The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Aird credits Red Devils with helping find his form
Winger looks for run in team after grabbing chance to impress
Fraser Aird reckons putting Manchester United to the sword has given him his sharpness back for Dunfermline’s playoff bid.
The former Rangers winger netted a double for the Pars in a 4-0 win over the Red Devils’ under-23 side last week to earn himself a rare start against Queen of the South at the weekend.
The Canada internationalist then sparked a vital 3-1 victory against the Doonhamers to put them back in the promotion hunt in fourth spot.
The 23-year-old is now desperate to keep hitting top form against Livingston tonight as the East End Park men attempt to keep themselves in a play-off spot in their remaining five matches.
He said: “Obviously I was delighted I got a chance to get back in the team at the weekend. It’s been a while coming.
“I thought I played well and the manager thought I played well. I know myself I did well and it was nice to get an assist for the first goal and to take part in the game.
“The main focus was to go and get three points, especially against a team right behind us in the league, and hopefully we can push on between now and the end of the season and keep going.
“We have another chance against Livingston to get another three points and keep pushing up the league.”
Saturday was only the eighth time Aird has started a game this season and the first time since November 25.
He added: “The game against Man U was needed for a lot of the boys.
“We scored a few goals, but we actually played really well, I thought, considering the team they brought up.
“Before that, I think I had played a reserve game against Raith about a month and a half ago.
“I had made a few appearances off the bench, but if you’re not playing games it’s tough for any player.
“It just shows you if you go and catch the manager’s eye and do well in games like that, and treat them professionally, it gives the manager something to think about.
“I got my chance and hopefully I’ve taken it enough to keep myself in the team.”
Meanwhile, manager Allan Johnston has urged his players not to look too far ahead after moving back into fourth at the weekend.
With Dundee United in fifth, seventhplaced Falkirk and Inverness Caley Thistle in eighth all enjoying games in hand, there are likely to be many more twists and turns in the battle for a playoff spot.
However, Johnston has warned his squad against looking at the permutations and losing sight of their own task.
He said: “You see how tight the league is. Even the teams below us going down as far as Falkirk and Inverness, if they win their games in hand then it is incredibly tight.
“The difficult thing in this league is winning games, especially when you have a lot of games to catch up on. You would rather have the points.
“We have to focus on ourselves and make sure that between now and the end of the season we get as many wins as possible.
“A win rather than a draw makes a massive difference.”