Kris Doolan: Goals prove I'm worth a starting place at Thistle

Sep 9 2010 By Fraser Wilson

Kris Doolan

PARTICK THISTLE goal hero Kris Doolan hopes last week's brace will finally win over the doubters and cement his place in the Jags first team.

Doolan struck twice in the first half as the Jags scraped past Ayr United 2-1 to book their place in the Alba Challenge Cup semi final.

His double bagged him brownie points with his Kilmarnock-daft partner Claire. But Doolan would rather his goals sweetened Jags boss Ian McCall as he bids for a regular start.

The 23-year-old Ayrshireman said: "It was important we got the win after recent results and to get the goals was a real bonus for me.

"It was nice to give the supporters something to cheer about again.

"We knew we had to bounce back from the Cowdenbeath defeat and the onus was on us to get it right. The way to do that was to take our frustrations out on Ayr and really let them have it.

"I live in Kilmarnock and some people would see it as playing against your rivals but it was just another game for me.

"The same couldn't be said for my girlfriend though as she's a Kilmarnock diehard. She was at the game and lets just say she was a wee bit happy to see us beat Ayr.

"But that's us into the semi final and this is a competition we are taking really seriously. Nobody will turn their nose up at playing in any cup final and we are determined to get there and give the fans a day out."

Doolan has been used sparingly by McCall since being plucked from the Junior ranks where he won international honours while at Auchinleck Talbot almost two years ago.

He was loaned out to Clyde for the last two months of last season as his Jags career looked to be stalling.

But his double on Saturday took him to the top of the Firhill scoring charts this term, albeit with a modest three strikes, and he hopes to be given a decent chance to stay there.

"The manager just tells me to keep doing what I'm doing and if I am performing then I should be in the starting 11," said Doolan.

"As a striker it's important to contribute something every time you play so I feel I did that on Saturday and hopefully now I can keep my place in the team.

"There's real competition for places with Simon Donnelly who's a clever player and holds the ball up well, Liam Buchanan who makes good runs in behind defences and Martin Grehan who is a good target man.

"There's quality there and the most important thing is that we, as a team, get a good run going in the league.

"If we can get two or three results on the bounce it can make all the difference in this division and it starts this weekend against Stirling Albion at Firhill.

"We need to make Firhill a fortress and make sure teams leave with nothing. Hopefully the fans can help us achieve that."