Returning stopper praises teammates for early form

MEHMET has praised his team-mates for an encouraging return to the Championship as he closes in on a top team comeback.

Last week, the 31-year-old goalkeeper opened up to Press Sport on the ankle injury that caused him to miss the start of Dunfermline’s league campaign, having featured in their Viaplay Cup group stage matches.

Mehmet, who last season set club records for clean sheets, the fewest goals conceded and for the most shut-outs recorded in a single season, has been forced to watch from the sidelines since, but played for the reserves at Queen of the South last Tuesday.

That came after he was named on the bench for the loss at Partick Thistle, on September 30, before Saturday’s scheduled game with Arbroath was called off due to a waterlogged pitch at KDM Group East End Park.

After seven games, Dunfermline are sixth in the table with 11 points, just a point outside the promotion play-off places, and have lost just twice - to Thistle, and at home to Raith Rovers in August.

Mehmet conceded the 3-0 loss at Firhill last time out was disappointing, but feels that, overall, Athletic have made an encouraging start.

“None of us will ever want a Saturday to go that way but, unfortunately, this is football and this is the league that we’re in,” he said.

“That is going to happen and it may not be the last time it’s going to happen this season.

“Hopefully it will be. With the start of the season we’ve had, we’ve had some tough games, but I think the boys have played really well.

“They’ve carried it on from last year as well.

“The success that we had last year was amazing, obviously, and it’s definitely helped set us up for this year.

“You can see the boys are still the same; they still work as hard as they ever have done before.

“They’ve been brilliant. Everyone from Harry (Sharp), Max (Little), whoever’s played, all the way through the team, has been really good.

“Hopefully the injury list can get smaller as time goes by, but it’s something that’s happened.

“It’s unfortunate, but that’s part and parcel of football. It’s something you’ve got to be prepared for as a squad, which I think we are.”

Mehmet continued: “It’s been good to see that we can compete, clearly, and every game has been competitive. I think the boys have done really well.

“Very much like last season, there’s definitely not an easy game this year as well. It’s a league up and it’s a lot more competitive and a lot more challenging.

“A setback is going to happen and it’s just a matter of how we bounce back. To be fair, the group of boys we have they work hard every day, let alone on a Saturday.

“You’re probably bored of hearing me say this, I say it every time, but it is true!

“They work so hard every day and hopefully that will play a big part in getting back from the setback we’ve had there.”