Penalty save earns pounds

Paul Gallacher's luck - "This time I just picked a side and went; luckily I got a hand to it."

Goalkeeper Paul Gallacher was the hero as Dunfermline knocked Partick Thistle out of the Scottish Cup on Saturday. He described the 72nd minute penalty save which denied the Jags an equaliser:-

"I got a good hand to it but I had faced Ross Forbes before when he took a penalty against me for Motherwell. I have done my homework before, watched videos and then I go the way I think he will go and he puts it the other way. This time I just picked a side and went; luckily I got a hand to it.

"It hit the post and I turned round to see it creeping wide of the other post. We will take that kind of luck, we are due it especially against those guys who battered us the last time we played them here. We know that they are a good team, even when down to ten men they still caused us a lot of problems and it was frustrating that we couldn't keep the ball. Going forward we allowed them easy possession and they broke at will.

"The boys did really well in the second half under immense pressure from a team that was 1-0 down and chasing it to get something out of the game. We defended really well with some great last ditch tackles, headers and I chipped in with a few saves so I am happy from my point of view but the main thing is that we are in the next round of the cup."

The 5-1 league reversal just three weeks earlier had made Paul feel demoralised and unwilling to leave the house:-

"We were demolished and well beaten on the day. We came here to prove a point; I don't think that we played particularly well going forward but we defended well. To rectify the wrongs of the last game was the aim obviously and to get through to the next round."

Jim Jefferies has said that beating Partick for the first time in three meetings this season will give his players a boost and Paul agreed:-

"It is a result against our nearest rivals at the minute. Obviously Morton are still pushing and others are close but this is a nice one to win and a distraction from the league. We have got ourselves in the next round and we are hoping for a big tie."

Paul is not fussed who the Pars draw in the next round on Monday lunchtime but warned that Dunfermline would not be a soft draw for anyone:-

"We are a young exciting team and we play the way we want to play. Anybody coming up against them would be in for a tough game."

The financial advantage of making the Fifth Round will hopefully ease the off the field troubles. The players have done all they can do and Paul stressed that performing on the park was their part:-

"It is a relief to cross the white line and focus on a football match. As players we want to progress and play in cup finals and challenges against the bigger teams."