HAT-TRICK hero Nicky Clark believes that Saturday’s crunch match at Dundee United is a game Athletic must win to maintain their play-off push.

The Pars hitman, who grabbed all the goals and the match ball in Tuesday night’s win at Brechin City, admits the trip to Tannadice is a “massive” match in their season and says they can finally put an end to their Tangerine hoodoo.

The 26-year-old moved on to 16 goals for the season in the 3-0 success, which took Dunfermline to within a point of fourth-placed Morton, and two off third-top United.

Although Csaba Laszlo’s team – who are unbeaten in their last nine meetings with the Pars – have three games in hand, three points would lift Allan Johnston’s team above their opponents and Clark insists they have to go on the attack.

Speaking to Press Sport after the game at Glebe Park, he said: “The last few weeks have been very frustrating for us, getting draws when we feel as though we should’ve had wins, so we need to kick-on now.

“It’s very tight around the play-off areas and we know we’re good enough in that dressing room to get there so we need to go out and prove that.

“We know Saturday now is huge for us. We need to go and win I think up there, and we’re capable of doing it so we’ll get back in training, get our heads down, work hard again and look forward to it.

“I don’t think we’ve been able to beat them since I’ve been here but we’ve got a dressing room in there that will take confidence from this.

“There is a wee hoodoo but there’s only one way to change it and hopefully we can do that.”

Having gone six games without finding the net, Clark was relieved to get back on the goal trail and reckons it’s a result that has been coming.

“I’ve obviously been frustrated in the last few weeks, not being able to get on the scoresheet, but it’s always great to get a hat-trick and the match ball,” he continued.

“We got the first one and then I think we pressed really well for the second, managed to nick it in the box and I managed to finish it off, so it was a great start and made it pretty comfortable for us.

“I think I said recently in the press that, bar the St Mirren game where we weren’t at the races at all, we’ve been a bit unlucky not to get a couple of goals here and there.

“When it goes in, we’re a good team so it’s great to get the goals and it sets us up well for Saturday.”