Raith Rovers left back Kieran MacDonald aiming to be king of the assists

The left back provided the cross for Jamie Gullan’s first-half opener at Falkirk and almost scored himself, with three attempts narrowly missing the target.

One of the features of the season so far has been MacDonald’s ability to get up and down the touchline and being involved in a number of goals – how many exactly he isn’t sure!

“I’m not actually counting my assists,” MacDonald told the Press. “I’m thinking double figures, 10 at least, but I’ll need to start counting them.

“That’s the strongest part of my game, getting forward and getting balls into the box, so hopefully I can keep doing that and setting up goals for the boys to put away.

“I’d quite like to add a few more goals myself and I had a good chance in the second half on Saturday but it landed on my right foot and that’s not the strongest part of my game.”

MacDonald finished Saturday’s match at centre-back after the red card for Kyle Benedictus left Rovers with a makeshift back four.

With Benedictus and Iain Davidson both suspended for Dumbarton at home this Saturday, and Steven Anderson struggling with injury, MacDonald could be needed to fill in once again, but it’s a position he is comfortable in.

“I actually played most of last season at centre-back for Airdrie in a back three,” he said.

“I quite enjoy centre-back, and I still like to go forward. I don’t think the gaffer will like to put me there because I’ll just keep going foward, to be honest!

“I know we conceded a goal on Saturday but we’ve been doing well at the back the past few weeks. We’ve had a few clean sheets and we’ve defended well as a team.

“We’re pretty decent at that, so if Dan Armstrong has to come in at left back and I have to move to centre-back, then I’m sure we’ll be okay.”

MacDonald’s performances this season defy his part-time status as he combines work with his father’s company, manufacturing and installing automatic doors and shutters, with training two nights a week.

The 26-year-old admits he may be tempted back into full-time football if the circumstances were right, but he is enjoying being part of the hybrid model at Stark’s Park.

“I’ve been full-time before and I had the chance to go back but it wasn’t right,” he said.

“I’d maybe consider it if it was the right move, and everything else was right.

“I just need to wait and see but I’m enjoying it at Raith.

“That was main reason I came here.

“I like how they played last year and the gaffer is good, Smudger as well, and it’s a great bunch of boys.

“When you’re only in two days a week it can be hard to keep your fitness up, so I try to get to the gym as much as I can outwith football.”