Dunfermline 1 Rangers 4: Pars managing to remain upbeat
Dunfermline defender Alex Keddie believes the battle for survival will go to the wire despite the Pars finding themselves alone at the bottom.
- By Ian Roache
- Published in the Courier : 13.02.12
- Published online : 13.02.12 @ 03.18pm
A draw against Kilmarnock last midweek had hauled Jim McIntyre's men level on 18 points with Hibs but a combination of Saturday's defeat to Rangers and the Edinburgh club's home stalemate with Aberdeen ensured they are on their own again.
However, Keddie remains confident of his team's ability to escape the trap door that leads to the First Division.
Indeed, his belief they can get out of the basement is not without foundation. Only a solitary point may have been gleaned from two recent home matches — let's not mention the East End Park record — against Killie and Rangers but the performances haven't been too bad.
You just get the feeling it is too early to write them off.
Asked if he thought the relegation race would go down to the final day, Keddie replied: ''I would say so. Every season that seems to be the case. Also, I don't think it will just be between us and Hibs. Others will be embroiled in it.
''The next couple of games are massive for us. We have Inverness Caley Thistle here next and then we are away to St Johnstone so we will see where we are after that.
''We have good attacking players here and we are confident going forward. OK, we lost four goals against Rangers but I don't think it was a 4-1 game.''
Andy Kirk had given the hosts a 16th-minute lead, taking advantage of some appalling defending from Rangers to slot home a Paddy Boyle cross at the back post.
The lead was well-deserved, with David Graham, just a couple of minutes earlier, catching Kyle Bartley asleep to race on and beat keeper Allan McGregor, only to see his shot rebound off the post.
David Healy levelled for the champions on 24 minutes, pouncing after a mix-up from Keddie and keeper Chris Smith to prod the ball over the line.
McCulloch, playing in a striker's role he hadn't filled since his Motherwell days, scored a fine second six minutes before the break. The award of a free-kick just outside the box was disputed by the Pars and their anger increased when Steven Davis floated the ball to Carlos Bocanegra, who headed it back to McCulloch to smash it past Smith.
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