Lee Ashcroft pipped defensive team-mate Dan O’Reilly in the McCrea Financial Services Player of the Month voting to pick up April’s prize.

Dan was ahead in the X vote however centre back Lee had the stronger performance on the club’s website and when the scores were combined the number 23 was the winner ahead of Dan as well as Robbie Crawford and Luke McBeth.

It is a first Award success for Lee this season and his cause was no doubt helped by a string of brave defensive blocks in last Friday’s battling win over a Falkirk side looking to clinch the Championship title.

Ahead of preparing for Friday night’s crunch game at Livingston, summer signing Lee said: “I am delighted to win this award and would like to thank everyone who voted for me. There was strong competition from my team-mates particularly following the win over Falkirk.”

“That win could be massive for us. We played really well in the first half but when it got to half-time, we knew it was going to be a tough 45 minutes in the second half.”

“We gave it everything we had to get a result, and we did that, and we will need the same approach at Livingston. We need to go there and get a positive result and get into the play-offs.”

As part of the Player of the Month Award, McCrea Financial Services provide a charitable donation with Lee asking for Homeless Project Scotland to be the beneficiary on his behalf.

Lee said: “I support a number of charities however on this occasion I would like Homeless Project Scotland to benefit, and I would like to thank McCrea Financial Services for allowing me to do that.”