Selkirk striker graces highest stage

Rare national stadium double for Border striker, Allan Smith

Although just nineteen years of age Pars striker Allan Smith can already claim a rare double. Having scored a try at Murrayfield for Selkirk Youth Club in an oval ball under 18 final against Stirling County, he has now gone on to complete a National Stadium double with a goal for Dunfermline in the SFA Youth Cup final against Celtic.

Allan has become a regular in the first team but Wednesday night was the first time ever that he had to face the media for post match comments. He said:-

"We went into the game thinking very positively and even at half time we felt we had a wee chance. But we conceded a goal and then another poor one. When it went to 2-1 I thought we had a chance but we lost a goal to a cross and header that made it 3-1.

"After that we were chasing the game and Celtic just held out. I can't really remember much about my goal to be honest. I just decided to go inside and when the defender went for the outside I just hit it to the far post and luckily it went in."

BBC Sportsound summariser on Wednesday night, the Scotland U21 coach, Billy Stark made Allan his man of the match and the Borderer was both surprised and delighted to hear that:-

"I am over the moon with that and glad that I am getting recognised. Hopefully I can keep playing for Dunfermline."

Neil McCann has been challenging Allan to finish when in good positions so he was pleased to have answered his coach's wishes.

"I enjoyed it even though we got beat. I would do it again and again but just really disappointed that we got beat.

"We have a big game on Saturday to keep the club up, we just need to win so hopefully we will do that. We are a really young team but we will do our best."

Allan was still kicking himself for not taking a good chance at Firhill last Saturday when finding the net might well have made it much less likely for Thistle to come back to draw.

"I went through one on one but opened up too early. I should have put it away but I never. Luckily I did at Hampden and I am happy with that."