Dunfermline: James McPake reflects on Raith Rovers win

The Pars ended a run of six games against Raith Rovers without victory by downing their Kirkcaldy rivals with a dominant display, picking up their first Championship win in the process.

It was a result and performance that meant plenty to supporters, who had to endure five successive defeats to Rovers prior to that match, but the Athletic boss didn't think too much of his side's record against them.

And now he wants his players to take the good points from it into tomorrow's trip to Firhill and their match with Partick Thistle.

"I've not got a great record in derbies as it goes, as a player or manager," McPake said this week.

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"I understand why the question comes, and I don't want to rubbish it and say I couldn't care less, because that's not true, but if you flip it and say did the Raith game there mean any more to me than Falkirk, with our record against Falkirk, or do I think John McGlynn would be sitting saying I need to go to East End Park and win, because we've never beaten them in however many games, you take the game as it's coming.

James McPake said he didn't feel additional pressure to get a result against the Rovers. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"You turn up and you try and get a performance. Obviously we lost that one to Falkirk, which was a sore one to lose at home, so early in the season, and then you go and beat Raith. We've got another six of them, at least, this season, in terms of three against Falkirk, three against Raith.

"I'm sure it'll come up about Falkirk will be looking to win again against us, and build on what was a poor record, and we'll be looking the same, to build on Raith, which was a poor record. Raith will be desperate for their manager to get a first win against Dunfermline, so it throws up all these narratives, but I've got more to worry about.

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"If I did worry about my records against all the teams that have been my rival, I wouldn't be in football!

"I think even going back to the week leading into the Ayr game, there was a certain shift. The squad was thicker, the players were desperate to do well, and I think the second half performance down at Hamilton as well was decent enough. It just gave them a wee bit of hope.

"They're good. A win, look, the full place gets lifted with a win, but you're only a Saturday away from everybody talking on the negative side again, so we need to take into the Partick game what we've done in the last couple of games - East Fife, Ayr and Raith.

"If we do that, we'll give ourselves another chance of coming in happy next week again."