Better late than never, but Honest Men must improve
Aaron Muirhead insists Ay r Un i t e d’s Championship safety fight should never have gone to the final day.
For the second season in a row, the Honest Men needed a last- day performance to avoid being dragged into the play- offs, beating Partick Thistle 3-1.
That was enough to send Dunfermline into the mix and they now face Queen’s Park at Firhill on Wednesday night.
Muirhead said: “It’s a bit of a relief but we probably could have made it a lot easier for ourselves in games.
“We knew that if we won the game against Thistle we would stay in the division and we’ve done that.
“The gaffer (Lee Bullen) came in halfway through the season and it’s hard for him to come in and implement what he wants from a team.
“I’m quite sure he will recruit in the summer and get players that he wants for next season. Hopefully we can get a pre- season under our belts and we can start looking up the table.”
Muirhead won the man of the match award for his penalty double against Thistle but was denied a third goal by a great save from Jamie Sneddon.
He added: “I’m happy to play my part, the object was to win the game and secure our safety. The boys did that. I thought they were brilliant.”
John Hughes is convinced the play- off pressure should bring out the best – and a “swagger” – in Dunfermline.
The Pars have been left facing a nerve-shredding fight for survival after Friday night’s 2- 1 defeat to Queen of the South.
A semi-final clash with Queen’s Park, with the first leg away on Wednesday, followed by the return at East End Park on Saturday, is their first hurdle in the bid to avoid the drop.
It has been a nightmare campaign for the Fifers, with Hughes replacing Peter Grant in November after a winless start.
Dunfer mline spent just five weeks outside the relegation zone and Friday night’s collapse after taking an early lead will be a huge concern.
But Hughes is optimistic his players can shrug off their bitter disappointment and pull through.
The manager said: “We know what we are up against. It’s going to be very difficult.
“And when teams come here to East End Park, that will be inspiring to the other teams.
“We have to handle that, we have to handle that pressure. We have to have that bit of know-how and that bit of swagger to say, ‘bring it on’.
“You’re wanting that. You’re wanting Queen’s Park at their best. You’re wanting their best shot.
“I think that should bring out the best in you.”