BY IAIN COLLIN – @CCP_sport
Ben Richards-Everton admits he got a bit carried away when he performed a group hug with as many Dunfermline fans as he could manage last weekend.
However, the big, no-nonsense defender insists it is the kind of togetherness that can inspire the East End Park side to promotion this season.
When the full-time whistle sounded in last Saturday’s 2-1 victory over title rivals Ayr United, the former England C and Partick Thistle stopper made a bee-line for the away support to celebrate.
The Birmingham-born player may be 6’5” but he was in danger of being engulfed by the partying Pars faithful at the front of the Somerset Park terracing, but thankfully survived to tell the tale.
He said: “It was obviously a big game for us and we kew we had to win. Ayr are a good team, they had beaten us in the league and it’s a hard place to go to. We had beaten them in the cup but at the end of the day the league game was more important.
“I was just delighted with the win and it all got to me. I saw Sean (Murdoch) go up the fans and it was just a spur of the moment thing.
“I just thought I would go over over there and get myself in about it.
“I did wonder how I was going to get away again, but I think the stewards came over quite quickly because a few of the supporters started grabbing me!
“You can see how passionate the fans are and as players we’re passionate as well. We want to do well and you can see how much it means to the supporters, and I enjoyed it.
“There’s a real good feel about the place at the minute. Since day one, the lads have all got on with each other.
“We’ve got a good changing room and I think you can see on the pitch we’ve got a really good team spirit, which is a big thing if we want to get promoted.
“That was massive. We knew we had to go there and win, everybody knew what a big game it was, and hopefully we can stay there now for the rest of the season.”
Big game
Dunfermline host Stenhousemuir this afternoon trying to protect the three-point advantage they gave themselves with the win against Ayr, who do still enjoy a game in hand.
And Richards-Everton is fully aware they cannot get too carried away with highs of last weekend’s win if they want to avoid an instant comedown.
He added: “I wouldn’t say we’re guilty of taking our foot off the gas, that’s not what we do, but we can’t go out there and win every game 4-0 or 5-0.
“All the lads put 100 per cent effort into every game, but you can’t always be at your best in every game – that’s football.
“It’s Christmas now and we’re in a good position, and we don’t want to let it slip. We’ll be going into this game knowing it’s another big game we need to win.
“Every game is big, because everybody in this league wants to beat Dunfermline. We’ll definitely be on our game and hopefully we can get the result we want.”
