-0.37 points a game is the venue form gap, in Partick Thistle's favour: Ayr United takes 1.04 a game at home over the last two seasons, Partick Thistle 1.41 away.
Ayr United: 46 league matches in the bank, 10 from this season and the rest from last season. Partick Thistle: 45 league matches in the bank, 9 from this season and the rest from last season.
The question this step asks
Step two is HOME AND AWAY FORM -- the home side judged on its home record, the away side on its away record, because those are the records that will be on the pitch. The last five reach back into last season where this season is too young to answer, and say so.
The two sides
Ayr United -- at home
Its record at the relevant venue
This season at home: won 1, drew 2, lost 2 of 5, scoring 5 and conceding 6. Last season at home: won 4, drew 7, lost 7 of 18, scoring 17 and conceding 22 -- 1.06 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: drew with Dunfermline Athletic 1-1 at home; beat Livingston 2-1 away; lost to Stenhousemuir 0-1 at home; beat Queen's Park 2-0 away; lost to Inverness CT 1-3 at home.
The dugout
The banked record belongs to the club, not one man: 3 different managers took its 22 matches with one recorded (10, 6, 6 apiece), most recently Gary Naysmith with 10. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Partick Thistle -- away
Its record at the relevant venue
This season away: won 2, drew 1, lost 1 of 4, scoring 4 and conceding 3. Last season away: won 5, drew 9, lost 4 of 18, scoring 23 and conceding 24 -- 1.33 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: beat Livingston 2-1 away; beat Arbroath 3-0 at home; drew with Raith Rovers 0-0 at home; lost to Stenhousemuir 0-1 away; beat Ayr United 1-0 at home.
The dugout
Every one of the 20 banked matches with a manager recorded was taken by Mark Wilson. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Built 22:01 from matches completed before
kick-off. Every figure is an observed count with its denominator —
not a forecast, and nothing here is a tip or a selection.