Kevin to the four
Monday, 2nd Dec 2019Kevin Nisbet - “Last season was the last-chance saloon and I’ve kicked on from there.”
Kevin Nisbet extinguished the hurt of Scottish Cup defeat by banging in four goals past the unfortunate Jags. He got off the mark in just the fourth minute of Saturday’s league game:-
“It was good to bounce back after the week before and obviously them having a man sent-off in the first few minutes helped us and getting the penalty helped us settle into the game.”
The 22 year old notched a hat trick in 27 first half minutes, only his second ever after netting his first ever against Albion Rovers in the Betfred Cup earlier this season. He felt it was a great win and was delighted to go one better and grab a fourth in just the fourth minute after the restart:-
“It was an easy tap-in early in the second half. I’ve never scored four before; last year I struggled to score three! The penalties obviously help but it’s a team effort and after last week it was great to bounce back with a win.”
His third goal was the most special, he described it:- “I just took a touch and hit it. I don’t think I’ll hit a better one this season, it just flew into the bottom corner.”
Tom Beadling made an important assist for Kevin’s fourth and the Pars fifth. Kevin added:- “It was unbelievable and I told him after it. He’s taken the ball with the outside of his foot and played it into me for a simple tap-in.
“I had just come on, scored that one, and then got taken off! We’ve got a game on Tuesday so it was just a precaution, to keep the legs for then”.
For Partick who arrived seeking points to lift them off the foot of the table it was doubly painful that it was one off their former players who did most of the damage. Kevin started his career in PatrickThistle’s Weir Academy, had successful on loan spells with East Stirling, Ayr United and Dumbarton while also making 15 appearances for Partick Thistle. He was clear that it felt good to net against them:-
“I scored one at Firhill the last time and to score four this time is great. Obviously, it’s one for the doubters.”
Kevin agreed that he felt that he could have done better there before leaving Thistle in the summer of 2018:-
“It was down to me as well. My attitude wasn’t great when I was there. I didn’t work hard enough, on and off the field. My lifestyle off the field wasn’t great but I’ve changed that now, I’ve matured, and I think I’ve become a better player.
“Back then, I was on a two-year deal, I had just signed an extension, and I just let it pass me by. But Raith last season was the last-chance saloon and I’ve kicked on from there.”
Kevin scored 34 goals last season for the Kirkcaldy club and by the end of November had scored half of them. This four on Saturday takes this season’s total to 15 and if that’s the half way point to this season’s tally it will be well received. He continued:-
“I just want to score as many as I can and help the team. We’re on a decent run - apart from last week.”
Seven of last season’s total were scored from the penalty spot with a one hundred percent success rate, that has grown his confidence with penalties:-
“The last one I missed was Dumbarton, years ago, when I put it right over the bar. So, I keep them low and I don’t really have a favoured side, I just go with what I think at the time. It’s worked in the past and it’s working now as well.”
Revealing that he had never had to address the psychology of taking a second penalty in the same game, Kevin said:-
“I’ve not been in that situation before but, after scoring the first one, it’s just about hitting the target in the corners, and I did that. I think you always expect the keeper to go the way you hit the first one.
“Even with the first one I saw the keeper saying to ‘Banzo’ (Stuart Bannigan) that I was going to the side I scored. It was just a bit of psychology but for me, I just stick with the side I’m going to go. Thankfully, both times I scored.”
The Pars striker dismissed newspaper speculation about interest in him from Rangers:- “I don’t take any notice of that. For me, it’s just about what I do here. It’s purely about Dunfermline. Everything else just gets put to one side, it’s full focus on Dunfermline.
“That’s four wins in a row and we’re creating a fortress, people don’t want to come and play here. It’s great for the lads and great for the team. Now we go to Ayr with a chance to go into the top four.”
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