both teams were competing in the scottish first division at the time of the final and despite being ranked at opposite ends of the league table, st johnstone in third and dunfermline in ninth, both teams were in relatively bad form. st johnstone had drawn seven games from thirteen and were nine points behind second placed dundee; whilst dunfermline had won only three games in thirteen and were two points off the bottom of the table. the match was the first time the clubs had met in the challenge cup, however, they had already played each other twice in the season in the first division; both matches ended in 0–0 draws.