O’Hara opens his account

“We have good forward players so if I can keep making the runs to get in the box hopefully they can just deliver like they did against East Fife.”

Kevin O’Hara went out on loan to East Fife in season 2016-2017 and so Saturday’s winning goal in the pre season friendly was not his first at New Bayview but it was still a landmark as his first as a Dunfermline player. His third minute strike turned out to be the match winner and he was delighted to get off the mark especially after being frustrated in the midweek friendly at Spartans. He told the website:-

“I was a bit disappointed with myself on Tuesday night for missing a few chances and the keeper saving them but it is always good to get the first goal.

“We have great quality now, the gaffer has brought in a good squad. We have good forward players so if I can keep making the runs to get in the box hopefully they can just deliver like they did against East Fife.”

Kevin’s goal came from a short taken free kick by Fraser Murray to Ryan Dow who played a superb ball into the right side of the East Fife penalty box and the on loan Hibee cut back a great ball for Kevin to tuck the ball away at the near post. Kevin timed his run perfectly to be just deep enough for Murray’s pass to deny the East Fife defenders the chance to intercept.

Fraser Murray is just one of three young Scotland players that Stevie Crawford has signed on loan in the last week. Rangers’ Lewis Mayo made his debut in this game and for Celtic’s Kerr McInroy it was his first start. Kevin appreciates the very capable team mates that he now finds around about him:-

“There is always a good buzz when a new signing comes in. It makes competition for places and that always brings the best out of players.

“The training has been very good, it has been tough as well. We need to get the minutes into our legs in games but there have been some hard and some good sessions in training, I cannot complain too much.”

Kevin agreed that it was a little strange that having left Alloa Athletic to join Dunfermline that he finds himself still training at the Indodrill Stadium but since he lives in Stirling he is not complaining. The 22 year old who scored 14 goals in his 35 appearances for the Wasps last season, feels that he is benefiting from Stevie Crawford’s insight as an international striker:-

“The manager puts on good sessions with Shieldsie and Dan and with the manager being a forward player like myself he helps me in wee scenarios that can happen in a game and for shooting as well. Whitts has been good with us at training as well. We have built a good squad and we are hoping to finish as high as we can, we just cannot wait for the Dumbarton game to come.

“Dec (McManus) and I are looking sharp together in training, hopefully we can strike up a good partnership for this season and get Dunfermline right up the top of the table.”

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