McMullan grasps the Thistle

The 20 year old is acutely aware of the competition for starting places within the Pars squad and claimed that any chance you get to play you have to go at it "full throttle".

Paul McMullan was named Man of the Match at Buckie on Saturday after scoring two of the Pars five goals against the Jags.

"It was a hard game and we knew coming up here that they were in good form. It was always going to be tricky but with the number of goals in the game it was entertaining for the fans and on a personal level to get a couple of goals was really pleasing."

The 20 year old is acutely aware of the competition for starting places within the Pars squad and claimed that any chance you get to play you have to go at it "full throttle".

"Hopefully I gave the manager something to think about for the next game and retain my place. There are four of us who play in the wide areas and all four of us have really good quality. Whoever is in the team knows that they have to play well to stay in the team. It is a good thing because you cannot put people in and not give 100 per cent. Competition for places can only be a healthy thing."

The match was a typical cup tie and despite being three divisions below the Pars, Thistle played the part of underdogs hounding an upset to the full. Great entertainment from the sidelines but Paul described how it felt on the pitch:-

"We kept taking the lead and we thought, that`s us we will settle down now. They came back and just wouldn`t give up. Fair play to them they made a tie right up to the end when we got the fifth goal. Right the way through it was very entertaining."

At half time the manager had made it clear that the goals conceded were annoying but the plan was just to keep plugging away, keep it tight at the back and we would get the result.

The result was delivered with a 58th minute goal from Kallum Higginbotham and then the fourth with a special solo run from Paul. He described it:-

"I saw Moff hitting a shot and I was running towards the corner flag not sure if I could keep it in. I managed to spin the marker and went to cut it back to Nicky Clark but the big boy read it, so I chopped it in and got a fright as the goalie ran out. I lobbed it over him, I don`t score many goals so I suppose it is probably one of the better goals that I have scored in my professional career."

The fifth goal in the second minute of added time was also put away by Paul but all the hard work in the lead up to the goal was done by Michael Moffat.

"Having spoken to him before I always knew that he was going to square that as soon as he saw me. I burst an extra yard just to get there and it was a nice way to finish it off."

Previous Highland League opponents for the on loan player had come at Celtic when the U20s met Inverness Clachnacuddin. He found that Buckie put up a really good fight and added:-

"They were really difficult to play against. The two boys upfront were a handful, the players in the middle of the park worked hard and made it difficult for us.

"The cup tie is a one off and they can throw everything at it. I am just delighted that we are through. I`d rather have played the tie at home but that is the way it is. It is the cup, you get ties like this and I am just glad to be through."

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