Dunfermline waltzed into the Championship play-offs with a 4-0 thrashing of Dumbarton.
And one of the goalscorers, Ryan Williamson, believes confidence couldn’t be higher that they can knock-out Dundee United this week.
Kallum Higginbotham got two and man-of-the-match Fraser Aird one but the biggest cheer of the day was saved for Williamson, who recorded the fourth Pars goal and his first ever senior strike for after 111 appearances.
“I’ve been saying for a while I was going to score,” said the full-back.
“As we were walking off at half-time today I’ve said I was going to score in the second half.
“All joking aside it was a great feeling to get the goal after this long. The boys have asked me how I would celebrate and I’ve thought about taking my top off or whatever. When the ball has hit the net it’s a great feeling and I’ve just put my hands in the air and run round the pitch.
“After the St Mirren game it wasn’t looking great for us to make the play-offs but we have went on a great run of form and now we go into Tuesday night (against United at East End) with confidence and we have to be confident we can get through the tie.
“The manager has said it’s up to us to get the club back into the Premiership and with the quality we have in our dressing room there is no reason why we can’t. We don’t fear anyone going into the play-offs if we play the way we know we can then we’ll do it.”
Any nerves that Williamson had about his side recording the result they needed to secure their play-off berth evaporated early in game, as within 25 minutes the visitors found themselves down to 10 men and two goals behind.
Dumbarton captain Craig Barr saw red for a reckless foul on Andy Ryan and within 15 minutes of Ryan’s dismissal the Pars were two to the good – both from Higginbotham.
First up the former Partick man got on the end of a Fraser Aird cross to rifle home from six yards, then five minutes later he killed another Aird ball on the run and curled home.
By this point the Pars, playing in front of Sir Alex Ferguson among other members of the 1968 cup-winning team, were rampant and it was 3-0 before half time. This time it was Aird on the score sheet as he wandered down the left before cutting in and finishing with aplomb.
The second half was all but a training exercise for the Pars although Ryan and Declan McManus will be expected to be sharper this week as chances were squandered.
The one chance that wasn’t wasted was Williamson’s as Joe Cardle rolled the ball through, the right back ran onto it and finished calmly.
