Smashing Ashy
Friday, 8th Mar 2019“We are into that fourth position now and it is up to us to keep us there as long as we can. If we keep the results going .....
“Smashing” was how Dunfermline Athletic captain Lee Ashcroft described the feeling of winning four matches in a row. He said:-
“It has been a long hard season so far so it is good to go on a run like that. Before it, they looked four hard games and we have done well. Hopefully we can keep that going on Saturday.
“I have said all the time that we do have a good squad but it has been frustrating for everybody. We have been the ones more than anybody that felt we were due to go on a run. It might have taken longer than we wanted but we won’t get ahead of ourselves because it is only four games.
“Four great wins that have put us in a play off place. Obviously Inverness have a game in hand and they did well at the weekend to get into the Semi Final of the Scottish Cup.
“When you get clean sheets you always give your strikers the chance of getting the goals. It is not just us, the full team defended well. We have had tough periods in those four games but we have dug it out as a team. Ayr away, Inverness at home and in the three home games we have had spells in the game when we have had to get behind the ball and get on with it.
“We have done that well as a team and we have played better in second halves that we in the first in the majority of those games. The clean sheet gives you something to build on. In three games we have won 1-0.”
Defending has been important, assisted by Callum Davidson’s arrival, Lee explained how that has never been so apparent:-
“It has not been pretty at times but it has worked for us and been effective. The hardest part was probably against Ayr away. At one point in the first half we had a really hard 15-20 minute spell but we dug it out as a team and got behind the ball. They were on top of us but we got through that spell. We nicked the goal and after that we could have scored two or three.
“Alloa is a hard place to go. Jim has got them playing well and he gets the best out of players. We have had some hard games against them already this season but we are full of confidence and we can go there and keep that run going.
“We have played Alloa a lot already this season and know that they don’t give you a minute. It is going to be a similar game again but it is all about us sticking together. If we can get a goal in front then with the confidence from the last four games then hopefully we can keep that run going.”
Since the change in management came in targets have been set and although now in the top four those targets are still there to achieve. Lee continued:-
“We are into that fourth position now and it is up to us to keep us there as long as we can. If we keep the results going, and I can’t see why we can’t keep pushing. It puts pressure on Inverness to win the game in hand. I don’t knowing when it is but if we concentrate on ourselves and if we keep getting results we will definitely be up there.
“When you start winning it becomes a habit and when the winning feeling comes back you want more of it.
“Obviously when things are not going well, it is definitely hard to get out of it. A lot of teams in the league this year have found that similar to ourselves. Queen of the South are on one who have gone on runs, that are not easy to get out of. We have stuck together, four games in the space of three weeks - four great results but it is about going again on Saturday to build on that.”
Lee praised the management team for letting the Pars players know how they want them to play.
“There is still more time to work on it but the games are coming thick and fast. They have let us know how they want us to play and it has turned. The first couple of games we played well under them trying to get the results.
“Results are good for the fans as well. It has been a frustrating season for everybody around the club. We have nine big games coming up . We will try and keep that momentum for as long as we can.”
Match Sponsors, Brian Taylor Groundworks Ltd to East End Park, selected Lee Ashcroft for the Man of the Match Award at Saturday’s match against Queen of the South.
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