DUNFERMLINE head for the capital to face Heart of Midlothian in a top of the table clash in the Championship this afternoon.

Ahead of kick off, nine points separate the pacesetting Jam Tarts and the second-placed Pars, who also have a game in hand against Raith Rovers next Wednesday.

With two wins, they could move within three points of the summit, but to do that they'll have to bust a near 31-year wait for a league win at Tynecastle Park.

Not since February 10 1990, under the charge of Jim Leishman, has an Athletic side left Gorgie with maximum points, when Ross Jack and George O'Boyle grabbed the goals in a 2-0 success.

Although success has been few and far between in the maroon half of Edinburgh for those of a Dunfermline persuasion since then, there have been plenty of memorable clashes between the clubs, including at East End.

Here, Press Sport takes a look at some of them. What are your favourite memories of clashes between Hearts and the Pars?

1: - Dunfermline 2-1 Hearts, November 20, 2020.

To kick off, lets look back at the most recent encounter between the clubs, this season.

Pre-season title favourites Hearts arrived at East End for a Friday night clash under the lights, beamed live to the nation on BBC Scotland, unbeaten and had progressed to the 2020 Scottish Cup final against arch-rivals Hibernian.

Dunfermline were also defending an unbeaten record, and had won every match at home, and produced an excellent performance to maintain it.

READ MORE: Jim Jefferies on Hearts' clash with former club

After a scoreless first half, Dom Thomas' deflected opener shortly after the break gave Stevie Crawford's team the lead, before he set up captain Euan Murray to double the advantage.

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Although Stephen Kingsley pulled one back for the Jambos late on, the Pars held out to secure a memorable win.

2: - Hearts 2-2 Dunfermline, July 29, 2017.

Given Athletic's record in Gorgie, this one has to go down in the win column - and, technically, it was.

This was the final match in the Betfred Cup's Group B and was, in effect, a winner takes all scenario.

Ian Cathro's hosts needed a win to be sure of progress, whilst a draw would do for Allan Johnston's visitors, who were backed by a large and vocal following on their first visit to Tynecastle in around five and a half years.

It started well for Hearts, with Don Cowie shooting across Sean Murdoch to give them a 20th lead, but that was soon wiped out.

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A fine move from Dunfermline ended with Joe Cardle, at the edge of the penalty area, turning brilliantly away from his man before curling a superb shot into the back of the net.

Then, seven minutes into the second half, the Pars sent their fans wild with a brilliant goal on the counter attack.

Ryan Williamson won the ball back at the edge of his own penalty box, which was picked up by Kallum Higginbotham.

The current Kelty Hearts star clipped a fine ball forward down the right hand side for Callum Smith to give chase, who eased his way beyond the slipping John Souttar, before finding Declan McManus.

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After controlling the ball just inside the area, the Pars hitman - who could lead the line today - moved the ball onto his right foot before firing home from around 15 yards.

With four minutes to go, Esmael Gonçalves sent away nerves jangling with a Hearts leveller, before Cole Stockon blasted wide from close range when it looked easier to score.

Dunfermline held on and, to add to Hearts' misery, they won the bonus point penalty shoot-out as Michael Paton, Scott Lochhead and Nat Wedderburn sealed a 3-1 success.

Cathro, currently first team coach with Wolverhampton Wanderers, was dismissed three days later.

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3: - Dunfermline 1-0 Hearts, February 3, 2007

The 2006/07 season was, largely, a forgettable one for Dunfermline.

A campaign of struggle in the SPL, which saw Jim Leishman step down from the manager's role to be replaced by Stephen Kenny, would, ultimately, see them relegated to the First Division.

Between mid-December and February, they even went nine league games without so much as a goal, and even though their form improved later in the season, it wasn't enough to beat the drop.

In the Scottish Cup, however, it was a different story and, after stunning Rangers 3-2 at East End in the third round, holders Hearts were next up.

A huge away support helped create an excellent crowd of more than 9,000 inside the old ground, which witnessed a extremely dramatic conclusion.

The game was heading for a scoreless draw, and a replay at Tynecastle, when the Pars were awarded a free-kick heading into injury time.

Owen Morrison played the ball to Liverpool loanee Adam Hammill, whose cross found the head of Scott Wilson to nod home at the Norrie McCathie Stand end, and send the home support into ecstasy.

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Scott Wilson nods in the winners in 2007. Photo: DAFC.

The Pars went on to reach the final, also eliminating Partick Thistle and Hibernian, before a late Jean-Joel Perrier Doumbe goal for Celtic defeated them in the final.

4:- Hearts 7-1 Dunfermline, February 24, 2001

This one was memorable for all the wrong reasons if you're a Dunfermline fan as Hearts ran riot at Tynecastle.

Jimmy Calderwood's Pars, back in the SPL after promotion, had acquitted themselves well on their return and were fifth going into the match.

However, they had no answer to Craig Levein's side, who took the lead as early as the fifth minute from Stephane Adam.

Andy Kirk - who would go on to play for the Pars and enjoy a successful five-year spell - doubled their advantage before Colin Cameron made it 3-0 by the half hour mark.

A double substitution by Calderwood at 1-0 failed to have the desired effect, with Adam netting his second, and Hearts' fourth, before half-time.

Almost immediately after the restart, Cameron made it 5-0 and, although current first team coach, Jason Dair, pulled one back, Kirk and Robert Tomaschek completed a particularly miserable capital outing for Dunfermline.

5:- Hearts 1-1 Dunfermline, December 1, 2001

In the first trip back to Gorgie since the 7-1 rout, Dunfermline as close as they have done in many years to ending their Tynecastle hoodoo.

Calderwood's side were much improved from that display and, in the 73rd minute, looked on course for victory when Barry Nicholson slotted beyond Antti Niemi after playing a neat one-two with Lee Bullen.

But, deep into stoppage time, their hopes were dashed in controversial fashion when Ricardo Fuller went down under Justin Skinner's challenge in the penalty area.

Despite furious protests from the visitors, a spot-kick was awarded, and Stephen Simmons - another who would go on to play for Dunfermline - rescued a point for Hearts.

What are your favourite memories of past Dunfermline v Hearts encounters? Let us know in the comments and on social media!