It took just three minutes for Taylor Sutherland to prove why James McPake is so desperate to keep the striker at Dunfermline this season.
And it did not take much longer for former Pars striker Liam Buchanan to be convinced the teenager has a bright future at East End Park.
Sutherland sprang from the bench in the 84th minute against The Spartans at the weekend. Just moments later, he fired in the Fifers’ final goal in their 3-0 victory.
McPake revealed after the Premier Sports Cup tie that he had been receiving daily phone calls from other clubs keen to take the 18-year-old on loan.
But he is adamant Sutherland will be staying put this term.
That is in contrast to last year, when the youngster was farmed out to Bonnyrigg Rose in September.
It was there he played alongside Buchanan, who himself had a successful 18-month spell at Dunfermline early in his career.
The experienced 39-year-old, now turning out for Berwick Rangers in the Lowland League, is confident Sutherland is on the path to a successful career.
“We started together last season in what was both our second games for Bonnyrigg,” Buchanan told Courier Sport. “He scored two and I scored one, and I thought, ‘that’s promising’.
‘He showed great signs’
“Definitely, he caught my eye and I thought we could really go on and strike up a partnership.
“It didn’t work out for either of us. He ended up playing wide and then in a system and a style of play that wouldn’t bring out the best in him.
“But, even in the first few training sessions, you could see he had electric pace. He was so sharp, he works hard and has an eye for goal. And he is comfortable with the ball at his feet.
“For a young boy, he was very good with defenders at the back of him, and turning them and getting a shot away.
“He showed great signs right from the start that he could go on and be a top player.
“You could see that if he was managed the right way he could be very influential in a team.”
Sutherland, who signed a new two-year deal in March, finished Saturday’s game paying alongside former St Johnstone favourite Chris Kane.
And Buchanan believes it is a combination that could definitely pay dividends for Dunfermline.
“As a striker, I’m a big believer in strikers playing as a two,” said Buchanan, who has launched his own LB Elite Football Academy in Edinburgh. “I think Taylor would benefit from that.
“And Chris’ experience will help him. He could strike up a partnership with Chris and go on and score goals for Dunfermline, no problem.”
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