I’ve got my Heart set on Pars debut
BIG-MATCH PREVIEWS Anthony wants to make up for lost time and impress bosses
ANTHONY McDONALD is desperate to make his mark at Dunfermline – even though he might not be there for much longer.
The Hearts youngster has been frustrated by a back injury during his loan at East End Park.
But he is fit and raring to go at Inverness today and hopes he and fellow Tynecastle loanee Harry Cochrane can catch the eye of new Jambos boss Daniel Stendel with their displays.
The German gaffer wants to see the pair in action ahead of the January transfer window as he looks to transform the side he inherited and has talked to Pars boss Stevie Crawford. Cochrane has started the last three games for the Fifers and McDonald, 18, finally hopes to make his debut today after three months out.
He said: “It has been frustrating but I’ve worked hard to get back to full fitness and I feel fine. So I’m ready to go whenever I get the call. “I saw the stuff in the papers [about Hearts]. Nothing has been cemented so I’m just focused on playing here and trying to get games before I maybe get recalled in January.
“I’ve only played two games in three months or something so I need to get back up to speed.” McDonald, who has played 23 times for Hearts since making his debut
as 16-year-old, spent part of last season on loan in Inverness so knows how hard it will be for the Pars to bounce back from last week’s 4-3 defeat by Dundee.
He added: “We felt we had every chance of going up to Dens and getting a good result but it happens and we just need to bounce back against Inverness.
“It’s massive. They’re one of the bigger and better teams in the league so to be in the play-off positions and go up you need to beat these teams.
“Inverness are a good side, they play good football. I was there last season so I know quite a bit about them and we just need to be prepared.”
Caley Thistle striker Miles Storey believes it’s vital his team chip away at Dundee United’s 13-point title race lead – before showdowns with the Tannadice side in February and April.
Storey, now in his second spell in the Highlands, knows the club’s two previous second-tier title triumphs in 2004 and 2010 featured dramatic turnarounds in the New Year. And ahead of the visit of the Pars today the 25-year-old said: “It’s a bit of a cliche but it’s not over until May.
“Anything can happen and we just have to take care of our own business – and get back to winning each game as it comes.
“We just have to string together the best possible run and see where that takes us because we’ve still got to play Dundee United twice.”