Managers post Hearts
Friday, 20th Nov 2020Link to audio of both managers post match interviews
- - Listen to this Stevie Crawford interview
Victorious Pars manager Stevie Crawford told his post match press conference that he thought that the first half, albeit goalless, was a really good game of football.
“Both teams were fairly open in terms of trying to hurt their oppositions back line. I thought our shape in the first half was very good and the second half was great in terms of getting off to a good start with Dom (Thomas) scoring his first goal of the season. He has been magnificent in terms of his assists so it is very pleasing on that side.
“Then the combination again of Dom and Euan Murray to get the second goal at a time when you are expecting Hearts to be looking to get back into the game. That was very encouraging.
“It showed a belief in themselves and that is important to me. They are a very good side and they have a very strong squad. It was going to be a marker for us of where we are at. I keep saying that we have players now that I think there is a lot of development in. That’s not only the starting eleven, there is potential if you look at our bench tonight there were possible game changers there as well. That side alone is very pleasing for where we are at the moment as a club.
“Hearts are still favourites for the league. I am not taking anything away from us as a team. The Championship can be a very unforgiving league, within a couple of games you can find yourself at the other end of the table. I have learned that from experience.
“We will very much enjoy the weekend but Hearts are a strong side and they will be the ones up there that we have to be challenging at the end of the season.”
Asked to comment on Kerr McInroy’s contribution SC replied:-
“Kerr was a player I saw a good few years ago when I first came up to Dunfermline in the reserve game (v Celtic). He has a culture left foot, physically you can see that he is not frightened of the game at this level and he is very very good on the ball in terms of weight of pass, vision and things like that.
“I am not just singling Kerr out, I thought the way Declan (McManus) and Kyle (Turner) led the line were magnificent and that set the tone for the rest of the team.
It was a tremendous defensive performance to withstand the pressure from Hearts in the closing ten minutes.
“It was, I think what we saw in the second half was Robbie (Neilson) change his formation a number of times. Different questions were asked of us. The first half was two teams going at each other and our shape was good. I have just given them a massive pat on the back for the second half because football is not just about getting after a man. You have got to kill space at times and Hearts definitely put us under the cosh at times towards the end of the game.
“On that side I thought our game management was good tonight and that helped us get over that winning line.”
Commenting on the stat, Dunfermline’s first league win over Hearts in over sixteen years, Stevie said:-
“It is nice to put that record to bed but it is not getting carried away. It is a great win for our supporters. Everybody will have been watching that on telly tonight but it is massive for the club in that respect.
“It is a different feeling playing out there tonight in a game of that magnitude but I’m sure that the supporters will have enjoyed that tonight from home.
“Sadly at this time with what we are facing, it is not just ourselves but things that you take for granted in life. Everyone is longing for them to come back but it is great for us to win a televised game when the fans can get excited by it. We are just hopeful that the fans will be able to come back some time soon.”
- - Hear the thoughts of Hearts boss Robbie Neilson
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