Goodfellow ready if needed

In absence of Paul Gallacher and Iain Turner Dunfermline continue with an 18 year keeper on the bench

Ryan Goodfellow was having a quietly efficient season keeping goal for the Under 19s until injury, first to Paul Gallacher and then to Iain Turner, the player brought in to cover for Paul's absence for the rest of the season.  The 18 year old has played 18 matches this season in his age group games but has now warmed the first team bench four times.

First call up was for the SPL game at home to Celtic and then in the William Hill Scottish Cup tie at Inverness and it looked like that would be for just those games and the replay against Inverness.  But in the warm up for the home match against Kilmarnock on Tuesday 7th February Iain Turner experienced a back spasm that caused him to miss that match and then seek out a specialist ten days later.

Ryan consequently was named as a sub for last Saturday's SPL game against Rangers and will continue as Inverness return to East End Park on Saturday.  He is delighted with the involvement and the possibility that he could get a chance on the bigger stage.  That feeling has tempered a bit since his initial excitement of being part of the first team squad. Speaking exclusively to the website Ryan said:-

"My nerves have calmed down from that first call up. I have been training with both the first team and the under 19s and the tempo is very different when you are going back and forward.

"Obviously you don't want to see other boys getting injured but if there is a chance you have to try and take it. I would be loving it and really excited."

Being on the bench is good experience in itself, but the one occasion when a sub might have been required came after three subs had been used:-

"Against Inverness Chris (Smith) went down injured I thought 'here I am' but he was alright to continue."

Goalie training is taken by Brian Potter on a Tuesday and a Thursday and Ryan is finding that really good; much more intense than last season he claimed when Chris Smith had to double as coach in the absence of any other.

"Potts has been brilliant towards me, he encourages all the time. He has different drills but he watches you for what you do right and what you do wrong."

Ryan played his first 'bounce' game on Tuesday at Motherwell - a Pars win - and enjoyed playing against more senior players. A knock on effect will also mean that the U19s second keeper Steven Mayne can expect to play at Murray Park on Saturday morning when Dunfermline take on Rangers.