As Dunfermline prepare to face Airdrieonians this Saturday in a pivotal league match, goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet says the mood in the squad is positive heading into this de facto cup final.
“It’s positive. We have had good training sessions, we know how big the game is on Saturday so it’s just a matter of turning up on the day, rising to the occasion and hopefully getting the three points,” Deniz claimed.
With just four Championship games remaining and the teams tightly bunched in the standings, Deniz acknowledged that each match now carries enormous weight. “I think most games will feel like that now. With the games running out and everyone so close together on points, this is our first one of potentially four cup finals that we are going to have now.”
Dunfermline finds themselves in the hunt for a play-off place after a rough start to the campaign. “It is good to get away from where we were, sitting ninth at one point looking around the dressing room at each other,” the 31 year old keeper reflected. “We understood the situation that we were in and what was the main reason for causing it. We kept our morale high and kept positive amongst ourselves. We knew once everybody started getting back we would come out of it or so we thought we would. Luckily we have done that.
“We kept our spirits high, kept positive, kept confident in what we were going to do. It was only a matter of time before this blip as we called it goes by. It is nice to be now pushing for the better play-offs, hopefully we can get into that one.”
Deniz expects a tough test from Airdrieonians, a rival Dunfermline knows well from recent seasons. “They are a good side and I think there is a mutual respect from last season with us both coming up…Hopefully Saturday will be another one to add to it.”
While Dunfermline have won two and drawn one of their last three visits to the Excelsior Stadium, Deniz cautioned “it is a good record that we have got against them but in 90 minutes anything can happen. It is just a matter of doing our jobs, doing our side of it and hopefully come away with the result that we want. We know that it is not going to be an easy game, there never is an easy game of football but more so with Airdrie as they are a decent footballing side. Like us they like to get the ball down and play when it is possible. Hopefully it will be a good game of football.”
As for his potential role late in a tight contest, the goalkeeper quipped “I will be up there! It very much depends on what is going on elsewhere. If it’s a case of needing the three points we’ll see.
“There is still a lot to play for. It would be nice to go up there of course but it might be a case of taking a point if it comes to it anything like that. Hopefully I don’t need to go up for a corner in the last minute.
“I have gone up a couple of times before, I couldn’t tell you when. I remember sprinting up on a couple of last ditch occasions but I’ve still to get on the scoresheet. I remember going up one time and the boy even took it when I was on the half way line and I had to sprint back.”
