DERBY day hero Kevin O'Hara is relishing being the "catalyst" for Dunfermline as he looks to continue to spearhead their survival bid this afternoon.

The 23-year-old took his goalscoring tally for the season to nine on Wednesday night with a brace that saw off Raith Rovers, earning the Pars what could be a priceless three points.

They're now just two points behind eighth-placed Ayr United - who host Inverness Caledonian Thistle - and six ahead of bottom side Queen of the South, who lost at home to Partick Thistle last night (Friday).

Athletic head to league leaders Kilmarnock today, before hosting Ayr, travelling to Thistle and then taking on Queens at home in their final three fixtures.

O'Hara is likely to again be asked to play the lone striker role by manager John Hughes, with support behind him, and he explained: "It’s good to be in the team which is obviously where I want to be.

"He (Hughes) says I’m the catalyst for the side, and that I need to win the ball high up the pitch, and if the goals come it’s a bonus. I’ve got to do a job for the team defensively as well as offensively.

"It’s a great feeling it was nice to get the two goals but the most important thing is the three points for the team and I thought it was a right good team performance from the start.

"There’s a good feeling in the dressing room. It’s always good to get the three points but when it’s a derby win it’s a wee bonus.

"The confidence is high. Aside from the Inverness game we’ve played really well in most games, and the squad are feeling good just now, so hopefully we can take that into the next few games."

In their previous meetings with Killie this season, the Pars have drawn twice at East End, and were beaten at Rugby Park in December, having taken a second half lead and missed a first half penalty.

"Killie will be a tough game. They’re flying themselves the now but we have a game plan and hopefully we can put it into practice," O'Hara continued.

"It’ll be a big game for both sides, with them going for the title and us going for safety so it’ll be a really good game to play in.

"We just want to finish as high as we can, we take each game as it comes. We’re looking towards the Kilmarnock game and picking up as much points as we can and take it from there.

"It’s not been a great season but we just have to knuckle down and work hard every day in training and put it right now."

Meanwhile Hughes, who will be without on-loan Killie midfielder, Liam Polworth, for the match, believes it has the makings of being what he described as a "cracker", and praised the work done by Rugby Park gaffer, Derek McInnes.

"We’re playing against a Kilmarnock side that’s going for the league. I think Del’s done a great job there, he knows his way about, his team knows their way about," he said.

Dunfermline Press:

"I’m hoping we can go down and give them a game. I think every team, if they see the way that we’re playing, they know it’s going to be a game and I’m hoping that’ll be the case on Saturday.

"They’ve been good games (previous meetings between the teams); they’ve swung back and forward. Every game from now to the end of the season, whether it's teams at the top of the league or teams at the bottom of the league, we’re all capable of beating each other.

"Whether you’re going for promotion or survival, it has all the ingredients for a cracker."

Dunfermline will hope that the win over Raith will provide a springboard for the remainder of the season, and Hughes continued: "That one was for the supporters.

Dunfermline Press:

"What we have to do is get some consistency, which is what we’ve been searching for since I’ve come in here. We’ve been playing good stuff so we just need that week in week out.

"Saying that, Kilmarnock are a whole different ball game. We’re going to have to be at our best to get something."

Hughes was also full of praise for the backing his team received by a 5,000 plus crowd on Wednesday, noting: "Don’t ever question or worry about the fans at Dunfermline. We give them something to sing about they’ll play their part. I’m feeling a connection.

"I was at a dinner with fans, Jim Leishman and the board last week and obviously once there’s a few beers and glasses of wine, the stories come out.

"We were there for three and a half hours, and the laughs and the stories and the history that all these supporters have...if the players could see the passion these guys have, because it affected me when I went home. You can see what it means to the supporters. It’s a great club, it's a big club, we’re under no illusion and hopefully we can stay in the league."

Hughes revealed that Graham Dorrans has been nursing a calf problem but could be back within the next week or two, whilst Rhys Breen and Paul Allan have thigh and hamstring injuries respectively.