Liam Buchanan Post Partick
Saturday, 29th Jan 2011"Promotion is definitely achievable, we just need to be a bit more dogged coming to places like this and not give away silly goals.
Liam Buchanan was disappointed that his debut for Dunfermline was not a winning one. He had to concede that his former team mates played really well:-
"They were on the second ball better than us and it is disappointing to get off to a losing start, hopefully we can put that right in the next couple of games."
That will have to be against another of his former clubs, Cowdenbeath, since Liam is cup tied with Thistle. Partick keeper Scott Fox claimed in his post match comments that his side had a special plan to foil their former hit man but Liam felt that facing up to defenders who knew him well had not affected his game:-
"I don't think it made it any more difficult because it can work in your favour - you know how they play and they know you play."
Not the best of starts then but Liam is confident that he has joined a team with great potential:-
"I have seen enough of the boys in training to appreciate that they are good enough and that we can push on. We huffed and puffed without making many real chances and I think we possibly tried to play too much football on a surface that was maybe not suited to us. We have to get to grips with coming to places where the surface is not going to be too great. Probably a lot of stadium's pitches are going to be like this for the rest of the season."
The new boy watched Chris Erskine fire Thistle into a 14th minute lead and then Kris Doolan increase that lead only minutes before half time:-
"If we had gone in at half time only the one down, we could have come out second half and gone for an early goal. Unfortunately at the start of the second half we did not create many chances but I know that we have boys in that team who, on another day, we will create lots of chances and will put the ball in the back of the net.
"Obviously the Manager wasn't pleased by the way we performed in the first half. Understandably because we were 2-0 down and they were first to second balls. In the second half we tried to get in their faces a bit more but that was without causing their goalkeeper any problems.
"I didn't know I was going to be substituted but the gaffer was looking to freshen things up. We were 2-0 down and he had to try something to change the outcome of the game."
After just over a week at Dunfermline Liam feels he has settled in well:-
"The boys are all great boys, I knew a couple of them anyway (Gary Mason and Pat Clarke) so now I am hoping to really settle in during the next two weeks and get a partnership going with Kirkie who I played with today. Hopefully in the next weeks we can score a few goals. It is a right good dressing room, spirits are high and hopefully we can keep going.
"Promotion is definitely achievable, we just need to be a bit more dogged coming to places like this and not give away silly goals. If we do the right things our luck will change, if the chances are there hopefully we can take them and get some positive results."
Liam's return to Thistle was met by some measured and mature appreciation for a former player who had done so much for the Club. When he left the field just on the hour the home fans gave him a great ovation:-
"I was aware of it, it was nice," added Liam, "I have had great times here but now it is all about Dunfermline and helping them to progress to the SPL."
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