Captain’s control room containment

No spoilers for Kyle Benedictus’ trophy presentation

The final home match of Dunfermline Athletic’s season didn’t quite pan out the way the captain had planned it. Thirty one year old central defender Kyle Benedictus had hoped to lead the team out on ‘Trophy day’ hand in hand with his young son, Max, as mascot. Instead Max and vice captain Chris Hamilton had the honour of leading out the League One champions with visitors Clyde forming a guard of honour for their opponents.

Kyle’s red card the previous Saturday inflicted a one match ban on him and spoiled his ever present record during Dunfermline’s impressive season. He watched the match from the control room and was as relieved like everyone else that Lewis McCann smashed home the winner in the third minute of added time. After the match he told the website:-

“It is a fantastic day and a good win from the last kick of the ball. It was some strike from Lewis and I thought we controlled the game.”

Kyle was equally impressed by the quality of Cameron Salkeld’s Clyde goal that had the Pars trailing from just the twelfth minute.

“It was some strike for their goal to put them one nil up but, like we have done all season, the boys came back again and got the three points. It was another good win but it is about the day. It is a great occasion for everybody involved in the club, I am just happy for everybody.

“It was nice to finish it with a win. We didn’t want our run to stop it and that’s no disrespect to Clyde, they are fighting for everything but we wanted to go unbeaten at home all season. There are records to be broken and things to play for and the boys again did what we have done all season. We just seem to get these results when we need to.”

Kyle described it as “extremely disappointing” that having played every minute of every game up until his sending off at the Excelsior that he missed the euphoria of playing in the 2-1 win, he added:-

“Last week as the gaffer has mentioned if there was VAR we could have maybe appealed it because he was slightly offside. I understand where the ref has come from, it is a split decision.

“It is what it is. It was just instinct. I thought he was going to go one on one so I just grabbed him. I am not going to let it spoil my day, I have enjoyed my day so far and we have the awards night tonight.

“I will be back next week and I will have missed one game all season and that was against Clyde. I couldn’t be happier for Hammy. He has been a Dunfermline fan his whole life and he has not led the boys out this year. To go and do it today, I’m over the moon for his family. I feel that I have done my part and happy for him to take over.

“I thought he was different class and didn’t know he could actually do that or I might have been rested for more of the cup games. Without being totally dominant I thought we controlled the game, we kept the ball and there were chances from crosses into the box before it popped up to Lewis. He has been on fire the last six weeks, he has been flying and to go and top it off on a special day, I’m proud for him as well.”

Kyle picked up the Player of the Year Award later that night at the Glen Pavilion but he was able to collect the Supporters Club equivalent ahead of kick off on Saturday.

“It is special for me, special for my family and the wee man. He comes to all the home games and he has seen me lift an award. It is special for him and the seven year old said today was the best day of his life. He enjoyed it. He is here at all the home games and comes to some of the away games. That makes it for me.

“It has been a great season for everybody. I think anybody could have won an award because we have been that consistent this season. Whoever comes out with them totally deserves it but that is the basis of this season. It is a team game, it is not about individuals. That’s how good we have been this season as a team. We cannot take away from that, it is everybody together.”

Kyle’s exclusion from being on the pitch was lifted fifteen minutes after the final whistle allowing him to join the celebrations and to claim his privilege to lift the trophy. He revealed:-

“I said to Hammy you can walk the boys out but you are not lifting that trophy first. What a special moment for everybody to be introduced individually. The fans appreciate them and we appreciate the fans, it tops it all off.

“I think big Breeny pointed out the attendances at home games this season have averaged over 4000 at every game. That shows you how much they have stuck by us. They deserve it more than anybody. Obviously it’s been a tough time last year for them and now let’s see what we can do next year.

“The boys will take a couple of weeks to go and enjoy it. All the boys have a trip booked away, we will enjoy that, come back and in pre season start again. Who knows, I have said it previously look at the Championship this year, even that top v bottom game (Dundee v Cove Rangers ) was a 0-0 game, it is that tight. Who is to say that we cannot be challenging the play offs, you don’t know what is going to happen but we will be looking forward to it.”

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