Managers post Ayr United
Saturday, 10th Apr 202110/04/21: link to audio of both managers post match comments
- - Listen to this Stevie Crawford interview
Asked whether or not one point from the match at Somerset Park was a good result for him, Stevie Crawford claimed that given all the other results were draws “in that regard we have not lost any ground and it’s a good point.
“We know that we have to get back to winning ways and we have three home fixtures coming up now that will be critical to how the season finishes for us now.”
It was a good start against Ayr United with Declan McManus scoring within twelve minutes?
“It was a great finish and I thought that we started the brighter of the two sides. We are just a little frustrated that collectively we could have done better with the goal we conceded.
“As I say there is always work to be done in some areas but we have come to a hard place. I spoke to Hoppy after the game and I came down and watched the game that they lose 3-0 (v Dundee) during the week and he has decided to go with five at the back today.
“I thought we battled and I thought that the reaction since the Raith Rovers game, not just in the two games that we have played but also on the training pitch, the boys are giving it their lot, their attitude, their attitude and fight to the cause. We are now going into the next three home games knowing that we have to start winning games and give ourselves the best possible chance to finish in the play offs now.”
The team did a fair amount of attacking in the second half without managing to work Ayr’s stand in keeper from Motherwell, Peter Morrison much?
“I don’t know if huffed and puffed is fair to the boys because it was tricky today. The pitch was quite lively and we gave up on two natural wide players to go to a three at the back so that we didn’t get done in the middle of the park with the overload. We still matched up with three in the middle but that allowed us to get three up front with Declan just in behind.
“It meant that Josh (Edwards) and Aaron (Comrie) were giving us the width in the second half and on other days, that last ten minutes we had a couple of efforts from distance. Declan had a few that sometimes fall for you.
“At this moment in time that is the rub of the green that we are not getting. It was important looking at the results now to come away with a point today and not lose any ground on anybody.”
Were all the substitutions made for tactical reasons?
“Euan Murray was struggling a little bit but it is too early to know if he can be available for Tuesday night. We wanted to try and get two upfront but I didn’t feel it was the right game to go 4-4-2 with the natural width and possibly giving them an overload in the middle of the park at a tough place to come.
“I thought it worked, albeit we didn’t create a clear goalscoring chance but we did have efforts at goal and I thought that we were on the front foot towards the end of the game.”
Is starting with three at the back something you might think off in future to get back to winning games?
“I think what is important - when you look at the reaction in the Hearts game last night against Alloa, Alloa have been a very difficult side to come up against and they were a wounded animal. We weathered that last week and I have seen a positive reaction from the boys.
“You are talking about changing to three at the back, I am not going to rule it out. Whether it is right to do it in the games coming up, that is decisions that you live and die by. What I will say is that the boys bought into it.
“We could easily have gone to three at the back today and it works against you and you end up losing a couple of goals. I do think that we went front foot, it wasn’t free flowing football but it gave an opportunity to get shots away from the edge of the box or a couple of crosses in.
“In the end we have to come away settling for a point but we have three massive games now at home.”
- - Hear the comments of David Hopkin
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