Manager on Thursday

01/11/18: AJ - “It is just trying to find the blend that works - stopping goals at one end and scoring goals at the other end.

Manager Allan Johnston was optimistic that Tuesday night’s performance can be taken into Saturday’s at the Indodrill Stadium on Saturday. He told the media:-

“It is consistency that we need. We need to start putting a run of results together. You can see a couple of clubs starting to form a gap between us and the rest of the teams. We need to try and keep in contact, that is why these games coming up are very important.

“Obviously we take one game at a time. Alloa have proved difficult opponents the last couple of times that we have played them. They are a stuffy team, they make it difficult, they are always dangerous on the counterattack so you have to be really well organised.

“We have to go there and expect to win, show that belief and desire and get the three points that we need. If we put in a performance like Tuesday night we not be far away.

“We are trying to win every game, in the situation that we are in it is important to get wins but the boys showed a bit of character and a bit fight. It is just frustrating not getting the three points but there were a lot of positives to come out of the game.”

On loan strike Aidan Keena was given his starting debut and he hit two goals to twice put the Fifers into the lead. AJ commented:-

“They were great goals and he was unlucky not to score a couple more as well. It just shows the threat that he has got. Hopefully he will turn out to be a big player for us. He has good energy, he is a good finisher, has really good movement in the box and that is why we put him in in the first place.

After winning the four games in the Betfred Cup Group and defeating Dundee United at Tannadice, the Pars dip in form that followed, has surprised those looking in. The manager responded:-

“Sometimes that happens when you lose cheap goals. For one reason or another we stopped scoring goals at the same time which doesn’t help. It takes everybody pulling together making sure that we put in a performance that makes the fans proud as well. We need to get the result we need and take that into the Falkirk game.”

Tuesday night’s starting eleven showed five changes but the gaffer claimed that he was looking for consistency:-

“We have not been hitting top form, that is fair to say. We are looking for consistency and that comes from people playing every week and being the best that they can be every week. We have not probably had that and that is why there has been changes, some are enforced, some aren’t enforced.

“It is just trying to find the blend that works - stopping goals at one end and scoring goals at the other end. I suppose that is what every manager is trying to get.”

AJ stressed that opposing teams have good players and it is difficult when you are up against teams like Dundee United and Inverness.

“If you go and start pressing everything, they will just pass through you because they are decent players. You have got to be organised. I wouldn’t say there was any difference to the way we were playing on Tuesday to the way we were playing on Saturday. Maybe it looked like that from the stand but I wouldn’t question the boys’ desire because they go and try and win every game.

“Maybe the pressure at home is playing on their minds as well. The only way you can change that is by getting results and performances. It is up to us to do that.

“We are scoring goals away from home, we have decent record away from home. It is going to be a tight pitch at Alloa and I am sure it will be a difficult game because they have brought the pitch into the minimum size possible.

“We will go and try and press because of the size of the pitch. We have to be good enough to go and get the goals that we need. The difference in games are defining moments where we probably not taken our chances.”

Questioning the difference with the fortunes at home, Allan pointed out how expectations play a big part and when teams come and sit in, it makes winning games difficult.

“Look at Queen of the South they came and sat in front of their own box. Alloa at times did the same and had just about the whole team behind the ball. It is difficult when teams do that but I still think that we have the quality to break teams like that down.

Jim Goodwin is doing a great job, everybody expected Alloa to struggle in this league but they have had a lot of good results. I think that they have been unfortunate in some of the games to only get a draw.

“We just have to focus on ourselves, make sure that we go there, put in a performance, dominate the game and get the goals.”

Giving an update on his squad’s injuries AJ revealed Tom Beadling tried to train on Thursday but he was still struggling. Louis Longridge took part in a small way in training and James Vincent looks fine to train on Friday. The players who incurred knocks on Tuesday night look okay for Saturday.

“Injuries come around to every team and we are lucky enough to have a squad capable of handling injuries.”

Sean Murdoch went to see a specialist recently and will need further consultation before a decision can be made on the next steps.

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