Pars backed to rise to occasion in Betfred Cup clash at Tynecastle

BETFRED CUP: Fifers confident ahead of cup clash with inform Premiership leaders

Louis Longridge has backed Dunfermline to rise to the occasion as they bid to upset the odds against Hearts.

The Pars host Hearts in the Betfred Cup on Saturday as the Tynecastle outfit bask in the glory of their hard-earned 1-0 Premiership victory over champions Celtic last weekend.

The win put the Jam Tarts on top of the Premiership with two wins from two and Longridge acknowledges they will arrive at East End Park as firm favourites to reach the quarter-finals.

However, until their 3-1 defeat to Ross County on Saturday, the Fifers had themselves opened the new campaign in impressive form and won all four games in the group stage, including a victory against Dundee at Dens Park.

Longridge has contributed to that success with three goals in six appearances since joining the club in the summer alongside brother Jackson.

And the former Hamilton Accies attacker is convinced Allan Johnston’s side have another top performance in them.

He said: “You want to play in the big games and the big occasions, and this week will be a huge one for the club.

“Hearts have got a big fanbase. I’ve experienced playing against them before and they’ll bring a massive crowd here, and the support from Dunfermline is brilliant as well.

“So, I think it will be a full house and those are the games you want to play in.

“We’ll analyse them and the fact that they’re in the Premiership, and obviously playing well, means it will be a tough game and we’ll be the underdogs.

“But we’ll go and give our all and try to get a positive result.”

Picture: SNS. Dunfermline’s Louis Longridge celebrates his goal in the defeat to Ross County last weekend.