Will-is to play

"It has been a long time coming and I wanted to do well. I think I have taken my chance and now want to kick on from there

Paul Willis is desperate to stay in the team and help his Club stay in the SPL. The youngster was loaned out to Ayr United last season but wants to show the manager first hand just what he can contribute. Paul was told the day before that he would be lining up in the starting eleven at Easter Road last Saturday:-

"It has been a long time coming and I wanted to do well. I think I have taken my chance and now want to kick on from there. I have never really played in a wingback role before but I think I did alright. I enjoyed it and I hope that we can continue with that formation since I feel that I can get used to it. It is a hard shift since it is the whole right wing that you are covering but I think I coped with it quite well."

It was Paul who ran on to Andy Kirk's pass, to produce the cross that led to Austin McCann's goal.

"I don't think I have hit a ball like that for a while. It was nice to see Ozzie get in at the far post to score. I am happy with that. It was one of a few good crosses on Saturday but I just want to keep doing that. It is all about getting as many balls in the box and getting goals."

Last season Paul was sending over dangerous balls as the Pars pushed for promotion but he failed to hold on to his place in the team and ended up loaned out:-

"Even though I only played six games for Ayr United it was still beneficial going there and getting games. It probably would have been better had I stayed there until the end of the season; I probably would have got even more games. I got injured and was recalled but never played after that."

The start against Hibs was his first for Dunfermline since 15th January and also his first start in the SPL. That was a bit different from First Division football and Division Two opponents he last came up against:-

"In the First Division it was touch and then always a challenge but I felt that I got quite a lot of space to make deliveries into the box."

Concern had been mounting for the 20 year old whose contract is up at the end of the season:-

"I had not really been given a chance to play. The Manager spoke to me last week and told me that he needed to see a difference in the training. I think I have pushed hard enough to show him that I want to play."