The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Craigen reveals key to success in race for play-offs
Midfielder says winning at all costs is main thing at this stage of the season
James Craigen’s play-off experiences tell him it is time for Dunfermline to win at all costs.
The Pars have slipped four points behind Morton, who occupy fourth, with just 12 matches left in the campaign.
They are desperate to go at least one better than last season, when they finished fifth and missed out on an endof-season shot at promotion.
Craigen has reached the play-offs in the last two years, with Raith Rovers then Falkirk, and is convinced he can make it a hat-trick with Dunfermline.
But, as they travel to face Queen of the South this afternoon, the January signing knows points are precious as up to seven teams battle for the top four places in the Championship.
He said: “It’s so tight. If you can string two wins together it can make a big difference.
“And at this stage of the season it doesn’t matter how you get them, it’s just about getting the points.
“We want to play nice football, that’s what we always try to do, but as long as we get the wins that’s the main thing at this time in the season. That’s the message I would have from being through this in the last two years.
“We all want to play nice football but last year with Falkirk we ground it out, we probably weren’t great for the last three or four games. But I believe with the players we have here we can put a string of results together and we can get points on the board and kick on.”
Craigen started the last two matches and formed a promising midfield trio with on-loan pair James Vincent and Tom Beadling against Livingston.
The former Partick Thistle midfielder is enjoying his football after a frustrating spell under Paul Hartley at Falkirk.
He added: “It does take time when you play with new players, especially if they’re also in the same area of the team.
“But Tom and James and I have been training together and I thought we worked well as a three in the last game, even though it was two points dropped in the end.”