Manager on Thursday

13/12/18: AJ - “We were encamped in their half for the majority of the game, we just couldn’t get that decisive goal.

Allan Johnston felt that his team did not start that well against Partick Thistle and losing the first goal did not help:-

“First half I thought that we did not started that well. Then we lost a poor goal. We need to defend better than that, we have to stop the cross, got to stop the shot there is nothing more basic than that.

“Then towards the end of the first half and we came back into the game. We had the some good chances, we hit the bar, the keeper had a couple of good saves.

“Then second half I thought we were the better team. We dominated the majority of play but we got caught again with another poor goal. We know that we cannot do that, we need to defend a lot better but by the same token, we need to make sure that we take our chances when they come along. We cannot afford to start games the way that we started against Partick.

“Partick have got good players, let’s not kid ourselves, they are probably in a false position, they are a good team. I suppose their run had to stop at some point. Obviously it was disappointing that it was against us.

“We have another opportunity on Saturday to close the gap on the teams up against us. We cannot let it it slip.”

Saturday’s opponents, Queen of the South sit fourth and while it might look attractive to sit there the manager felt that it was a higher position that several clubs would like to have:-

“Every game in this league is massive and when you are playing opponents where you can close the gap it makes it doubly important. It is important that we go there, put a performance in and get the result that we need, it is all about getting the three points and working our way up the table.”

The manager felt that the first goal gave Partick a lift, a sense of relief for their players and their fans.

“You could see that they got, everybody wanted the ball, they started playing. After that we did everything but score. We were encamped in their half for the majority of the game, we just couldn’t get that decisive goal.

“They got that bit of luck with the second goal that wasn’t over the line. It was hard to see from our video but when you actually see copies from behind the goal. It was clearly not in.

“It is a hard job that referees and linesman have got but the linesman has to be 100% sure to make decisions like that. They are big calls. He did say that he was 100% sure but I am not sure how he could actually see the ball in the first place because Robbo was in the way.

“That is the big calls where they have to make sure that they get it right. We are not hiding from the blame because we have got to make sure that we start games better. We cannot afford to lose cheap goals, cheap opportunities and that is the way that it panned out.”

Given goal two that was awarded probably wasn’t, it is still very unlikely that goal line technology can be rolled out in the Ladbrokes Championship. The manager acknowledged that it is very difficult for linesmen, the players and the game is getting faster, it is almost impossible for the referee. AJ knows that from his own experiences in training it is tricky to make the right decisions:-

“You can maybe see why referees and linesmen make mistakes but it goes back to being 100% certain to penalties, to give offsides and goals because decisions like that change games.”

The manager greeted the suggestion that opponents Queen of the South’s top goal scorer and game changer Stephen Dobbie might be out for the match:-

“That’s a bonus! I am not going to lie, he is a top player, scored a lot of goals. He seems to actually be improving with age which is incredible. He seems to have produced another yard of pace from somewhere. He is a real goal threat, when you look at the goals he has scored, he hits the ball really early.

“Sometimes he takes an extra touch for a little more composure. There is probably a lot that we can learn off guys like that because he is a top player, top finisher even at this stage in his career.”

AJ felt that there was more than just Stephen Dobbie to be aware of in the Queen of the South side, and the likes of Gary Hawkins and Lyndon Dykes :-

“Dykes has always been a thorn in our side every time that we have played them. He has been one of their best players this season and I think that there are a lot of clubs looking at him. That just shows you what kind of form that they are in.”

The Pars manager is wary of the pace that Queens can use to break forward.

“They defend in numbers so we have to be really switched on. We cannot be naive.”

The manager confirmed that the injury situation had not changed but obviously Kallum Higginbotham pictured below is available again after serving his two match suspension following his red card shown to him at the Global Energy Stadium in the match against Ross County.

Mark Durnan is fit, played the first half of the reserve match against Hearts last week so that increases the selection choices available to the manager.

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