Confident Fifers can't wait to get back onto the park again

Matthew Knox, seen here playing for parent club Livingston, has arrived at Bayview on loan.

That’s according to gaffer Darren Young who was delighted with his troops following a deserved 2-0 win away from home at Stranraer on Saturday.

It may just be the win which kick starts the side’s campaign and helps them surge back into the play-off zone again.

Going into the weekend’s fixture with the bottom of the table Spiders, East Fife are perched just five points from fourth place.

And Young reckons his side is champing at the bit to eat even further into that gap.

“The players are confident and so they should be after the weekend,” he said.

“Apart from a little spell at the end of the game Stranraer didn’t really threaten us too much.

“Overall the first half was pretty scrappy but watching it back Chris Duggan’s goal was onside.

“There was another in the second half with big Robert Jones when he was onside as well.

“But we get the goal after a good run forward by Kieran Millar.

“Getting forward like that is something that we’d like to add to his game.

“It was a great three points but to be fair we’ve probably played better than that and lost games.”

With Mark Docherty, Kyle Wilkie and Craig Thomson injured, gaps opened in the side for Young’s new recruits.

Motherwell loanee Adam Livingstone and former Celtic young captain Connor McManus started the game while Matthew Knox and Robert Jones were handed places on the bench.

And Young was please with the impact his signings made.

“We had three big players missing for us but the new boys coming in were great,” said the gaffer.

“Adam slotted in well and you could see Connor has been coached at a really high level.

“Big Robert was a handful.

“We had him in during pre-season but it just didn’t quite happen with the numbers we had.

“He got back in touch with us and has a great attitude - he just wants a chance to play.

“Matthew was unlucky because we were going to put him on when we scored so he had to sit back down.”

The addition of Knox in particular has excited fans, with the teenager having spent time on trial with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United.

“He has a lot of skill,” said Young.

“Has a great touch, control and can finish.

“He just needs a run of games now.”