Managers Post Ross County

11/08/18: Link to audio of both managers post match comments

Manager Allan Johnston stressed that you cannot afford to lose what he termed ‘really soft goals.’

“I thought that we were the better team in the first half but basic defending cost us especially the second and the third goal. We can not afford to do that against the better teams. You cannot afford to do that against any teams to be honest with you.

“We have to learn from that if we have any chance of challenging at the top of the league you need to defend well first and foremost. That is probably what they were better at today. They defended well and made it difficult. We still created chances in the first half but second half it went a wee bit flat especially after losing the third goal.”

The manager tried various plots adjusting his formation during the match. He described the problem caused by Danny Devine’s absence through injury:-

“We had Jackson Longridge playing centre half. He has done really well for us playing wingback. It doesn’t help when you have Lewis Martin out injured and obviously Tom Beadling who could have played there as well. It left us short and shuffling players about. That is still no excuse, we can still do better.

“The first goal was a wonder strike but we should still have dealt with the first phase of that even better. I think Draper ran off somebody, but it is a wonder strike. The second and third goals we have to do better.”

Dunfermline equalised within minutes of going behind, the perfect response with a crisp Louis Longridge finish, the manager commented:-

“The boys showed a bit of character and they have done that in the last couple of games.But you cannot keep giving teams a start especially with the quality, experience and physicality that they have got. We have to match that, so it is a learning one for us.”

It was Dunfermline’s first defeat of the season and AJ said that they would need to bounce back in the Irn Bru Cup on Tuesday night.

“We are going to go with a totally different team, we are going to be playing a lot of younger players and people who need some game time.

“Obviously we have a massive game at the weekend against Hearts, no disrespect to the Irn Bru Cup but it is a lot of Colt teams, trams from England and Wales so we have taken the decision to play our fringe players and young players.”

The manager agreed that the result was a reality check but argued:-

“It is a learning curve for us because they have experienced players who have played in the Premier League and they have recruited decent players as well. One thing they did, without being brilliant was defending well. They are hard to beat and don’t lose goals. If we take that into our game I’m sure that we will be up there.”

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