Manager Post Stenhousemuir
Saturday, 21st Mar 201521/03/15: "With that result today we have given ourselves an opportunity to try and get in the play offs.
- - Listen to these John Potter comments
"I am happy with the win. We tried a different shape that we had worked on this week. In the first half we looked quite good and maybe should have taken advantage of a couple of opportunities.
"David Hopkirk got into the box, his crossing maybe wasn't spot on but we had good opportunities. In the second half we started well, we got the goal and then the usual - we began to sit back and panicked a wee bit probably. A win is the most important thing and we got that.
"I have been talking about how they do it in training every day and the frustrating bit for us is that the fight and aggression in training is maybe not seen too many times in games. I think we did that today. Maybe towards the end we needed a cool head to try and pass our way out or get ourselves up the pitch.
"People were going back that shouldn't have been going back. Guys were just panicking because they knew that it was an important game today."
As Stenhousemuir made a final push for an equaliser things got rather worrying for everyone concerned. Potter confessed to feeling it difficult despite portraying a cool head on the sidelines.
"They managed to see it out and we have maybe not done that too many times this season. We had a good defensive record at the start of the season but that has gone in the last month or two."
The clean sheet against Stenhousemuir came as a consequence of an 82nd minute penalty save from Ryan Scully. Colin McMenamin's attempt from the spot was parried away by the Pars keeper who is on loan from Partick Thistle. John Potter added:-
"It was a great save, Ryan is good at penalties and so you always have hope when there is a penalty against him. Ryan saved the penalty after that we managed to hold out and I am delighted that we had a clean sheet."
One of five changes meant a start for Faissal El Bakhtaoui and he rewarded his gaffer with the winning goal:-
"I have told the players that I will make changes at times, he played very well on Monday night for the reserves (v Celtic) and he has had a very good week in training. That is why I made the change. He has been good enough here ( at Ochilview Park) before and he was very effective on the right hand side.
"He had a couple of opportunities, he hit the bar and then got his goal with a good finish. I am delighted for him."
The win takes Dunfermline to within three points of Brechin City in fourth place, Potter said that he had not had a look at results elsewhere before speaking to the media:-
"If that is what's happened good but as I have said before we have to win our games to make a difference. We have now the top six teams to play in the next six games. These teams are either round about us or above us. With that result today we have given ourselves an opportunity to try and get in the play offs.
"We have to go again, work hard all week and prepare to play Morton next Saturday."
- - Listen to Stenhousemuir coach Brown Ferguson`s thoughts
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