Dunfermline Athletic go into Saturday’s clash with bitter foes Falkirk as officially the UK’s lowest scorers in senior league football.
It is an unwanted record they share with the stars of Crystal Palace in the English Premier League.
Despite boasting the likes of England internationalists Eberechi Eze and Eddie Nketiah, as well as French Olympian Jean-Philippe Mateta in attack, the Eagles have netted only five times in eight winless games.
The Pars’ own tally of just a handful of goals from their nine league games so far is the poorest across the SPFL – ‘beating’ Championship rivals Airdrie and Raith Rovers’ meagre total of six.
Inverness Caley Thistle and Annan Athletic in League One have bagged just seven goals, whilst Forfar Athletic are the lowest scorers in League Two with seven.
An inability to convert chances into goals has been one of Dunfermline’s biggest failings so far this season.
On Saturday, in their goalless draw at home to Morton, the Pars enjoyed 12 shots at goal and four on target but failed to find a way past Cappielow keeper Gary Woods.
With Dapo Mebude and Lewis McCann unavailable through injury, they finished the game with Chris Kane, David Wotherspoon, Kane Ritchie-Hosler and Josh Cooper all hunting in vain for a breakthrough in attack.
Pars hampered by injuries
It was the fifth time the Fifers have drawn a blank in their nine league games.
Against Queen’s Park last month, the Fifers had a season’s-best 14 shots but managed to get just three on target in a narrow 2-1 defeat.
Manager James McPake was hampered earlier in the campaign with injuries to star striker Chris Kane, Craig Wighton and Matty Todd.
And he was only given clearance late in the transfer window by the East End Park hierarchy to bolster his threadbare squad with the likes of Josh Cooper and Mebude.
However, with improvements clear in recent weeks, including three clean sheets in six weeks, the Pars boss is fully aware of the need for his team to get greater rewards for their attacking intent.
“The performance was the best it’s been in a while,” said McPake after Saturday’s game.
“But, ultimately, it was the three points we wanted and it’s certainly two points dropped with the way we dominated that game.
“Games are won and lost normally in the six-yard box. I think we defended our own box and our own goal well.
“But at the other end we weren’t clinical enough.”
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