DENIZ MEHMET believes a cup run can bring belief as well as potential financial reward for the Pars - and hopes they can enjoy better fortune when they tackle Raith Rovers tonight.

The two local rivals meet in an all-Championship Scottish Cup third round tie at KDM Group East End Park, aiming to be involved in Sunday's draw for the next stage.

Teams in the top flight will enter the tournament in the fourth round, which Dunfermline, then in League One, reached last season, losing on penalties to Partick Thistle.

To repeat that feat, they'll need to defeat their high-flying neighbours, who sit second in the league, for the first time this season, and goalkeeper Mehmet is hopeful they can build some momentum with a victory.

READ MORE: 'We're backing ourselves': Pars star looks ahead to cup tie

"A cup run is always nice to have," he told Press Sport.

"It brings confidence, it brings belief, and that hope as well that the cup can bring when you go on a little run. Obviously, financially, it's good for the club, and it's something good for the fans that, if you do get to get far, you always have that hope of getting a good fixture, and drawing one of the big teams to get a good gate. The atmosphere's going to come with that, and it's something that the fans can look forward to."

When asked if the team were due a bit better fortune - they lost their last derby with Raith to a stoppage time goal, and hit the woodwork eight times during their draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday - Mehmet added: "That comes and goes, so hopefully it can start coming our way!

"I think if we keep doing what we've been doing as of late, keep the performances high, keep building on that, working on that and the momentum going through the performances, hopefully that will turn around, the results will start swinging in our favour, and the rub of the green will start going our way a little bit more than it has done."

Meanwhile, Chris Hamilton has echoed his assistant manager's belief in that Dunfermline can take heart from the run of Inverness to last season's final.

Athletic's divisional rivals were defeated by Celtic in the Hampden showpiece, and the vice-skipper noted: "You don't want to set any sort of stages - you just want to take each game as it comes. Inverness last year got a good run in it, maybe an easier run than what you maybe would most years, and then find yourself in a final.

"I'm not saying that's going to happen to us this year, but when you get through round by round, you take it and see where you can get. It's good for the club, it's good for the fans, and, as players, that's what you want.

"We've got Dave Mackay, who's won the cup with St Johnstone, so it's to be done. Like I say, you take it round by round, and then see what happens."