Striker laments missed opportunity

Kevin Nisbet: “Two lapses in concentration and we were 2-1 down and chasing the game.”

Pars striker, Kevin Nisbet took his season’s tally for Dunfermline to twenty in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Alloa Athletic but feels that his team shouldn’t need to score three goals at East End Park to win games.

“One or two should be enough. We went 1-0 up, we were controlling the game and conceded a corner right from kick off. That was nothing great but then we just didn’t defend it well and they were back in it.”

Kevin had two good chances thwarted by Alloa keeper Jamie Macdonald before eventually finding the 20th minute opener. He conceded:-

“I should definitely have scored with the header. The ball came back out and Jamie has made a great save. I hit the ball well, it went through bodies so that was another great save from him.

“I take the next chance with a header and I was thinking that ‘this is going to be a good day, we are going to steamroll them here’. But then two lapses in concentration and we were 2-1 down and chasing the game.”

The two goals within 90 seconds were followed up by another four minutes later that put the visitors ahead. Kevin O’Hara tucked away Alloa’s second goal after cashing in on a defensive lapse.

“At one each we were still thinking that we were in control of the game and could create chances but obviously then there was Josh’s mistake.

“Second half we just didn’t look a threat. I take full responsibility for giving a penalty away. It was a striker’s challenge. The keeper has got the ball, we had just made a substitution and didn’t really get set up quick enough. I tracked back and when I went to make a challenge I got a bump off Lewis. I just slid in and as soon as I slid in I knew that is was going to be a penalty. From there on it was huffing and puffing. We didn’t get a goal back and the game was dead.”

Kevin reflected the Dunfermline camp’s frustrations. It is not as if teams are carving them open.

“It is our own mistakes, that’s nine goals against in the last three games. Every goal was preventable. We need to go in on Monday, look at the goals and start a new week.”

It was a weekend where none of the teams in the play off places took full points and to fail to take points at home against the team in tenth position was unarguably a great opportunity missed. Kevin added:-

“It brings us closer to the bottom, Alloa and Thistle won as well. Results went against us and it was not a great day. We need to go in, look over some things and start a new week for the Ayr game.”

In some respects fifth v fourth with its accompanying play off place significance could be the best way to come back from such a disappointing Saturday. Kevin coined it a six pointer:-

“If we win then we go above them on goal difference. It is a massive game for us and we have a decent record against Ayr, two wins out of two. For us we just need to go back to the basics, start from there, start defending better not just as individuals but as a team, cut out our mistakes and be ruthless at the other end of the park.”

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