Clash with Auld Enemy has Pars defender shooting for stars

Being given the run-around by England’s Premier League whizkids has given Dunfermline’s Ryan Williamson the determination to shoot for the stars.

The 21-year-old made his international debut with Scotland U21s last month in their daunting clash with the Auld Enemy.

It was a proud moment for the full-back but the Scots lost 3-1 in the Euro qualifier in front of more than 20,000 at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium.

England’s goals were scored by Liverpool youngster Dominic Solanke, who has seven top-flight appearances under his belt this season, Spurs midfielder Josh Onomah, a regular at Aston Villa on loan from Spurs, and Tammy Abraham.

At the back, the English fielded Liverpool’s Joe Gomez, who went on to play for the senior team against Germany and Brazil, while midfielder Lewis Cook is a regular for Bournemouth at 20 and winger Demarai Gray has made more than 50 top-team appearances for Leicester City.

It was an up-close display for the Scots youngsters of what it takes to make it at the highest level.

Right-back Williamson, who won his third U21 cap in this month’s 2-0 defeat to Ukraine, said: “The first time I was away with the U21s I knew it was going to be a tough game against England. They’ve obviously got some top-class players, boys playing in the Premier League.

“The game was just a completely different level.

“It showed how physically strong these guys are, and they were quick and so intelligent on and off the ball. They were just a step above, really.

“It was a good insight into what it takes to play at that level and a good learning curve for myself. It’s an indication of what I’ve got to keep striving towards and to aim for.

“I came on on the right wing and was up against Kyle WalkerPeters, who is playing in the Premier League with Spurs.”

Williamson will face a different challenge this evening when Dunfermline host Morton in their rearranged league fixture.

The Pars defeated Queen’s Park 4-1 at the weekend to progress to the fourth round of the Scottish Cup but saw Dundee United stretch five points ahead of them at the top of the Championship on Sunday.

With Dumbarton the visitors on Saturday, Williamson added: “The weekend wasn’t great in the firsthalf, we were poor. But we were too strong in the end for Queen’s Park and we’re happy to be in the next round of the cup.

“We’ve now got two massive games in the league, two games you would say we need to go and win.”

It showed how physically strong these guys are. RYAN WILLIAMSON