Made in Oldham is Rhodes' trademark

3 Sep 1990

THAT Welsh rugby bard Max Boyce, used to tell the tale of a factory in Wales that turned out nothing but fly-halves.

If such a plant exists among the hills and valleys, then there must be a similar operation located around Oldham which churns out goalkeepers.

Since coming up here Andy Goram has established himself as one of the best.

Judging by his display on Saturday, it won't be long before Dunfermline keeper Andy Rhodes is up beside him.

Though the heads of David Moyes and Ian McCall supplied the goals which earned the Fifers' manager Iain Munro his first league victory, it was the contribution of Rhodes which kept the home side in this game as Hearts ran the show.

"His handling was first-class and he inspired confidence in the rest," was how Munro understated the influence Rhodes had on the outcome.

But then, managers tend to steer clear of singling out individuals.

Football is a team game, and though the cliches were inevitable after Tuesday's slip-up, there was no doubting Munro's pride in his side's effort at the weekend.

"After Tuesday, people said there was a lack of commitment and attitude.

I don't think there was any of that," said Munro.

"The one thing about this squad is that they are honest.

Tuesday was just a bad night and I'm glad they played the way they did against Hearts, because it proved they are capable of much better."

Deflated by that midweek Skol Cup exit, Dunfermline took an age to muster any resistance to the free-flowing Hearts.

Rhodes was the exception.

His acrobatics left the Tynecastle strikers, and even his own skipper Jimmy Nicholl, holding their heads in disbelief.

Alex MacDonald's face carried a similar expression after the final whistle.

On top for so long, Hearts left Fife depressed.

"We dictated the play and suffered two collapses.

It was just one of those days," MacDonald concluded with a shake of the head.

Not only were two points lost, but the services of Derek Ferguson and Alan McLaren are in doubt for Wednesday's Skol Cup quarter-final against Aberdeen.

Ferguson went off at half-time with a head wound, and late on McLaren suffered a knee injury.

In all, not the happiest day for Alex MacDonald.

Iain Munro, no doubt, will think differently.

Taken from the Herald