A new Don at Dunfermline
Monday, 13th Jan 2014"It is not hard to come into a team that is full of good players.
Lawrence Shankland arrived in midweek on loan from from Aberdeen with a mission to gain first team experience and score goals. He only got thirty minutes on Saturday after replacing Ryan Thomson but he certainly opened his account in a positive manner.
Dunfermline had not wasted much time in showing him their unsavoury habit of going behind to teams before he came on to score the all important debut winner against the team that is nearest to them in third place in League One. Speaking about the match afterwards the 18 year old striker was quietly content with his first impression on the home fans:-
"It was a good start, I was delighted to get the goal and it was a good win. You always want to score on your debut - that's a striker's thing. I am glad that I got the chance and I took it well, good goal."
The 75th minute goal was the result of a quick reaction to keeper David Mitchell being unable to hold on to a fierce 28 yard shot from Josh Falkingham. He dismissed suggestions that he had possibly been in an offside position:-
"It looked a wee bit offside because I ran in when everybody was running out. I made sure I was onside, the centre half played me on so I was always confident."
Lawrence didn't take long to find the net
The new signing had a chance from a Ross Drummond cross just before he scored and he joked about that:-
"With the size of this head, I was expecting to make contact! I just glanced it and missed it but these things happen."
The goal from the striker who already has experience of 39 senior appearances for Queens Park, will help him settle in with his new team but he confessed that he is already comfortable with them and the way they want to play:-
"It was quite easy because they play similar to Aberdeen and I have good players round about me. It is not hard to come into a team that is full of good players. That made it easier for me, it was a good first experience and I am looking forward to it now."
Lawrence received congratulations from his new team mates but he praised them for their tenacity and the team spirit to twice coming back from behind:-
"It is a team game, everybody played well and played their part. We fought really hard, played really well at times and moved the ball. Stranraer are a decent team, they had not been beaten since the last time Dunfermline played them but that run had to come to an end sometime and thankfully it was on Saturday. You cannot give up in football, you keep going and its funny how one goal changes the game."
The loan deal will see Lawrence at East End Park until the end of the season and he is hopeful that will go on into the play offs. After scoring the winning goal on Saturday Lawrence is not staking any claims for a start next weekend against Airdrieonians.
"I will be patient and leave that to the gaffer. He makes the decisions here and I will just keep playing the best that I can in training and when I get the chance to go on. I'll see how it goes from there."
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