Having lifted a weight off their collective shoulders with a welcome win last Friday, James McPake is hopeful Dunfermline can enjoy some home improvements against Ayr United.
The Pars boss has confessed the burden of going nine games without a victory had been an increasing burden on all at East End Park.
That ‘monkey’ was shaken off in impressive style with a largely unexpected 3-1 success against Partick Thistle last Friday night.
Following that up with a pleasing clean sheet and goalless draw on the road against Inverness Caley Thistle on Tuesday evening ensured the returning hope continues to grow.
Having previously taken just four points from a possible 27, stretching back almost three months to December 9, means five points from a maximum nine is not to be sniffed at.
However, McPake knows his side have been below par on home soil in recent times and he is seeking to continue their revival with a more positive outing against Ayr.
Since kicking off the campaign with a home victory over Airdrie, the Fifers have won just two of their next 11 league games at East End Park.
And they have lost seven and won three of 12 home games – but been defeated three times and won four in 13 matches on the road.
McPake said: “Five out of nine [points] doesn’t sound as good as three [games] unbeaten!
DAFC seek home comforts
“We’re just delighted to get the win last Friday night and going up to Inverness is always a tough place to go.
“It was a good performance in terms of the clean sheet. We’re looking solid again, so hopefully we can take that into Saturday.
“I don’t know the actual overall records, but we’ve probably won more games away from home, and that was the same last year.
“We do need to get back to winning games here.
“The big thing was just to get the win again. It had been going on for so long.
“It wasn’t papering over it but I was getting annoyed and the players were probably getting fed up hearing that we had done well but hadn’t won the game.
“We needed that feeling again and I’m delighted we could get it last Friday night.
“It was good to get a win again. And any time you get a win, if you can follow it up with a draw then you’re doing okay.
“They’re forgotten about now. The thing from it is we’ve got the win eventually and we’ve backed it up with another clean sheet.
“We need to add to this. It’s three unbeaten, we want to make it four come Saturday.
Relief for Dunfermline
“It’s two home games [Ayr and then Airdrie on Tuesday] and we need to get back to picking up maximum points here. And that’s what we’re looking to do on Saturday.”
The Dunfermline supporters made their displeasure clear during their team’s winless run.
That was most evident after the 5-0 hammering from Morton at home and the following week’s 3-0 defeat from Queen’s Park.
The Pars players tried to put on a brave face and the under-pressure McPake continued to back his injury-ravaged and inexperienced squad.
However, he admits last Friday’s victory at Partick has come as a massive relief.
He added: “Just the headlines that pop up, it’s impossible not to see them. You’re part of it.
“We’re making the players aware – and the players knew – they hadn’t won in nine. You can’t hide from that.
“I’ll be completely honest, that was something we wanted to get rid of.
“The longer it goes, the more it annoys you.
“We just needed to get that monkey off our backs – and we did it.”
