Managers post Arbroath

Link to audio files of both manager`s post match comments

(Sorry these files are on the large side and will take time to download)

Allan Johnston was pleased that his new signing striker Andy Ryan came in for a scoring debut and `hit the ground running`:-

"They were really good finishes. I thought we were better against eleven men than we were worse against ten men. We got a bit sloppy and in the second half there was no tempo about the game and it got slow whereas in the first half it was more like us. We were passing the ball quick, we totally dominated it and it was good to score a couple of goals.

"Sometimes you have to be patient, sometimes you have to go quick it is about picking the right time to pick the right pass. Some of our passing was a bit sloppy as well but tha happens sometimes in games like that."

The manager dismissed that 2-0 up at half time against ten men might have made his side feel that the tie had been decided. He claimed:-

"You just need to go out and enjoy games like that and score four or five goals. It was a bit frustrating for all of us in the second half. We are miles better than we showed but I thought first half we were good."

Having made six changes from the side that faced Inverness Caley Thistle AJ gave players who had not seen much game time the opportunity to impress and show what they could offer.

"Some boys did well, some boys need to do a bit more to try and get in the team. They need the opportunity so it was a good chance to play them. You could see defence wise we were struggling a bit and had to play Jason Talbot at centre half with Lee Ashcroft, Lewis Martin and M`Voto missing we were a wee bit short."

Allan put down Conner Duthie`s inexperience in collecting two yellow cards in the second minute of added time as something the young left back can learn from.

"It is something that he will learn from, even the booking was a bit niaive. That is why young boys are played, they make mistakes and they have got to learn from their mistakes."

Arbroath manager Dick Campbell was extremely unhappy when referee Euan Anderson showed defender Ricky Little a red card to leave the visitors with ten men an hour to play. The Pars boss felt that he did them a favour!

"They were better with ten men. I think we would probably have scored a few more goals had it stayed eleven v eleven."

Attention now shifts to Saturday`s Derby against Falkirk at East End Park.

"It is the kind of game that we want to be involved in and we want to get a result. Last season we did not get the results that we deserved against them. We have to make sure that we make this a hard place to come and we have to make sure that we get the result since I`m sure the fans are desperate for a win."

Helping to get that result may be Andy Ryan and the manager returned to him:-

"It is great for stikers to score goals and I`m sure it will boost his confidence. You can see that he doesn`t lack confidence, he is a finisher. He is in the right place at the right time - you just can`t teach people that.

"He scored his second goal at a corner where there were loads of big centre halves there but it is just the timing. He got up above everybody and guided it in. His first one was a cracker as well, just a bit of technique. It is good that he scored and hopefully he can do that again at the weekend.

"We are delighted to get Andy, we have been trying to sign him now for a couple of months now. We have been speaking to Airdrie alongside speaking to other players obviously so it is good to finally get it over the line."

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