HE’S had to be patient and wait for his chance but Jean-Yves M’Voto is determined to grab it with both hands.

And he’s not fazed about fighting the club captain and one of their most consistent performers over the last season-and-a-half for a place in the starting line-up.

Since signing from rivals Raith Rovers in the summer after the Kirkcaldy club were relegated to League One, it has been a stop-start campaign for the Frenchman, who was much admired by boss Allan Johnston after solid performances against his side last season.

After making his debut as a substitute in the Betfred Cup against Elgin City, two more appearances from the bench in that competition – against Peterhead and Hearts – followed before he stepped into the starting line-up for the league opener at Livingston.

In what turned out to be a difficult afternoon for both he and his team-mates, M’Voto’s blushes were spared when Sean Murdoch saved a late penalty that he conceded and he was limited to four substitute appearances before the close of 2017 – three of them in cup competition.

But the new year has provided a fresh start for the 29-year-old, who has played in Dunfermline’s last three games and played a significant role in the team keeping three clean sheets.

He was given his chance against Falkirk with skipper Callum Morris banned and, despite his return to the squad for the game at Dumbarton, M’Voto’s performance against the Bairns saw him given the nod once more.

On Saturday, he partnered Morris as Lee Ashcroft missed out through illness, and Johnston suggested that a “freshness” in his line-up had played a factor in their recent upturn in form.

M’Voto said: “Ash and Cal were doing very well so I had to wait. Now it is about keeping in the team.

“Callum is the captain and, for me, when you are captain that means that you are the leader of the group. I don’t think Callum is too worried about it.

“It was a good partnership (with Ashcroft) but, I think with either Callum or Ashy, they are both good defenders so it is not difficult for me when I get into the team.

“We take results like these as they come and we want to try and continue like this.

“We want to catch the two teams above us and we need to be ready and just attack as we have done so far.”