‘Everyone’s going to be right at it’: Pars star Paul on Airdrie test
PLENTY of banter and laughs were exchanged between the Pars players and their Airdrieonians counterparts when they met on their respective Christmas nights out.
And, while he resisted temptation to mention his stunner that won his team the points last time they met, Paul Allan is sure both sides will be fully focused on making sure they pick up the gift of three points on Saturday.
The midfielder and his team-mates have been back at work after their preplanned festivities, and following the postponement of their home game with Queen’s Park, as they look to make it two wins from two against the Diamonds this season.
In the season opener back in August, Allan curled home a magnificent winning goal for Dunfermline, after Ewan Otoo had cancelled out Craig Watson’s opener, to give them the ideal start to life back in the Championship.
That is the 23-year-old’s only goal of this season’s campaign, in which his 16 appearances have already surpassed the 12 he made last term, which was hit with injury.
“There’s been positions I’ve been getting in on matchdays that I think are decent, so if I can just keep doing that, hopefully the ball can find me, I can get in a decent scoring opportunity, and take my chance when it comes,” he told Press Sport.
“Come Saturday, everyone’s going to be right at it. With the game against Queen’s Park being called off there, we’ll just look to build on the result we got against Arbroath, and hopefully keep going in the right direction.
“Looking back to the first game we played against them, it was a tough game. I think they had a few chances, with Rhys (Breen) getting send off as well, so they piled a lot of pressure on after we went 2-1 up. We managed to see it so hopefully we can get a similar result come this Saturday.
“Even in the games we played against them last season in League One, both teams like to try and play as much as possible, and both teams seem to be two attacking teams. The games we’ve played against them have always been quite exciting and full of chances, so hopefully it’ll be another one against them on Saturday, and one that we can come out with with a positive result.”
Allan will be hoping to maintain his place in the side, which he is relishing after spending seven months of last season on the sidelines.
“Coming from last season, where I don’t think I was fit enough to manage to get a run in the team - I had quite a bad spell with injuries throughout last season - so, just to be fit at the moment and get a run of games has been ideal for me,” he added.
“Hopefully I can continue that.
“I enjoy any time I play. I just look to try and get on the ball as much as possible and try and see if I can make things happen in the game, whether that be helping defensively, or get on the ball and try and create some scoring opportunities, or get myself in a position to score a goal.”
PARS fans can meet their heroes and pick up a special Christmas present at the return of the club’s annual calendar signing.
Taking place this evening (Thursday), within the Purvis Suite at KDM Group East End Park, manager James McPake, his backroom staff and the players will be in attendance to greet supporters.
They will have the opportunity to pick up their 2024 club calendar and have it signed by the Athletic stars, as well as grabbing as many photographs as they can, between 5.30-7.30pm.
In addition, everyone who attends the evening, which will also see Kingsbarns Distillery have a special DAFC whisky gift box available for sale, will receive a 10 per cent off voucher to spend in the club shop on the evening.
Meanwhile, the Dunfermline Athletic FC Former Players Association have produced the second volume of their ‘Walking Down the Halbeath Road’ photo book ahead of Christmas.
After a successful run of the first version last year, the second focuses on the halcyon days of the 1960s, which included two Scottish Cup wins and a run to the European Cup Winners Cup semi-finals.