Kallum Higginbotham subscribes to the notion of ‘what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger’, as the Dunfermline playmaker reflected on an astonishing last outing against Ayr United.
The former Kilmarnock and Partick Thistle man endured a penalty nightmare against the Honest Men when – having never missed a competitive spot-kick – he saw two saved in the space of 60 seconds.
However, since cutting an inconsolable figure in the Pars dressing room afterwards, the 27-year-old has emerged as the talisman for a resurgent Dunfermline, turning in a virtuoso performance in Monday’s 2-0 Fife derby win over Raith Rovers with two classy assists.
And, ominously for Ayr, he arrives at Somerset Park with a point to prove.
He said: “You could say I have unfinished business against Ayr!
“I missed the two penalties, which everyone knows, but I could easily have let my head drop after that. Instead, I came into training the following Monday and worked twice as hard and got it out of my head.
“You can’t obsess about things that have happened in the past.
“I had never missed a penalty before and, as I said to the boys, if there had been a third penalty in that game, I would have stepped up again.
“In hindsight, perhaps I should have given the ball to someone else, but we tried that against Dundee United (when Dunfermline missed three penalties) and it didn’t work!
“I feel like my performances have really picked up since those missed penalties and that’s all you can do – you either react badly when things go wrong or you dust yourself off and try to improve.
“It would be perfect to get the winner on Saturday and then hopefully the fans can forget about those penalties.”
Higginbotham’s own form has been mirrored by the Pars, who are currently enjoying a seven-match unbeaten run that has taken them to within six points of the Championship play-off places.
He said: “I’ve said all along, even when things were not going well, that I truly believe we will be in the top four at the end of the season. Nothing will change my mind on that and, if we keep playing the way we have been, then I’m sure that will be good enough.”
