Mcglynn feels relaxed but his ambition burns bright

John Mcglynn insists his relaxed attitude to Raith Rovers' play-off against Dunfermline should not be confused with lacking ambition.

The Kirkcaldy side fought out a goalless draw with the Pars in the first leg of their Scottish Premiership play-off tie at East End Park on Tuesday night.

The two Fife outfits meet again at Stark's Park this afternoon for the right to play Championship runnersup Dundee over two legs in the semi-final, with the 11thplaced Premiership side awaiting the winners.

Manager Mcglynn, relieved to see defender Iain Davidson win his appeal against the red card picked up against Hearts last week, is happy with the situation Rovers find themselves in.

Mcglynn said: "If we were Morton and fighting at the bottom, I think that would be more pressure than what we've got.

"So I am relaxed about it but don't let that fool you from the ambition, desire and commitment to get into the Premiership, absolutely not.

"I was really proud of the way they played the other night.

"I wasn't joking, I wasn't kidding, I am fairly relaxed probably because we have overachieved anyway but again I have to repeat, that doesn't make us any less ambitious than Dunfermline or Dundee to get to the Premiership.

"Now that we are in this situation we are trying to grasp it with both hands.

"Both teams tried their best to get in front the other night and it just didn't happen in front of goal, so we go again, it is half-time."

Mcglynn concurred with veteran goalkeeper Jamie Macdonald's desire to once again be playing at places like Ibrox and Celtic Park next season

He said: "Myself and Paul (Smith) as a management team, we want to manage in that league and go to these places. Everyone should have that ambition to do that.

"We feel that even now, that we have every bit as good a chance as Dunfermline or Dundee to get to that playoff game and take our chances when we get there. So the ambition is there, the desire is there."

Dunfermline manager Stevie Crawford feels that his players will stand up to the unique challenge presented by the tie.

"Because of its unique circumstances we know going into it that you can't draw the game," Crawford said.

"That is a different objective right from the off but I will not hide from the fact.

"Our away form in terms of results and getting points on the board is something that we can get better at.

"You can hide from it or you can stand up to that challenge. Personally, we will stand up to the challenge.

"Saturday is going to be a totally different type of game from what some of us have experienced before.

"I want us to look forward to it, embrace it and take whatever is thrown at us."