The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Pars giving their all despite problems in background
THERE IS very little evidence of Christmas cheer around East End Park this festive season.
Defeat at Livingston last weekend followed by an uninspiring draw at home to lowly Hamilton on Saturday has left Dunfermline trailing league leaders Partick Thistle by two points in the First Division promotion race, a situation which has been exacerbated by the financial difficulties which currently prevail at the club, with the players reportedly receiving their wages in irregular instalments while the club appears to be operating on a hand to mouth basis.
Pars captain Jordan McMillan, however, stresses that the problems which are apparent behind the scenes are having no bearing on the players once they take to the field on match days.
“I’m not going to lie about it, it’s not easy,” said McMillan in the aftermath of Saturday’s stalemate with Accies.
“When you’re at home with your family you know you have bills to pay and things like that and it can be a challenge but there have been no complaints from the boys and we are all pulling in the same direction.
“We haven’t allowed our standards to slip and you can see that by where we are in the league.
“It isn’t easy but when we cross the white line we give everything for Dunfermline Football Club and hopefully the fans appreciate that.”
Appreciative or not, the home supporters were decidedly fractious during the opening stages of Saturday’s encounter with Andy Barrowman missing a golden chance to open the scoring when he sliced his shot wide from close range followed by a goal from Hamilton in their first attack of the game, on loan St Johnstone front man Stevie May f iring home from Ally Crawford’s precise cut back.
The collective nerves of the Fifers’ followers were eased shortly afterwards, however, Stephen Husband delivering a perfectly weighted through ball to Craig Dargo whose cross was drilled into the net by the lurking Barrowman.
Although Dunfermline dominated the second half with McMillan and Josh Falkingham both squandering excellent opportunities to put the Pars ahead, the best scoring chances fell to Accies’ Gary Fisher who drove his shot off Michal Hrivnak’s left hand post from eight yards just four minutes after the restart.
The same player then watched in agony as the Slovakian keeper produced an outstanding save to block his goal-bound effort in the final minute of play.
“It was frustrating for us today,” reflected McMillan.
“We were looking for three points coming off the result at Livingston last week but you have to accept a point because, in this league, anybody can beat anybody.
“We had our chances and I should have scored with one of them but it’s often a bit of a surprise to find myself, as a right-back, in front of goal.
“I’m encouraged to get forward all the time – in the modern game its part and parcel of a full-back’s role to do that and hopefully chip in with a few.
“You can’t leave it to the strikers all the time.
“I’m not used to that – you can tell by my shots!
“I felt when the chance came my way I hit it well enough – just a pity it was off target but I’ll try to get at least a couple this season.
“There have been some strange results in this league lately, our defeat at Livingston for example but Livi have improved a lot and I think we have done OK to be in the position we are just now.
“We’re all hoping to be up there challenging for the title at the end of the season.”