Striking Difference

No miss Moffat as he makes sure that Rab Douglas struggled to get down to his spot kick

Michael Moffat was delighted to score twice in a game for the first time in a Dunfermline shirt but was disappointed that the serious injury to Ryan Williamson removed all the elation of the night.

"It put a dampener on the win and we hope that it is not as bad as everybody thinks. It was a good performance at a hard place to go. We have not got a good record up at Forfar recently and they had not conceded a goal in their last four or five games so it was good to dominate the game and get the win."

The Pars went ahead from Michael's 32nd minute penalty and he wasn't quite sure how he got into the situation of running in on goal. Defender Kevin Nicoll's last ditch tackle spilled the striker to the ground causing referee Crawford Allan to point to the spot and red card the Forfar player. Michael continued:-

"I am not sure if it came from a mistake, I just saw the ball and there was a gap. I went for it and the boy just pulled me down in the box. He was the last man so he had to go, that got us the lead."

With the sending off there was a lengthy delay as Michael stood poised to take the penalty, he added:-

"I think that was planned by them to try and put me off. I had it in my mind where I was going but when you see big Rab Douglas in goals you do not have much of a target. I made sure that I kept it low so that he had a struggle to get down. I was having a bit of a joke with him because the last time we played against him we had a penalty I told him that if I was hitting them I would have hit them right down the middle. Maybe that was on his mind."

The Pars lead doubled just before the half time whistle through Faissal El Bakhtaoui - his ninth goal in five games.

"It was a good time to score, obviously 2-0 up with a man extra makes it a long way back for them. We didn't really play as good in the second half but the job was done as long as we kept our shape and our discipline. We knew that we would get chances on the break and probably had three or four chances to kill the game off. We got it near the end and it was a good solid performance and it was good to get a clean sheet."

Only three goals after the goals feast of late but Dunfermline's average still sits at five per match. Allan Johnston suggested post match that there should have been more but Moff suggested that he was maybe getting a little greedy!

"After four, five, six and seven? We could maybe have done better on the break, a couple of times and maybe took the wrong option. Josh hit the post and the bar as well, with a wee bit of luck we would have got more but everybody would have taken 3-0 before the game and it is good to get into the next round."

Michael's second of the evening did not come until 82nd minute but he had no doubt that when Ryan Williamson gets to the byeline there is great likelihood of a telling pass.

"When big Ryso gets to the byeline I always pull back for the cut back. Luckily enough they picked me out and it went into the top corner, I was happy with that."

Last season Michael scored six goals in 41 appearances but so far this season he has netted five in five games. He put that down to getting the ball quicker.

"We are getting in behind teams especially with the pace we have getting forward. We have plenty of options as well. It has all clicked so far this season. Last season it wasn't for the lack of trying, it just didn't go. I don't think there was any one reason it was a combination of things. Hopefully I can keep it up, that's five already, and try and catch Faissal."

Next the Pars face another test up at the Balmoor Stadium. Michael continued:-

"Peterhead beat Falkirk so they will be tough opponents on Saturday but we showed against Forfar that we have quality and if we turn up with the right mentality and the right attitude, we will give anybody a game wherever we go. We just need to keep the momentum and form going. It will be a tough game but one that we are looking forward to and hopefully we can get another win.

"Winning breeds confidence, that is five wins in a row and we cannot wait for the next game. We will be in Thursday and Friday and Saturday cannot come quick enough now.

"Games are coming thick and fast, that is the way we want it. You would rather be playing games than training. The boys will be raring to go for Saturday and then it will be another big cup tie next Tuesday. Obviously we are in the next round of the Petrofac, so cup games are important. You want to win every game."

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