their top scorer this season is T. Oakley-Boothe, who has yet to find the net in his 22 appearances.
The match is the ninth round of the Championship regular season. A win for Dunfermline would significantly tighten the race at the top, while a defeat would allow the gap to grow. The next fixture after this trip to Ochilview is another important league encounter.
Team news for the visit to Stenhousemuir will be confirmed closer to kick-off on Tuesday evening.
