Keddie beware of Staggies
Wednesday, 16th Feb 2011"Ross County will be hurting as a team and we will need to match their enthusiasm and drive. They are a good football side and like to get the ball down.
Alex Keddie in challenge with John Dempster at Cowdenbeath
Alex Keddie will face his former club on Saturday hoping that he can help maintain the Pars push for the promotion place from the First Division. The 30 year old central defender started 136 games for the Dingwall side, another four as sub and scored ten goals during his four year term at Victoria Park but he sees the fixtures where full points are necessary:-
"One at home and a tricky one away. We know we must not get beat at home and hope to take points away from home. Clubs at the top will drop points and its a long long season. No trophies are dished out yet; Raith and Falkirk are very good sides and other teams could enter the mix. It is not a foregone conclusion that whoever's at the top at this stage will win the league; it's a good competition."
Following the departure of Willy McStay who failed to win any of their nine games under his command intriguingly County look set to appoint former Pars gaffer, Jimmy Calderwood as his replacement. Alex recognises that his old team who have yet to win a game in 2011will be wanting to change their fortunes as quickly as possible:-
"Ross County will be hurting as a team and we will need to match their enthusiasm and drive. They are a good football side and like to get the ball down. We need to turn up on Saturday with a real work ethic. Games between Dunfermline and Ross County have been high scoring but hopefully it is only us who are doing the scoring."
Tuesday night's form needs to be improved upon since Alex and his mates know it was an uncomfortable performance against the Bairns:-
"We didn't play particularly well against Falkirk and 1-1 was probably a fair result over the piece. Falkirk started the game a lot better than us but we certainly got back into it and were pressing for a goal but unfortunately they got one first. We reacted well and got a great goal through Andy Kirk and whether or not we were playing Falkirk or whoever it was important not to get beat on Tuesday night."
The Pars defence were disappointed to lose the 78th minute goal to Falkirk but at least the gap between the teams remains five points:-
"It was just a scramble; you don't mind if teams cut you open and score a right good goal - you'd hold your hands up - but that was a scramble of a goal that certainly wasn't a 'wonder' goal. Falkirk are a good side, they will take points off clubs and we need to make sure that we keep going in the other direction and keep them at arms length."
Alex has played the last two matches alongside new signing Kevin Rutkiewicz. The signing on loan from St Johnstone takes the number of centre halves at Dunfermline to five and Alex is mindful that competition for starting places is fierce:-
"Somebody could step into your place quicker than you know. Kevin has done well and hopefully I have done well enough in the Manager's eyes to keep my place. Changes would be for the good of the team and one or two people are not bigger than the team and that goes for every position"
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