BY ALAN TEMPLE – Capital City Press
Deadly Dunfermline are the top scorers in British football – but boss Allan Johnston insists their title challenge is built from the back.
The Pars have scored 37 league goals this term, more than any other senior club in the UK, with only Rangers (34), Celtic (31) and Morecambe (31) even coming close to the rampant Fifers.
That form has seen their rapidly improving defensive record slip under the radar.
Dunfermline have registered six clean sheets from their last seven League One matches, and Johnston admits that gives him as much pleasure as seeing his side tear up the record books in front of goal.
Ahead of their derby day trip to Cowdenbeath, the East End Park gaffer said: “The defensive record has been excellent recently – and we can still improve.
“We defend as a team and attack as a team and everybody must take the plaudits.
“Even with the goals we have scored, you need to stop them at the other end. You can’t afford to lose two or three goals every game and it pleasing to have kept a few clean sheets. It keeps the defenders focused and determined to keep the run going.
“With the players we have in the final third, we always create chances – so if we manage to keep cleats then we have a great chance of winning the game. That is our focus.”
