Gary Montignani gave his thoughts on the 2-2 draw with Livingston at the Ainslie Park Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
“Overall I thought it was a good game, a good challenge for us. Obviously we knew that there were a few (of our players) who played last week who came on at the weekend so we knew that we were going to have a younger team. If first team boys are not here that gives the younger ones opportunities and we were delighted to give them the opportunity. I think they took it.
“They started strong in terms of first team players but the big thing for us was stepping up to that challenge and not to let the game pass them by. We spoke about the way that we wanted to play out and be in possession and I thought we were very very good.
“We conceded a poor goal from a corner, mistakes like that will happen but it didn’t disrupt us too much. They scored in nine minutes but I actually thought that we started the game really well. After that we got back into our rhythm and deserved a goal to go in at the break level. To be honest there were a few wee tweaks but we spoke about just doing the right things. Could we keep the energy levels up? I thought we denied them any sort of threat through the middle of the pitch and our shape out of possession was good.
“In terms of individuals, I thought Ewan McLeod was excellent, you can see the benefit of him going to play mens football at Crossgates. The same with Sam Young now at Gala. I am very happy overall although I thought we maybe deserved to win the game overall but at 2-2 we are not too disappointed I suppose.”You seemed to enjoy huge chunks of possession in the first half especially around the half hour mark when your team was winning the ball back quickly and not giving Livingston anything really?
“They had a couple of big targets upfront and we managed them really well. We got our shape around them and we spoke about trying to deny the middle of the pitch as much as possible knowing that their key threats were going to be in that area. You have to weather the storm in any game and let it settle. I thought we controlled the game for large parts in that first half. We did exactly what we spoke about, getting on the ball, trying to get down the sides and we controlled it through the back three as well. Overall we are happy.”
It was a very clever play for Taylor Sutherland to score the goal that put you ahead in the third minute of the second half?
“It was a good bit of play but even at half time we spoke about Jack Hamilton making two or three really good saves. That was after a couple of really good passages of play, similar out from the back switching through midfield. Taylor took his goal really well, I thought that he was excellent. He had taken a knock late into the first half, that’s why we took him off just to manage him.
You were able to bring on a fifteen year old goalkeeper in Thomas Margetts?
“He is thought of really highly at the club and at the academy. He is an under 15 Scottish internationalist and he is one who we think has a bright future. He is coming in to train with the first team and goalkeeping coach Andy Collier over the next two weeks of the holidays. I thought he did well. There was a couple of spells where he went to one centre half, it went back to him and it went out to the other. He was great with his feet, you can see that he is a modern day keeper. He had a good save near the end and he is a calm enough kid – it didn’t really faze him coming into this environment. He is one to watch out for.”
You will play Livingston again later this month in the SPFL Reserve Cup final, will it be a different Dunfermline eleven that night?
“We will see. The job is keeping the first team players ticking over and if they don’t need minutes there are opportunities for others. Within that reserve group or younger group there is still a couple missing. Andrew Tod picked up a wee ankle injury in the 18s on Friday, Liam Hoggan is struggling after breaking his collar bone, Jake Sutherland took a knock at Crossgates. When they are missing there are opportunities for others behind them and it is credit to guys at the academy that there are ones coming thick and fast to take their place.
“The other one, Freddie Rowe was excellent for me. He has a good physique, two good feet and gets in those pockets and causes problems. He drives at defenders. It was good for the young ones to get a shot and not letting the game pass them by. These are the games that when you are a younger player playing against seasoned pros you learn more from them. That’s the bridge for 18s to reserves, they are getting a taste for that and I thought it was a real learning curve for them.”
So rather than cringe, you are pleased when you see a strong team with several experienced players lining up against you?
“Exactly. We have done it to other teams in the past so on the flip side you use it as a challenge for the younger ones. That was certainly what we spoke about before the game. I thought they stood up to it and were excellent.”
Match Report: 02/04/24 Dunfermline Reserves 2 Livingston Reserves 2
