Pars are showing ‘extra fight’ says Deniz
DENIZ MEHMET believes there is “a little bit of extra fight” about Athletic this season and believes it is evident with the team’s results.
And, although he conceded his first goals in an away league match this season, as Montrose ended their unbeaten start to League One after 12 matches, the Pars goalkeeper is confident it won’t have as negative an impact as a loss last season would have.
The 30-year-old, who with 16 appearances has doubled his total tally from last term, has recorded seven clean sheets in the league, with Dunfermline winning the same number of matches.
By contrast, the Pars only won seven from 36 in the Championship as they suffered the drop, and it took them 13 attempts to register their first.
Whilst disappointed to see their unbeaten run come to an end, Mehmet told Press Sport this week that spirits remain high in the camp, and is confident he and his team-mates will react in a positive manner.
“It was a defeat, and we all know that, but it wasn’t like last season, where it was like it’s the end of the world type thing. It was quite a positive feeling about the place,” he commented.
“I certainly wasn’t aware of it (win record compared to last season) but they brought that to our attention after the game as well. They didn’t tell us it beforehand, obviously, but it just goes to show it’s a complete polar opposite.
“I’m pretty sure last season, this time of the year, we would have been bottom of the league, (no wins in first 13), and I don’t think we’d won a game, so it’s good that we’ve matched that already so early on.
“It just shows how different its been, which is a good thing, obviously.
“It was a sore one to take. It always will be; every loss is anyway but, obviously, after the run we had, it wasn’t nice.
“It affected the boys but the gaffer was quite upbeat with it. He said, look, if we said at the start of the season we’re 12 games into the league, and that would be our first loss, or only one loss in 12 games, he said I would have taken that all day long. I think all of us would have as well to be honest.
“It’s not nice but, at the same time, it’s not the end of the world really. He’s put that message across to us - keep your spirits up. Come in Monday and start afresh again.”
The defeat at Links Park was Dunfermline’s second of the season, having lost to Ross County in the group stage of the Premier Sports Cup, after which they embarked on their unbeaten run.
“That wasn’t a nice one. We fought really hard and played quite well I thought,” Mehmet continued.
“We had probably the better chances that game against a Premiership side, so that was a real positive performance.
“Against Falkirk, we went a goal down and bounced back from that, so there’s that little bit of extra fight about us this year. It’s definitely showing in the results, and the way we’re performing in games.”