Stevie Crawford looks ahead to Dunfermline Raith Rovers

Fife rivals, Raith Rovers, come calling to East End Park in the first leg of the Premiership play-off quarter final, with the return taking place at Stark's Park on Saturday.

The prize for the winners is a semi-final with Dundee, who placed second in the Championship, with the victors in that tie then going on to face the 11th-placed side in the Premiership in the final.

Crawford made seven changes to his starting eleven for their final game of the regular season - a 1-0 loss at Alloa - on Friday night but insisted the team he selected was not purely based on tonight's match.

Not since 2011, when Martin Hardie's double gave Dunfermline a 2-1 win and a four point lead at the top of the First Division, which they went on to win, with two games to go has a derby had so much riding on it, and Crawford believes the pressure his side faced in order to secure a play-off spot can stand them in good stead.

Speaking to the media yesterday, he explained: "I didn’t pick the team on Friday night purely focused on the game on Tuesday night.

"It enabled us to give boys who we felt needed it, game time for whatever reasons. It was also an opportunity to look at players who we think are going to have a future at this football club.

"We went into that match knowing that if we won the game and Dundee had lost there was still as possibility of us finishing third. We never wrote the game off on Friday night.

"Other than us losing the game I thought that it was a positive performance, the boys were brave in getting on the ball and what we never managed to do on the night, despite creating several chances, was put the ball in the back of the net.

"The game time that players got from it will be valued game time ahead of the two games that we are facing.

"If you look at the tail end of the season the boys played under immense pressure in games that we had to win. We have scored goals in these games and it is those traits that we are asking for again.

"The belief comes because I believe in my players first and foremost. I wouldn’t have brought them to the club if I didn’t believe that. They have been disciplined throughout the season, that will be called upon over the ties and I want them to go out and express themselves, not to have any fear.

"I played as an attacking footballer as well and sometimes you have to allow them to go and express themselves. I think that we have done that towards the tail end of the season when the pressure was on us most.

"We have come through a difficult time and it is still managing to put smiles on peoples’ faces. There are disappointments but it is being respectful of the game as a whole.

"There will be things that come up in these next two games that I personally will learn from and I’m sure that everybody at the club will learn from as well."

Dunfermline's last appearance at this stage was in 2018, when they were beaten by Dundee United, with current forward Declan McManus part of their squad.

Centre back Paul Watson has experienced play-off disappointment with Raith, Falkirk and Dundee United, and hopes to put that right this season.

"I think I’ve had every experience in the play-offs now - an early exit, getting to the final and winning the first-leg before getting battered in the second-leg," he said.

"Then at Dundee United, we drew and went all the way to penalties - and I’ve never seen a penalty shoot-out like that since. It was disappointing, and it’s the toughest way to end the season. We’re just looking to get through this tie on Tuesday and Saturday and see where it takes us.

"I don’t think there’s many boys in our group who have experienced the play-offs, so I’ve been trying to give little bits of advice to them in certain areas. We can’t win through on Tuesday night, it’s two ties, so it’s just about staying in the game and taking it to Saturday."

Crawford is hopeful of having a full squad available for selection, minus the injured Ryan Dow and Lewis Martin.