Kevin is catalyst and converter

“I will take it and the three points are all that matters to the boys.”

Dunfermline’s top goalscorer Kevin O’Hara believes that Ayr United will be looking over their shoulders and taking a greater than usual interest in the result of their Ayrshire rivals this Saturday. While Ayr host Inverness Caledonian Thistle, 13 miles up the A77 Kilmarnock host Dunfermline Athletic before the two clash the following week at East End Park. Kevin stuck to the commitment to take it one game at a time:-

“We are trying to finish as high as we can and right now we are just looking at the Kilmarnock game and picking up as many points as we can. We will take it from there.

“Killie away is never easy and they are flying just now. So it will be a tough game but we will go there with a game plan that hopefully we can put into practice. It will be a big game for both sides, they are going for the league as well, as we are for safety. It will be really good game to play in.”

Kevin confirmed that the mood of the Pars squad has been buoyed by the 2-0 win over Raith Rovers in midweek and he enjoyed notching both the strikes:-

“It is good to get the three points in a derby, that’s an extra bonus and the confidence is high. It is a nice feeling, nice to get the two goals but the most important thing is the three points for the team. I thought it was a real good team performance right from the start and the game plan went perfect.”

The 23 year old’s goals were his first since the end of October and he continued:-

“It has been a while since I scored so that will get my confidence back up in front of goal, it was good to score.”

Kevin’s 34th minute opener was followed by a second eleven minutes from the end. He described his second and a chance just before it that could have earned him his second career hattrick:-

“I probably should have scored with the left foot if I’m being harsh on myself. Then when Dom put the ball into the box, it was my job to stop the keeper coming out. The ball dropped right in front of me and I managed to get it just over the line. It was a scrappy goal but I will take it and the three points are all that matters to the boys.”

Kevin claimed that the team will take massive confidence from those three points while describing his new expanded role in the team imposed upon him by manager John Hughes:-

“Obviously he says that I’m the catalyst for the side, I need to get after the ball and make sure that I win the ball high up the pitch. That is how I am seeing it. I have to do a job for the team defensively as well as offensively and if the goals come that is a bonus.”

Every game is a must win right now and Dunfermline need to take that their best performances into the games from now until the end of the season. Despite the perilous league position there are no signs of any nervousness and Kevin suggested why that might be the case:-

“I think it’s because we have played well in the last few games except at Inverness. We have been playing good stuff and when we are at it with high intensity I think that we are really good.

“It has not been a great season for everybody involved at the club. We just have to knuckle down, work hard every day in training and put it right by the end of the season.”

Related Stories

• Preview Kilmarnock
• Dunfermline 2 Raith Rovers 0
• Join us for The Run In – 2 Match Ticket Bundle available