Manager on Friday

09/02/18: “There is no point in looking back the way, we need to make sure that we get back on track.

Dunfermline trained at Rutherglen on Thursday, so it was Friday before manager Allan Johnston spoke to the media. He revealed that he had sympathy for his keeper Lee Robinson who took the blame for the defeat at Cappielow the previous Saturday. There are always mistakes in football he claimed:-

“It is how you react from that. He has made some great saves in the other games and is one of those goalkeepers who gives everything that he has got. You can see him come for crosses, he is a good shot stopper. Occasionally you make mistakes, that happens to the best of us but hopefully he goes out tomorrow and has a great game, I’m sure that he will.

“It is brilliant when you see boys taking a bit of responsibility but that game is gone and we just have to focus on the next game. It is a massive game tomorrow, there is no point in looking back the way, we need to make sure that we get back on track.

“Obviously the last couple of games have been disappointing not to get anything out of the games, especially with the performance that we put in. That is the frustrating part so tomorrow we need to make sure that we get the result that we need, start closing the gap on Livingston and climb the table again.

“Individual mistakes have been killing us in the last couple of weeks so we need to be switched on. It is only us that can get us out of the rut that we are in just now. We have to make sure that we work even harder and when we get chances, we have to make sure that we take them.

“Unfortunately sometimes when you get a few bad results, the chances don’t go in and you get punished for the slightest errors. We know where we want to be. We set targets at the start of the season and we need to improve on the fifth place finish last year.

“We want to be in the play offs at least. That is the message to everybody. We need to make sure that we get the results to get there.

“Livingston have done really well. They have been really consistent and they have a style of play that suits them. They pass the ball, they get crosses in the box. Sometimes they get the ball forward early and they are a hard team to play against. They have a lot of height in their team so we are going to have to do the physical side as well.”

There is pressure on the whole team to score goals, not just the strikers but the pleasing thing for the Pars manager is that his side is creating chances in games. He continued:-

“I am sure that if we keep creating chances we will get goals because we have got good players up front, people who can score goals and we just have to make sure that we do the other side and defend as well.“

The gaffer discussed the fitness of his January transfer window signings and explained that James Vincent has been getting faster and faster in training.

“He is nearing full fitness, that is good because we can see that he is a right good player and has played at a good level. He could be a major bonus when he comes into the game.

“Young Dan (Armstrong) is looking really lively and I’m sure that he will play a big part between now and the end of the season.

“We have freshened things up in the middle of the park because we knew that we needed a few more options in there. I think that we have done that. It was good for Tom (Beadling) to get a goal last week and hopefully he can get a few more between now and the end of the season.”

AJ will be without Michael Paton for the trip to the Tony Macaroni Arena. He picked up an ankle injury in training on Thursday. Sean Murdoch has still not had the all clear from physio Kenny Murray.

On the weekend of the William Hill Scottish Cup ties, the Pars manager is thankful of the rearranged Championship fixture against Livingston. Next weekend’s home match against Inverness Caley Thistle has been postponed because of their Irn Bru Cup semi final tie against Crusaders. That match will now be played on Tuesday 6th March. AJ closed by saying:-

“It is frustrating when there are no games. We are just glad that this one was on because a couple of weeks without a game at this stage in the season is not ideal. It is a good chance to get a good week’s training done and make sure that we are ready for the upcoming fixtures.”

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