Only one O in Alloa

“If I am going to be harsh on myself I should probably have gone away with four goals. I suppose I will take the hattrick!”

It is a well known wise crack answer to anyone asking if there is a B&Q in Alloa - no but there are two As and two Ls. On Saturday however the O in Alloa was definitely for O’Hara. The 22 year old striker scored his first senior hattrick after coming off the bench midway through the second half of the Pars first away match of the Championship season.

It was Kevin O’Hara’s first return since switching Athletics from Alloa to Dunfermline in July. Top goalscorer for the Wee County team last season, he notched up 14 goals in 35 matches for them but on Saturday rather than lining up against his old team mates he found himself on the subs bench for the first time this season. He told the media:-

“I was a little disappointed on Friday when the gaffer named the team and I was on the bench. It is a team game, we have a good squad and I just had to bide my time. When the gaffer put me on I wanted to show that I shouldn’t have been on the bench. Obviously it was unfortunate that it was against my old club, I am just happy to get the three goals.”

The 66th minute sub scored with his first touch in what looked like an instant tactical success for the management team.

“The gaffer put me on to stretch the game, I did that and it was a nice finish over the goalie. It has been a good day and a proud moment to score my first senior hattrick.”

Kevin added to his 67th minute strike with a second ten minutes later and thought his chance of a hattrick might have ended when his 83rd minute attempt was kept out by the left goalpost.

“I was disappointed that I never scored that one. If I am going to be harsh on myself I should probably have gone away with four goals. I suppose I will take the hattrick!”

It was Kevin’s never give up attitude that earned a last minute penalty. He chased what looked like a hopeless cause deep down the left, doing extremely well to keep the ball in play and when he centred for Kyle Turner, Edin Lynch flattened the Pars midfielder before he could convert the chance. A penalty was awarded and although Kevin had scored from the spot at Dumbarton in the first Betfred Cup match, as a substitute he was not officially on penalties for the match at Alloa. He explained:-

“In the games that I have started I have been on penalties. I need to give a mention to Decy (Declan McManus), it was nice of him to let me take the penalty to let me get my hattrick. It is a team game, team sport and I think that is why we are doing so well, we are a good unit.”

His goals ensured that Dunfermline extended their winning form to five in a row. He stressed the positive approach of this Dunfermline squad:-

“Early in pre season the gaffer instilled a winning mentality in us, even in the friendly games. In the Betfred Cup and the league games we have won six out of six. A winning mentality can take a club a long way, we hope to build on it.”

Kevin is deeply appreciative of how he was allowed to develop under Peter Grant in his one season at Alloa:-

“He gave me a wave, you know what it is like he is disappointed because his team have lost but I’m sure he will phone or I will phone him. I cannot speak highly enough about him for last year, he helped my career massively. I cannot thank Alloa enough and it is obviously just unfortunate that it is my old club that I scored against today.

“My time at Falkirk wasn’t the best. I came to Alloa and dropped down to part time just to play games. Playing week in week out helped my confidence before I got my move back to full time which I always wanted. Alloa knew that and as soon as the opportunity came, they never stood in my way and I cannot thank them enough.”

Stevie Crawford was well known to Kevin since he was his coach while at Falkirk and the hattrick hero admitted:-

“It was a big factor in me coming to Dunfermline, I said that in my first interview when I joined the club. As soon as I spoke to the gaffer again I knew Dunfermline was the right place for me to come.”

With Dunfermline’s league position currently second and although just two matches into the 27 match season, it looks like Kevin has made the right move. He closed:-

“Hearts have a great squad and so have Dundee. There are numerous clubs who has great squads like ourselves but we don’t see why we can’t be the team that is up there at the top of the table and a play off is a minimum for us.”

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