Match Preview: Dumbarton (Away)

Dumbarton  V  Raith Rovers The Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium Saturday 21st November 2015 Kick off: 3.00pm

Match Admission: 

Adult – £18

Concessions – £9

Parent and Child – £24

Match Preview: 

After the international break left a gap in both Raith and Dumbarton’s fixture list last weekend, the teams go head-to-head at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium this Saturday, with both sides looking for their first win in November.

Rovers 2-1 loss to Falkirk a fortnight ago, saw them go three matches without a win, while Dumbarton’s defeat to Queen of the South last time out, means their last three points came against Livingston at the beginning of October. While Dumbarton remained in ninth place after last week’s round of games, Rovers slipped outside the top-four for the first time since September, after Morton’s 2-0 win over Queen of the South saw them skip over Ray McKinnon’s men into fourth.

The clubs last meeting was at Stark’s Park in September, when a tight affair was settled by a Lewis Toshney header ten minutes into the second-period. It was an unusually low-scoring encounter, in a fixture that generally produces goals. with the ten meetings prior to that 1-0 win producing an incredible 42 goals.

While Raith have a fine record against Dumbarton, their record at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium since the Sons returned to the second-flight, suggests Saturday’s match will be a close-run-thing, with two wins, two draws and two defeats in the six trips. Rovers last win was a 4-2 victory in October 2013, when goals from Calum Elliot, Dougie Hill, Greig Spence and Lewis Vaughan sealed a 4-2 victory, a result at the time which stretched Raith’s unbeaten run to seven matches.

Last season saw Rovers lose on their first visit to the stadium, despite holding the upper-hand for large swathes of the match. Scott Agnew put Dumbarton ahead after 20 minutes, but Mark Stewart equalised with 25 minutes remaining. However, with the match approaching full-time, Dumbarton were awarded a late penalty, which Agnew dispatched to make the final score 2-1.

Rovers second visit was the final match of last season, which saw Laurie Ellis take charge of the match in a caretaker capacity. In a ding-dong affair, Mark Stewart and an incredible long-range strike from Lewis Vaughan put Rovers 2-1 up, but that man Agnew spoiled the party once again, with his late equaliser meaning the match finished all-square.

Raith’s recent record in the head-to-head sits at six wins and two draws from the last ten meetings.

Saturday’s match referee will be Greg Aitken.

Head-to-Head League Record at Dumbarton:

Dumbarton Wins: 27 | Raith Rovers Wins: 18 | Draws: 9

Dumbarton Goals: 118 | Raith Rovers Goals: 83

Current Form:

Dumbarton: L-W-L-L-L-L

Raith Rovers: W-W-W-L-L-L

Top Goalscorers:

Dumbarton: Garry Fleming 3 | Grant Gallagher 3

Raith Rovers: Mark Stewart 4 | Kyle Benedictus 3

Match Odds:

Dumbarton: 2/1 | Raith Rovers: 13/10 | Draw: 5/2

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