Hot Toddy is toast of the team

“It`s probably my best ever goal as well. I`m delighted to get another goal, it`s what I want to add to my game,

The second goal in the two nil win away to Clyde on Tuesday evening will be remembered long and fondly by every Pars fan, player and coach present. Not just did Matty Todd lob keeper Neil Parry, he hit his shot from the edge of the centre circle.

The goal in the third minute of added time signalled the mass exodus of home supporters while in contrast it sparked off an exuberant celebration that was worthy of such an impressive strike. Not a bad way to end the game and the goalscorer modestly agreed:-

“You could say that, yeah! It was a stuffy game, but we came here for three points, and we`ve left with that, thankfully. It`s a good result.”

His manager was full of praise for Matty’s goal saying it was the best goal in any match that he had managed. A huge compliment which prompted Matty to respond and agree that it was his best ever as well:-

“I`ll take that off the manager! It`s probably my best ever goal as well. I`m delighted to get another goal, it`s what I want to add to my game, and it makes it better that come away from here with three points tonight.”

At that stage in the match James McPake was encouraging his players to keep possession but he was delighted that Matty had taken the opportunity to shoot for goal. The 21 year old admitted that the option was possibly his best as he was running out of energy:-

“To be fair, I just turned to Joe Chalmers, about two minutes earlier, and I said, ‘Joe, I can`t run!’ I was just going to keep the ball but I think everyone in the stand just said shoot. I`ve just tried it and it`s gone in, thankfully!

“The gaffer said that he had wanted a few boys to run into the corner, but with the keeper that far off his line, it`s something that I just thought why not? We`ll take a chance, and it went in!”

In October 2020 Matty scored his first senior goal while on loan at Brechin City. His strike against Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill that day was an impressive one from outside the box but nothing to compare with his latest.

“The boys were thinking it was in our own half, but it was probably just inside the centre circle. That was definitely my best goal.”

Matty has now scored five goals for Dunfermline and like three previous ones, this one was recorded from other than his favoured right foot. He has started all 15 Dunfermline matches this season and played all but 48 minutes of James McPake’s ‘reign’. The manager has made it clear that he rates the former Dunfermline High School pupil and Matty’s contribution for the first goal scored against Clyde underlined why that might be. Matty added:-

“It`s something the manager always says, he wants us to start quick, and I thought we did that the first 15 minutes tonight. I`ve won the ball back in our own half, drove towards the back four, and Craig`s made a great run round the outside, and I`ve just placed it right in front of him, and he can put it in the net.
It`s another great goal from everyone involved. We take it and move on to Saturday now.”

Matty won the ball off Morgaro Gomis and then linked well with Craig Wighton to fully punish the Bully Wee with just 15 minutes gone. He is very appreciative of having a player like Craig Wighton to feed:-

“I said it the other day, he`s had a tough time out with his knee but, when Wighty`s back fit, fully fit, he`s a great player to have involved. It`s good to see him back scoring goals again.”

The early goal gave the Fifers a platform to dominate the game and Matty summed up how he had seen it:-

“First half we were good in spells. We probably wanted to be a bit better in possession. Second half, we came out, and did what the manager said, be better with the ball and take care. I thought we dominated the second half, we created more chances, put balls in the box, and boys wanting to put their body in the box is a good start.

“The last 10-15 minutes we defended brilliantly. It`s why we`ve got so many clean sheets this year, so just delighted all in. I think we`ve got the best defensive record in Scotland, we just want to continue our good form and focus on Saturday again.

“Saturday will be difficult. We won`t think any more about tonight`s game. We look forward to Saturday up at Montrose, we`ll hopefully go up there with a game plan to take another three points.”