Crawford insists he can handle pressure of play-off demands

Stevie Crawford insists he can handle the pressure of expectation as Dunfermline approach the climax of the Championship campaign with their play-off dreams hanging by a thread.

The Pars are fifth in the table – a point behind Inverness Caley Thistle – with just three games remaining following Tuesday night’s goalless draw with Dundee.

They know they now need favours from elsewhere if they are to finish in the top four.

But, with home games against Queen of the South and Arbroath, and a final-day trip to bottom side Alloa Athletic, the Fifers remain confident they can still give themselves a shot at promotion.

Failure to make the play-offs would be a disaster after the team started the season with nine wins and a draw from their opening 10 matches. And Crawford admits he is fully aware of what is at stake.

He said: “We know what is ahead, we have got to win games of football now to give ourselves the possible chance into the play-offs.

“There are going to be twists and turns, I can assure you of that, over the remaining three games.

“For the first time this season we find that we are relying on results from other places but if we win the games that we have got then we will give ourselves the best opportunity to get into the play-offs.

“The bigger picture is we want to get into the Premiership or we want to be in the play-offs fighting at the right end of the league. That goes with the job.

“Dunfermline is a big club and that is the responsibility that I have got on my shoulders.

“After a really good start to the season we are going through a sticky spell just now but what do you do? Do you feel sorry for yourself or look at the next game?

“That is all that you can do in football. You look at the next game and say that we want to take all three points and then address it from there.” best to get