BY IAIN COLLIN – @CCP_sport
Sean Murdoch is proud to have helped break a clean-sheet record that has stood at Dunfermline for 30 years, but insists he would accept losing five goals each week if the Pars were still picking up the wins that led them to promotion.
Murdoch has not lost a goal for over 10 hours of league football, a sequence stretching back 612 minutes to the 1-1 draw with Airdrie on September 26.
It is the most miserly spell the former Hibernian and Hamilton Accies keeper has enjoyed in his career and he readily credits the players in front of him with keeping the opposition at bay for most of the season so far.
However, although an important foundation on which to build, the 29-year-old knows the clean sheets are simply a means to an end for Allan Johnston’s team this term.
Murdoch, who broke the record in last weekend’s 2-0 win over Airdrie, commented: “I only found out after the game; I didn’t even know before the game that if I kept a clean sheet that would be the record broken.
“I know I’m getting singled out – it’s a goalkeeper’s thing to earn clean sheets – but, as I think every goalkeeper would say, it’s a team game.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it without the guys in front of me, for sure.
“Marc McAusland, Ben Richards-Everton, Jason Talbot and Lewis Martin in the back four have been consistent and have limited chances to the opposition.
“But any record you break is fantastic and long may it continue.
“I’ve had a run of two, three, four clean sheets in the past but nothing as long as this. It’s over 10 hours of football, which is fantastic. Honestly, I’m really, really proud. I’m chuffed, my family’s chuffed for me.
“But it’s a team game and I would never have been able to do it without the guys in front of me. They’ve been different class.”
Despite such a long stretch without conceding a goal, Dunfermline remain in second place because of the remarkable run being pieced together by division leaders Ayr United, who are undefeated in 13 league matches.
Promotion
And that is why Murdoch acknowledges it is the victories that are the most important aim for the East End Park outfit, who travel to face Albion Rovers today.
He added: “The goal is promotion and I don’t care how we win the games. If we win 1-0 or 6-5, whatever, I don’t care, as long as we are winning games and getting the points to try and win the league.
“Credit has to go to Ayr as well. They’re on a phenomenal run and probably no-one really expected that. Fair play to them and credit where it’s due.
“We drew two games 0-0 recently and obviously we never scored – but we never lost. That’s a couple of points and they’re points that could be crucial at the end of the season, you never know.
“That’s the way I go into games – if you don’t concede you can’t lose. I think everyone goes into the game thinking that.
“We’re looking forward to Saturday’s game and hopefully we can get the three points and a clean sheet.”
