Preview: Dunfermline v St Johnstone - Desperate Pars need ‘any sort of win’ to kick-start their season

STRIKER Andy Kirk admits Dunfermline are “desperate” for a first home win of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League season against St Johnstone today.

The Pars have taken just four points from their eight previous home games and sit at the foot of the SPL following one win and ten defeats in their last 14 matches. Kirk said: “We’re in desperate need of a result. It’s important to get a win. Everyone’s putting the emphasis on a home win, but we’d take any sort of win at the moment. The quicker we can get it out of the way the better.”

The Pars are behind Hibernian on goal difference, with Inverness a point better off. But Kirk insists one positive result could change their season. “We’ve had a lot of bad results of late and conceded a lot of bad goals,” Kirk said. “It knocks your confidence, but you’ve got to get it out of your system. The boys have to work hard to try and put it right and hopefully we’ll get a result and we can maybe kick on from there.”

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Kirk scored four times in four games at the start of the season, but only once since August. However, the Northern Irishman takes confidence from displays at the beginning of the campaign, which included a 1-0 win at St Johnstone when he scored the winner. The 32-year-old, who has been a substitute in the last two games, added: “Thankfully we got off to a good start because it’s kept us in and around teams. There’s a few teams clumped together and it only takes two or three results. If we can put a couple of results together it will help.”

Meanwhile, St Johnstone manager Steve Lomas is in no danger of foregoing his positive approach despite his honeymoon period coming to an abrupt end with three consecutive defeats.

Lomas could hardly have enjoyed a better start to his first major managerial role, taking seven points from games against Rangers, Hibernian and Hearts. A run of three home games gave St Johnstone the chance to push Motherwell for third in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, but they lost to Stuart McCall’s team as well as Aberdeen – in a game played in gale force winds and torrential rain – and Celtic.

Lomas remains upbeat, though, and he has every right to be optimistic going into today’s clash in Fife after captain Jody Morris and top goalscorer Francisco Sandaza returned to training following injury.

Lomas said: “Nothing has changed. We got beat by the second-placed team and the third-placed team and to be honest the Aberdeen game was a bit of a lottery. I didn’t think it should have gone ahead but it did and the conditions had a major effect on the game. I’m still positive, we have a great bunch of boys. We are not going in with any apprehension – we are looking forward to the challenge.”

Another cause for optimism is St Johnstone’s away record – they have only lost once on the road this season, against Hibs, and only conceded two goals in the other eight away games. “It’s a wonderful game to have after three defeats, a different sort of game,” Lomas said. “They are fighting for their lives, so it’s all set up for a great game.”

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