Dunfermline: James McPake looks ahead to Partick Thistle clash

Partick Thistle's experienced hitman Brian Graham is, in the view of the Pars boss, the Championship's top forward and stopping him will help his team's chances of success.

Athletic head to Firhill seeking a second successive league victory, following last Friday night's Fife derby win, are also looking to make it two-in-a-row in Maryhill.

In February, Dunfermline won on their last venture to Glasgow, a game in which Graham scored for the Jags - one of four, in each meeting, he netted against McPake's side.

"He's the best striker in the league in terms of getting goals. I think his records speaks for that," McPake commented.

"I think, at the top end of the pitch, they're really good. They have been the last couple of seasons and I think that's why they've got to the play-offs and were a penalty shoot-out at Raith from getting through to the final.

"They've got goals in their team. They're a big team, they've went in and out of system - even in the game last week, they started in a back three and finished in a back four.

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"We're not quite sure what they'll do, but the focus has got to be on us, even moreso just now when we feel we've got a few performances consistently together. We need to keep doing that and, regardless of how well we play, Partick have got players that can punish us. They've got players that can punish any team in this league.

"It's always a tough game going down there but the games are always enjoyable against them. They're good games, and it'll be two teams that will be desperate for a win, let's be honest."

During their last visit to Firhill, Graham also had two goals disallowed, in addition to scoring Thistle's effort in a 3-1 Pars win.

McPake continued: "To be fair, he's probably one of the players in this league nearer my age.

"I've played against him at a whole host of different clubs, I've coached and managed against him at different clubs, and he's consistent.

"He gets goals. He knows where to be in the box and, to be fair, he's one of the players - or probably the player - I admire the most for what he's done throughout his career.

Brian Graham scored for Thistle in each of their four meetings with the Pars last season. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"He was a young kid at Morton when I was there on loan and, no matter where he's went, whatever level he's went to, his record speaks for itself, and his managerial record is doing alright as well, with Partick Thistle Women.

"He's a threat. I know I speak about him every time we're in, and he normally rolls up and scores, but if I didn't speak about him he would still probably cause us problems, whether he's being a threat in his hold-up play, because that's the one thing I do believe, with Brian, gets overlooked at times, is his link-up play.

"He's always had it, but he's used it a lot more as he's got older, and credit to him. At his age, he's still doing it, and still a key player, if not one of the main players when you're looking at other teams in this league.

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"It's not always the case of how do you stop Brian, because they've got good players that are putting chances on for him as well, and he knows that.

"That's what I mean there with his build-up play, his link-up play. He now helps others round about him get space as well. He's a real handful and a good player."

Against Rovers, McPake fielded on-loan Birmingham City centre back Tommy Fogarty, 20, and Sam Young, 18, in the middle of his defence - whose combined age is just two years older than Graham.

"It's great for them, a great experience and great learning curve for them," McPake added.

"I'm in saying how good a player Brian Graham's been throughout his career, and he has been, but I don't think they'll care.

Tommy Fogarty (pictured) and Sam Young impressed in defence against Raith. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"They're at that age. Tommy will probably not know him - although we've obviously gone over the footage - and Sam's probably at the opposite end of me where Sam will have seen him, but not have seen them at the other clubs. He'll know him as a Partick player.

"Both of them have played against (Lewis) Vaughan, who comes on at half-time, (Callum) Smith, (Dylan) Easton was floating about, and you had (Anton) Dowds, (George) Oakley, Oli Shaw. Sam Young in particular has played against, in my opinion, some of the best strikers in this league and, coming again Saturday, Brian's another one of them.

"I'm sure he'll be relishing it. It'll be a tough afternoon for them, but they need to make it a tough afternoon for the Partick strikers as well. That's what they've been doing recently, so hopefully they do that again, if selected."