International call-ups see game postponed

Dunfermline have been granted permission by the SPFL for next month’s Championship clash with Morton to be postponed because of international call-ups.

The Pars are already going to be without the services of teenage striker Callum Smith after he and defender Stuart Morrison, who is on loan at Edinburgh City, were included in the Scotland under-19s squad for three Euro qualifiers.

Defenders Ryan Williamson, who made his international debut against England earlier this month, and Lewis Martin are also in line to be named early next week in Scot Gemmill’s under-21s selection for the double-header against Latvia and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, skipper Callum Morris was an unused substitute for Northern Ireland in their recent World Cup qualifiers against Germany and Norway, and is again in Michael O’Neill’s thoughts for the play-offs against Switzerland in a fortnight.

Clubs are able to ask for postponements if three or more first-team players are due to miss a game and the Pars have taken that option for the visit of Morton on November 11.

Manager Allan Johnston said: “Callum and Stuart have been called up and hopefully the other boys get called up for the under21s and Northern Ireland as well.

“It means we’ve asked to get the Morton game postponed, because it’s a massive game.

“We couldn’t afford to lose three or four of our best players on international duty.”

Meanwhile, Dunfermline are expecting a tougher test against Inverness Caley Thistle tomorrow than the last time the teams faced each other in August.

The Pars thumped their newlyrelegated opponents 5-1 on that occasion, but the Highlanders are unbeaten in their last four and have not lost a goal in that time.

Johnston, whose side won for the first time in four games, against Livingston, last weekend, added: “I’m sure Inverness will be totally different to when we faced them the last time.

“If you look at their last four games, they’ve not lost a goal, so that shows they’re defending a lot better.”