Kieran Freeman admits he wiped away weeks of frustration when he came in from the cold to help Raith Rovers to a crucial Fife derby victory.
The former Dundee United defender had not featured in any game for the Stark’s Park side for ten weeks before starting against Dunfermline.
In fact, he had even failed to make the match-day squad in five of the eight games since his previous appearance in the 2-0 defeat away to Morton on October 5.
But, with Fankaty Dabo injuring his hamstring against Falkirk, Freeman was delighted to gt the nod from manager Neill Collins – and thrilled to play his part in the 2-0 win.
“Yeah, absolutely,” he told Courier Sport when asked if he had been frustrated with his lack of game-time.
“But I think that’s what you need within a club. It can’t just be the same XI starting every week.
“You need people pushing other boys and I think that’s what we’ve got here.
“You’re desperate for any game and that was probably a good game to come back into.
“The intensity is as high as any game there will be.
‘There’s improvements to be made’
“Obviously, there’s improvements to be made, being my first game back for a while.
“But it’s a win and a clean sheet, so I can’t complain too much.
“I was all right. Lewis McCann is a big boy and he is going to win a few headers.
“But I think the whole team defended well as a unit.”
Freeman joined Raith in the summer after his move from United to St Patrick’s Athletic in February was cut short.
The 24-year-old played in all four Premier Sports Cup group games under Ian Murray but then suffered a foot injury.
After restoring his fitness, he lost his place to Dabo after the Morton setback.
However, the one-time Southampton trainee is eager to help Rovers force their way up the table from their current seventh spot.
“It’s only one win, but hopefully we can go on a run now.
‘Try and impress’
“I’m not sure what the details of Fankaty’s injury are. All you can do is try and impress in training and see if the gaffer picks you on the Saturday.
“He picked me at the weekend, so I was just trying my best for us to win. Hopefully, I was part of that.
“I don’t think anyone’s getting complacent. I think it’s far from where we want to be.
“But it’s a win, and you need to get wins no matter how they come. We’d take that in every game.”
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