Listen to this James McPake interview
After losing 2-1 to Airdrieonians at the Excelsior Stadium Dunfermline manager, James McPake, said that his team got exactly what they deserved from the game, the fourth last of the Championship season.
“Particularly in the first half we were outran, outthought, outplayed and credit to Airdrie for that. We made it really easy for them in the first half.”
You made quite a few changes during the game trying to change the outcome?
“Yeah, that’s what you try. You work all week, you pick a team but when something is not working you have to try and change it. That’s what we tried to do but they were miles better than us today. The way they got after us compared to the way we got after them. That’s disappointing, it looked like they outworked us today as well.”
You had chances near the end when you could have equalised?
“When it gets to the end and there’s only a goal in it you know that you will always get some sort of chance. They maybe would get a wee bit nervy towards the end or the game becomes at times a wee bit unrealistic because we have so many players high up the pitch. The big thing for me was the first half performance.”
Is that the most frustrating thing because you preach about performance levels?
“It wasn’t even close to levels of recent weeks. They are a good side we know that. They were a good side last year and they have been tough to play against every time we have played against them.
“I will watch the game back and I think I will be right with this one – they worked a lot harder than us at getting after us in the first half. Not giving us time on the ball, pinning our wingbacks back. It was two formations matched up against each other but they were better on the ball, let’s be honest about that. The annoying and disappointing thing for me is the reactions to them getting after the ball compared to us and the gaps in our team.
“We have been working all week about being compact because they will play through you like they play through every team in this league if you allow them to. We were just far too stretched, far too open which is disappointing.”
Match Report: 13/04/24 – Airdrieonians 2 Dunfermline 1
