Match Preview: Cowdenbeath v Dundee

Finally it looks like there will be football action returning to Central Park this Saturday as bottom of the table Dundee head to Fife to take on Cowdenbeath in a game that will mark the debut of the recently upgraded floodlight system.  Bary Smith's side may be bottom of the table but only due to a points deduction - in fact without it they would be top of the table on goal difference which tells us that this is going to be a tricky game for The Blue Brazil.

Jimmy Nicholl welcomes defenders Joe Mbu and Kenny Adamson back into the squad after injury while recent recruit Archie Campbell, on loan from Rangers, is line to make his debut. Nicholl also hopes to tie up one or two further new signings ahead of the game.

Our recent form has not been promising with no goals scored since our last home game against Stirling Albion almost 3 months ago.  Since then though we haven't played a home match and it is our home form which has been the source of the majority of our points this season. Nicholl will be hoping to turn Central Park into a fortress until the end of the season and we couldn't start with a much harder task.

In the last 8 league games Dundee have picked up 22 points - 9 more than Queen of the South who are on the 2nd best form in the league. Worryingly Cowden sit tied bottom with Stirling Albion with only 4 points picked up in this time. In this time the Dens Park side have conceded only 1 goal while we have conceded 20.  Not a good omen for Nicholl's men especially considering we haven't scored in our last 5 games but new signings Lewis Coult and Archie Campbell (pictured courtesy of Rangers FC) will be looking to change that statistic. It should be noted that the last team to beat Dundee in the league was the Blue Brazil by 2 goals to 1 at Central Park back in September.

This date has seen little action for Cowden in recent years - in fact we have only had one game on this date in the past 20 or 30 years which was a 2-1 win away to Montrose in the league in 2005.  Goals that day came from Darren Gribben and Ryan McCallum. Dundee have had a slightly less favourable time admittedly against slightly stronger opposition - draws away to Aberdeen and a derby match against Dundee United.

Match of the day fact of the week: Dundee have kept the most clean sheets in our division this season with 11 shut outs.  This is only bettered by Celtic who have kept 13.      

*Please note that segregation is in place for this game. Click here to read the segregation policy.

Visit Kick Talk radio to hear a pre-match interview with Jimmy Nicholl and match analysis.