The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Pars are still looking over shoulder while chasing play-off spot
We need to look over our shoulder at the moment because it is quite tight around about us. MICHAEL MOFFAT
Dunfermline are chasing down the play-offs with one eye looking over their shoulder, according to striker Michael Moffat.
Allan Johnston’s side eased their relegation concerns with a 5-1 thrashing of Dumbarton at the weekend, and can move within nine points of the top four if they beat Queen of the South tonight.
Having only been defeated once in 12 league outings, the Fife outfit are refusing to throw in the towel in their bid to finish in the top four, but experienced marksman Moffat concedes they have to be mindful of the dogfight at the basement, with second-bottom Ayr United only five points behind.
Dunfermline are effectively in no-man’s land in the second tier, but Moffat insists they are desperate to force themselves into promotion contention.
He said: “We need to get a few more wins to make us safe and we want to be looking up the table.
“If we can get a run going, I’m sure we’ll be safe enough and hopefully we can rein in the teams above us,” he said.
“We’re playing teams that are around about us so it’s important we take points off them.
“Hopefully we can catch Queen of the South. We’ve obviously got a game in hand on them as well.
“Then we’ve got St Mirren at the weekend, and they’re starting to come good.
“We need to look over our shoulder at the moment because it is quite tight around about us.”
Moffat admits the Pars rue their slow start to the campaign after collecting only two wins from the opening 13 league matches.
He added: “If we didn’t have that bad start we would be right up there with the top teams in the league, so it’s obviously disappointing because we’re probably one of the form teams in the league at the moment.
“It’s disappointing but there’s not much we can do now.
“We just need to try and keep it going and gain as much ground on the teams around us.”
Moffat was delighted that the Pars were able to build on their hugely encouraging performance in the draw at Hibs with an emphatic victory over Dumbarton.
He added: “There have been a few games that we played well but not got the goals, but on Saturday that happened.
“From the very first minute we were pressing them high, we took a chance straight away and that set the tempo for the full game.”