Dunfermline defender Xavier Benjamin is excited for the long trip to face Inverness on Tuesday night after scoring his first senior goal in the 3-1 win away to Partick Thistle last time out. The on-loan Cardiff City youngster is accustomed to road trips with the Bluebirds’ under-21 side to the likes of Ipswich, Charlton and even Bournemouth but he admits the journey to the Highlands will be a new adventure.
“It was my first senior goal. I give thanks to God, to my family, the team and the gaffer, who have supported me and helped me. I enjoyed the celebration, I’m just one of those guys. I love to win and I love to help the team. I’m just very passionate, that’s me in a nutshell, really,” said Xav of his maiden goal against Thistle.
The 20-year-old felt he grew into the game on Friday night and learned from the challenge of facing Partick’s tricky winger, Aidan Fitzpatrick:-
“It’s a good learning curve for me. I was up against a good winger, who was good on any side, but I feel like I stuck at it. As the game went on I felt like I played against my opposite man better, 100 per cent. I feel like I did better in the second-half against him. It was hard, because he was running at me, with his momentum, so he can dictate where to go. It’s a learning curve. I can improve, I can watch the game back and improve and learn to be better. I’m just happy we got the three points.”
Xav believes he is improving all the time under Pars boss James McPake and is determined to continue his development. “Each day I’m getting better in training, each day I’m improving. I’m willing to improve and willing to learn. I have to give thanks to the gaffer for putting trust in me.”
The young defender has taken confidence from Friday’s morale-boosting victory and feels it can be a catalyst for improved results:-
“I think we can take a lot of confidence from Friday night’s win. In training, the spirit is high. Everyone’s happy and everyone’s joyful, and everyone has faith that we can win. Friday night was just a good booster for Tuesday.”
Xav Benjamin has quickly struck up an understanding at the back with fellow Bluebirds loanee Malachi Fagan-Walcott and has appreciated the warm welcome from his new teammates in Scotland. Ahead of the Inverness match, Xav knows Dunfermline’s focus must be on themselves rather than the opposition.
“All we can do is focus on ourselves, really. All we can do is get better each day in training and in games. If we focus on ourselves everyone does what they need to do and does their jobs then we’ll have a chance of winning.”
The Pars hope Xav’s first senior goal can be a springboard to improved results as they travel north to face now ninth placed Inverness. A win for the home side could see them leapfrog their opponents who are currently two points better off and occupy sixth place.
Ticket information for Inverness
