The Show goes on

Boss claims it is not just the Thomas-Murray Show but hopefully it is on for a prolonged run

Harry Kane has set up seven goals for Son Heung-min this season and like the Spurs combination, Thomas - Murray is a developing partnership that has been at the heart of Dunfermline’s best ever start to a season. Euan Murray has scored five goals and in every case whether from free kicks or corner kicks, Dom Thomas has been credited with the assist.

On Saturday they combined for the Pars opening goal 21 minutes into the first half, Dom’s corner from the left was met by Euan who had shed his marker Gregor Buchanan to head home. Dom then provided Paul Watson the chance 15 minutes into the second chance to score Dunfermline’s third and ultimate winner.

Modestly Dom who signed for Dunfermline on a permanent basis in July 2020 after a period on loan from Kilmarnock in the 2019-2020 season, commented on his two targets Euan Murray and Paul Watson:-

“The main thing is to get three points and climb up the table. It is great having two great threats from corners and setpieces. I think they are now starting to put two on Muzz, that leaves Paul free. I was glad to see him get on the end of it and putting it in the back of the net.

“We do lot of work on it on the training ground, it is a key point to win games. We work on it with the gaffer and both the coaches and the hard work on the training ground is paying off on the pitch.”

As Stevie Crawford pointed out in his post match comments it is not just the Thomas-Murray Show. Of the Pars sixteen goals from their first six competitive matches four have been shared around. Kevin O’Hara has scored four, Ryan Dow, Declan McManus and Fraser Murray have two each and Paul Watson is on one. Could they possibly be kind enough set one up for Dom? He claimed:-

“It is great to chip in with assists for the team but I would love one of them. It would be nice for somebody to put one on a plate for me.”

Given he used to play for Saturday’s opponents Queen of the South he might not have been fair to celebrate a goal against the club he was loaned out to in January 2017. Dom made 18 appearances for the Dumfries club before joining Kilmarnock on a three year deal in July 2017. A further loan deal saw him return to QOS for another 14 games.

Saturday’s match was played in blustery wet conditions but the match was played out despite it being such a nasty day for football. Dom described it:-

“Playing in Scotland it is not going to be sunshine and rainbows. You have got to play the conditions as well, I thought we did that. We got ourselves ahead in the game and I thought the first half was very comfortable. We played good football but Queens came out and had a go. They caused us problems but again we stood strong and everything that they threw at us to get the three points.”

Stephen Dobbie was one of Dom’s former team mates but he added “there were not a lot of players that I played with when I was there.”

Despite the lack of familiarity it was clear that the opposition feared the threat from Dom as he had plenty of attention paid to him, he continued:-

“I had two or three on me but credit to Queen of the South, they have obviously watched us and seen it as a threat. For me I just have to change my game and bring other people into it. I think it worked very well just playing the ball into Declan and Kerr McInroy in the middle of the park. We got a lot of joy out of it.

“We are winning games and playing good football now. I honestly feel that we can play better, do better and put on better performances. Maximum points from the first three games puts us top but we will take it game by game. We look forward to Ayr United on Saturday.”

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