Cardle: We have no fear of step up to Championship

DUNFERMLINE winger Joe Cardle insists this season’s cut-throat Championship holds no fears for the Pars.

The 29-year-old was the visitors’ tormentor-in-chief in Saturday’s 5-1 friendly thrashing of Livingston at the Tony Macaroni Arena, scoring one and setting up three others.

Allan Johnston’s side would love to pick up where they left off last season after netting 83 goals as they cantered to the League One title.

They were in menacing form again at the weekend and despite the presence of the likes of Hibs, Dundee United, Falkirk and St Mirren in the second tier, Cardle is confident Dunfermline can make an impact.

He said: “We won the league last season by scoring a lot of goals, especially earlier on in the season.

“As long as we can start the season like that again we’ll be happy. We just have to keep creating chances and, hopefully, put them away. “It’s still very early in pre-season. “We’ll, hopefully, sign a few more players. We’ll have to weigh it all up when we’ve got the full squad together but there’s a good, fit squad in there and I think we’ve got a good chance.

“I still think there’s two or three faces to come in that can add to the squad. I think we’ve got a good nucleus there but if the gaffer adds to it that’ll make it bigger and better.

“If that happens, it happens. I think we’ve got a good enough team as it is.”

After a slow start, Dunfermline ruthlessly swept aside David Hopkin’s Livi.

A Craig Halkett own goal was added to by Andy Geggan, Rhys McCabe, Cardle and Gavin Reilly.

Tope Obadeyi said it was an “easy decision” to move to Tannadice.