Chris Higgins Post Airdrie

"The main thing from my point of view was the clean sheet in my first start in a while. It was important for me that we did that."

Chris Higgins joined Dunfermline from Clyde for the start of this season but his start against Airdrie was just his eighth for the Pars. After being picked for six of the opening seven competitive games of the season, Chris spent much of the rest of the season watching from the sidelines. Speaking after playing 90 minutes against Airdrie United he hopes that his days as a spectator might now be coming to an end:-

"For every player who is not playing every week it is frustrating for them. It is good to get back in and achieve a clean sheet - that's the most important thing from my point of view.

"We know that we are good at passing the ball and know that we have players that are good going forward so if we can keep a clean sheet we will win games.

"The park was bobbly and hard. It was very dry and that's the times when you need to grind out a result. Airdrie were defending well and we were having to keep changing the ball from side to side. We got the break and took it from there. It was nice to get the second goal because at 1-0 the game is so dangerous and anything can happen. Once you get the second goal it is a clincher.

"The main thing from my point of view was the clean sheet in my first start in a while. It was important for me that we did that."

Despite that success, Chris accepts that there is no guarantee that the Manager will send back out a winning starting eleven.

"We have a good squad but hopefully I did enough to be in the team on Tuesday."

Against Morton Chris came on for the injured Neil McGregor to form a central defensive partnership with Calum Woods but in his other first team appearances this season Chris has also been paired with Andy Dowie and former Clyde team mate McGregor:-

"All the boys are good players and anyone can step in at anytime. Andy wasn't in the team last week but came in today to do well."

However it was the clean sheet that was predominating 24 year old Chris' thoughts:-

"When I was at Clyde I had a bet on with the physio for the number of clean sheets in a season. I did it, it was only a few pounds but it was important for me to achieve it. Your job as a defender is to keep the goals out.

"I have waited for my chance, I have worked hard at training and hopefully this is my chance to get in and do well. I have always worked hard in training, ever since I was a kid and went full time at Motherwell and hopefully I can reap the rewards."

Those rewards Chris hopes will include success at Dunfermline:-

"Today was the start of an eight game run over the next 24 days where if we can get a few wins while the teams above are playing against each other - as they were today. Results will give elsewhere, we just need to concentrate on wins and you never know what can happen."

Up until this game against Airdrie, Dunfermline had only played eight games in eleven weeks so eight games in three and a half weeks is going to be testing but this is obviously something the the management and players have considered, Chris explained:-

"That is why the squad is there. It is there so that the Manager can change it if he sees somebody getting tired. For the games coming up the squad will be used."