Page's goal for the season

"Everybody's goal is to start against Raith Rovers but the manager has touched on it a few times that there is a massive competition for places this year

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Jonathan Page is keen to impress at East End Park this season. His first priority is to get into the starting eleven and after that remedy his goalscoring drought. Speaking exclusively to the website he gave his views after the 2-1 win at Berwick on Saturday:-

"We were disappointed both collectively and individually with the first half performance. Obviously the boys who have come out in the second half have done well. I missed the goal when I was getting showered but from what I have heard it was a good team goal. From what I saw they were very sharp and looked fit."

The 24 year old Englishman had an opportunity in the tenth minute at Berwick to open his goal account with the Pars after Gregor Buchanan headed down a Ryan Wallace free kick into his path but Jonathan felt that it would have been a better chance for anyone else since seven of his nine career goals have all come from his head:-

"It is probably one of the ones you want to fall to anybody but me, I didn't move my feet quick enough, it was a good knock down and he is a real threat from setpieces. Perhaps it would have been better if it had fallen to a striker! I have been on nine senior goals for over a year and a half now, I am still looking to get into double figures so hopefully it will be this season. I haven't scored in a Dunfermline shirt and I didn't score in a Morton shirt either. It is something that I want to put right this season."

This is Jonathan's first pre season at Dunfermline and he rates it as "certainly the most enjoyable" that he has endured.

"The boys are looking fit and strong. There has been plenty of running but plenty of ball work as well. I think come Saturday we will be looking good and looking to win the game."

That confidence exists despite the fact that there have really only been three pre season friendlies he maintained:-

"I don't think that always matters. As long as the training is high tempo, the quality is good and you do your work on the training park then I don't think it is always the case of pre seasons in the past where we have had five, six, seven games pre season and you can almost feel jaded come the start of the season. I think we will be eager and ready to go on Saturday."

Jonathan has competition for the central defensive role at Dunfermline because although Callum Morris has left to join Dundee United, Gregor Buchanan has been signed from Airdrieonians and youngsters Kerr Young and Lewis Martin have continued to improve.

"Everybody's goal is to start against Raith Rovers but the manager has touched on it a few times that there is a massive competition for places this year which can only be a good thing for the team. It is up to everybody to make sure that they try and perform in games and during training to try and get the starting positions."

With strength in central defensive positions Jim Jefferies has options with formations, whether it is three at the back or a back four. At Berwick Dunfermline started with three at the back but changed away from that for the second half:-

"It is something that they are looking to do - to be able to adapt during the game, change formation, change players if things aren't working. I think all over the field we have got good quality in all the positions that we can use if need be."

Last season Jonathan started at Morton but with them being relegated after he left to join Dunfermline, he will end up playing against them in League One. He feels that Morton will be one of Dunfermline's greatest challengers for promotion this season:-

"Being full time gives us an edge and it will give them an edge just the same. To be honest I have seen that a lot of the other clubs have strengthened and brought in good quality players so I don't think they are going to be the only challenge. We will be in a lot of teams' eyes be the team to beat, it is for us to live up to that expectation and be the best team. We need to make sure that we get the business done."