James McPake has heaped praise on ‘brilliant’ Sam Young after the teenager helped Dunfermline to a Fife derby triumph over Raith Rovers.
The 18-year-old made his first-ever league start in front of a bumper crowd of 6,693 at East End Park on Friday night.
And the defender contributed to the Pars’ clean sheet in the 2-0 victory to end a six-game run without a win against their local rivals.
McPake preferred Young to either Sam Fisher or Rhys Breen in the absence of skipper Kyle Benedictus and was pleased to see the move pay off.
“It is what we are trying to do at the football club,” he said of the inclusion of Young in a back four with the average age of just 21.
“We are trying to play these young players and help them.
“We know we need the experienced ones to help them, particularly in games like [derbies].
“But it wasn’t hard for me. Sam Fisher came and played for me at that age as well.
“Kyle Benedictus is out and I picked the one that I feel is doing the best. Tommy Fogarty has been excellent since he came in, he had a good international break, and Sam Young has been brilliant.”
McPake: ‘It didn’t bother him’
He added: “I know that it’s a cliche but if they are good enough, they are old enough.
“I think if you look back at what myself and [assistant] Dave [Mackay] have done since we have been coaches, it is play younger players.
“That’s not to say that’s what we [always] do. They only play because we believe they can do the job and if you can get experienced ones to help them then great.
“I think there was enough in that team and the two of them [Young and Fogarty] handled it pretty well.
“The only worry for me is that it was the first time that Sam Young has probably played in an atmosphere like that. But it didn’t bother him, he was excellent.”
Meanwhile, McPake is hopeful the injury to Kane Ritchie-Hosler is not too serious.
The winger had to be substituted after an hour in obvious discomfort.
“He is okay,” added McPake. “I think it might be the ankle that he had surgery on but it’s just a bang.
“We were going to get Josh Cooper on anyway for someone. It might not necessarily have been Kane Ritchie-Hosler but when [the injury] happens it was an easy one to do.
“We will protect him now. We don’t play until next Saturday now so he will be fine.”
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