Manager on Monday

08/04/19: “We are not going trying to just come away with a point, we have to go for it.

Speaking to this website this morning Stevie Crawford said that the focus has to be on trying to take all three points away from Ross County on Tuesday night. He takes strength from knowing that the Pars have competed well in periods of both home matches against them this season:-

“I think in the two performances at East End Park we have actually been the better side in the first half. The way results have gone in recent weeks we know that, although Ross County are looking to trying to win the league, we now find ourselves in the position where we have to try and win all three points.

“They are a team that is pushing for the Championship. Our boys know what we are going to be up against.”

The Pars manager was disappointed to only get a draw against Partick Thistle on Saturday but claimed there were positives to take from that match:-

“We went to Firhill and created chances, scored two good goals, we had two or three really good chances and the keeper has pulled off a wonder save from Ryan Blair’s free kick.

“Looking back on the game, we have created nine or ten goal scoring opportunities where we have been on target. For as much as Partick threw everything at us, they had less efforts at goal.

“Unfortunately we dropped points from being in a winning position but it was very pleasing in the way that the boys responded to the Ayr United game.

“Ryan Scully had some really good saves but if you are 2-0 up and draw the game two each fans go away disappointed. If you are 2-0 down and draw you are obviously more buoyant.

“It is not to distract from how we went about our business in the first half, there were slight changes to the way that Partick played against us. They pushed, instead of having two sitters as they did in the first half, they pushed one on which allowed Bannigan, a guy who has played Premiership football, to use his experience. Tom Beadling and Ryan Blair had to deal with Gordon and Spittal.

“Faiss had dropped back to deal with Bannigan but losing the first goal gave them a lift. It was something that we had said at half time that we might need to address if they were getting on the ball too easy. Hence the change in the second half where we still created chances but with Partick chucking an extra body up when they brought Miles Storey on meant Tom dropped back into a position that he has played at Sunderland.

“The change matched us up with the wing backs as well. Then James Craigen got a slight flick on to a cross that he was trying to get his head on to. It just deflected it enough to have an impact on how Danny (Devine) deals with the ball and it falls for Scott McDonald.

“2-0 going to two each is sore, it is not what we want but it is as lively as we have been in a first half probably since we have taken over. That is the same levels and commitment that we will be looking for against Ross County.

“The players know that they were disappointed with the 2-2 draw at Firhill but it was a deserved point at a difficult venue.”

While Dunfermline are facing Ross County at the Global Energy Stadium on Tuesday night, fourth placed Ayr United are at home to Queen of the South. If results went the Pars way they could sit just three points behind Ian McCall’s side, albeit Ayr would still have a game in hand.

“As I said on Saturday with the results going the way they had, only coming away with a point makes it more difficult. We will not go up to Ross County thinking that we have any divine right to turn them over. We have not won against them this season but there is not a fear element there.

“We are not going trying to just come away with a point, we have to go for it. If we are going to catch Ayr United or Inverness now we have to go up there with a mentality to win the game.”

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