THIS’LL BE AN EAST ENDER

CHAMPIONSHIP DUNFERMLINE v DUNDEE UTD BY EUAN McARTHUR

PETER PAWLETT insists Dundee United are ready to destroy Dunfermline’s golden run of form.

United head for East End Park today to face Stevie Crawford’s high-flying Pars who have notched five straight league wins without conceding a goal.

The Tannadice side are desperate to keep alive their slim title hopes on the back of last week’s shock 2-1 defeat at Partick Thistle, with leaders Ross County now 11 points clear.

But winger Pawlett insists Robbie Neilson’s men are all geared up to bring the on-form Fifers crashing back down to earth.

He said: “It will be a tough game. But we have to be confident enough to go there and believe we’re going to get the points.

“We have to respect them and we all certainly do. We know what quality they have. I know Bruce Anderson from Aberdeen – he has been doing really well for them and is a real prospect.

“They haven’t conceded in five games so we want to change that and score goals. But the most important thing is winning.

“It doesn’t matter who scores as long as we get the result. That’s the mentality everyone has to have.”

Neilson’s hopefuls are still reeling from their last-gasp Thistle reverse and Pawlett revealed they’re psyching themselves up for nine cup finals from now until the end of the season.

He added: “It was so disappointing losing at Partick Thistle and the weekend before that going out of the Scottish Cup to Inverness.

“Those were two poor results but we have the drive and energy to put it right. We’ve just got to roll the sleeves up and go again. The aim is to try to win all our remaining games.

“We’re treating it as though we have nine cup finals, starting with Dunfermline.”

Meanwhile, Joe Thomson reckons the Pars are capable of continuing their run today against United.

The Dunfermline midfielder said: “A few weeks ago, everybody would have laughed if you had told them we’d be in this position.

“That has come down to the run we’ve been on but also other teams maybe haven’t won as many games as they would have wanted.

“It’s brilliant for us. We’re dragging ourselves back into it and need to keep the momentum going.

“This is probably a harder game than we’ve faced in the last five so it will be more of a test – but it’s one we’re all confident for.”