The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
‘Delighted’ boss praises Pars kids
James McPake has expressed his delight at the development of Dunfermline’s promising kids after they clinched the SPFL Reserve Cup.
A young Pars team, under head coach Gary Montignani and first-team midfielder Joe Chalmers, defeated their Livingston rivals 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Goals from brothers Jake and Taylor Sutherland were enough to earn the Fifers victory and make up for defeat to Kilmarnock in last year’s final.
It is the club’s first silverware at second-string level since lifting the Reserve East League Cup in season 2009-10.
And McPake believes it augurs well for the future of the East End Park outfit, who relaunched their own academy set-up in 2022.
The first-team boss said: “Over the course of a 12month period, from last year’s final, it shows what you want in your academy, and that is development.
“But, as much as it’s about developing young players, it’s still important when it comes to these games to go out and show they can compete and perform, and they did that.
“I’m delighted with them and it was a really pleasing evening.
“A lot of them do train with the first-team. So, we’ve seen them over the course of the season and developing through that.
“Through the academies, it’s not all about winning, it’s about producing players, which I do get.
“But you’ve also got to produce players who can win games.
“And, when it comes to a cup final, it’s about winning.
“Tuesday night was a pressure situation for our boys at their age and for them to get their hands on the trophy was fantastic.”
Jake Sutherland, 17, netted Dunfermline’s equaliser on the night before older brother Taylor, 18, grabbed the winner 15 minutes from time.
Both have played for the first team this season, with Jake making his debut against Ayr United in December. Taylor has made nine appearances either side of a loan spell with Bonnyrigg Rose.
With Andrew Tod, Ewan McLeod and Liam Hoggan also having tasted top-team action this term, McPake is delighted with the talent coming through the ranks at East End Park.
“Both Taylor and Jake Sutherland were excellent, they really were,” he added.
“Taylor has been excellent in the couple of years he’s been in with us, and he’s getting better all the time.
“He’s a young player but the way he’s training and they way he’s competing, he’s now a part of our firstteam squad every day. Andrew Tod is the same.
“The whole team did really, really well, they were all fantastic and deserve enormous credit.”