Pat Clarke Post Ross County

"I managed to get the goal but we were disappointed that County managed to get that quick goal in the second half. McDougall came on and thankfully put in a good finish to win us the game."

Pat Clarke took his goal tally for the season to four after heading Dunfermline into the lead against Ross County. Naturally he was delighted to convert Andy Kirk's cross and help his team collect the three points that keep them one ahead of rivals Raith Rovers at the top of the First Division. After the match he gave his reflections on the 3-2 win:-

"It was one of those games where we had a lot of chances but we couldn't really get a finish. In the first half we could have been four or five up. Myself especially I thought I had a few chances but I try not to let it affect me and kept on plugging away.

"I managed to get the goal but we were disappointed that County managed to get that quick goal in the second half. McDougall came on and thankfully put in a good finish to win us the game."

Pat explained how the players feel a responsibility to their home fans to never give up pursuing the winning goal:-

"I don't think the fans would accept us settling for a point. We are not the type of players who would do that anyway especially when we are sitting at the top of the league. We never gave up, we kept on coming close. You were thinking 'is it going to come, is it going to come?' but the pressure eventually paid off.

"I thought Wullie Gibson was superb all game; he really drove us on in the second half." The 25 year old added how happy he is to play in a side that has players like Gibson, Cardle and Graham there to supply the ammunition:-

"They are up there with the best wingers in the league; on their day their delivery and one on one means that not many defenders can live with them. At training they are a nightmare to mark; they can really cause problems as they showed against County.

"Wullie has played in the SPL and I am sure that he has ambitions to get back there. He is self motivated and you can see that in training - he wants to do well for himself. He has this drive inside him that you can see in his play. He is so positive and if he makes a mistake he just gets on with it and keeps on going. He will get back to the SPL and he is at a perfect club to do that."

The 26 year old former Kilmarnock player was a perpetual thorn in the flesh of the opposition and took on most of the Ross County team in one second half run that was only halted by a hefty challenge that earned defender Gary Miller a yellow card. Pat continued:-

"I was waiting for a through ball when he made a run but he just ignored me and went on himself. That's what he is like; he can do that - his ability is frightening - he can go past players."

Released by Dundee at the end of last season, Pat is fortunate that he is not caught up in the turmoil as the administrator moved in at Dens Park, he said:-

"It is terrible and a tragedy for Scottish football. The media has been on about it all week, we have been tuning in to Sky Sports and texting boys up there to see what's happening. Its a nightmare really; nobody wants to be in that position."

Pat had no inclination while he was at Dundee that it would come to that.

"We knew that a lot of money had been invested with the signings and the wages that were being flung about. It was all geared to winning that First Division but it never happened so obviously there were going to be consequences with that wage structure.

"A few boys have said to me that I was lucky to escape but I just came here for football reasons. I could have been out of a job so somebody obviously likes me up there. I am grateful to Jim McIntyre and Cabie for bringing me here."

16/10/10: Match Report: Dunfermline 3 Ross County 2
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