Greg Shields Post Raith
Tuesday, 30th Apr 201930/04/19: GS - “The way they played, the way they moved the ball in the first half was the best that we have played this season.”
It was a very happy Greg Shields who spoke to the website after the 2-1 Fife Cup win over Raith Rovers and although they lost a goal within the first three minutes Greg thought his side then clicked and their performance was exciting:-
“We had a chance before they had their chance, Lewis McCann hit it by the post and I felt their goal was offside. I am going to say that anyway, it wasn’t but it was probably good for our boys. We were going into that game as favourites because of the team we had out but the response after the goal was excellent.
“The way they played, the way they moved the ball in the first half was the best that we have played this season.”
Despite losing the early goal, Dunfermline hit back with goals in seventh and 15th minutes.
“I was delighted. Stuart scored at a good time and the second goal came off a press that we have been working on with Callum Smith and Lewis McCann. It was McCann who won it, played outside and Crosbie pulled it back for McCann to finish. It was really good football.
“Even after that I thought it should have been a 3-1 or 4-1 game for us. It should have been with the chances that we had.
“I said at half time to them that they were not going to get it the same way in the second half because we had it our way in the first half. They were going to press us a little bit higher and it was going to be harder for Cammy to play out. Then we had to miss that to play to Callum Smith and McCann to get round.
“Andy Ryan has had a chance, Callum Smith had a good chance as well, McCann had a couple but it was our game really. I didn’t think they created a chance in the second half. There was a penalty call late on but I thought that we controlled the game.
“I am delighted with the progression that has been made since January. I inherited a really really good squad and it is just guiding them and trying to get them playing the way that myself and Stevie want to play.
“We are drip feeding them in the reserves to hopefully play that way in the first team as well. I can’t credit them enough, I am so happy with the first half.
“That is (the result of) three months of hard work. I keep saying, that group just want to get better and better. They are going to give the ball away in stupid areas but I don’t care, that is part of development. I know that it is easier doing it in the reserves than it is at a higher level.
“They are there to make mistakes to get better and when it does click, it is exciting.”
East Fife defeated Cowdenbeath in the other semi final but the date of the Fife Cup Final is not yet known, Greg said that he would like it next week but if it had to left until the beginning of next season so be it.
Another plus for the club from the evening was Andy Ryan coming back from injury and playing the final 20 minutes. Greg commented:-
“He is a born finisher and good for the squad, he is just two or three weeks too late. Great for Andy though because he has been out five months. It is a long road back, I have been there myself before and it is tough at times. It becomes lonely, so for him to come back and play twenty minutes especially when we were down to ten men for the last five or six minutes, was tough on Andy.
“He really showed his experience, held the ball up well and he is very good with the younger players. It is always good when the olders come back and they are good with the youngers. I have done it before and it is a hard part of it but the younger boys are keen to learn from the older boys all the time as well.”
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