Managers post St Mirren

13/07/21: link to audio of both Peter Grant and Jim Goodwin`s post match comments

Peter Grant felt that up until his side lost the goal in 29th minute that they had been doing really well.

“You get a wee bit concerned because the boys stop believing in what they are doing because you lose a goal. That is the time where you have to stay calm and keep doing what you are doing and keep probing.

“We started the second half a wee bit slowly and we were under the cosh a little bit without really conceding many chances. There were a few crosses into the box which you are going to get at times. I thought that we rode that out well and there were a couple of setplays late in the game where we could have got something from.

“To be fair I was shouting for a penalty kick but the referee, great credit to him, he explained himself after it because the boy has miscontroled it and it has come up and hit his hand. I was thinking after it that it is such a bad rule. It is not my fault that he miscontroled it, at the end of the day it should be a penalty kick especially since he gave a free kick for the one here in the first half for the exact same thing.

“The referee has abided by the rules and I have no problem in that. So it would have been great to have got something out of it and I think on our first half performance I think we deserved that.

“You could see at the end we just kept going and kept going in trying to win the game. Wherever we turn up we try and go and win. We have tried to play in a manner that the game never stops. We try and play really quick and we feel that we have front guys who are capable of scoring if we create chances.

“I am just disappointed to lose the goal because it is basic football that you if you clear your box when the ball gets knocked back and we didn’t clear our box and we got punished for it. The same thing happened on Saturday so I’m very very conscious of that.

“These are the wee things of inexperience. For us it is easy because we are standing at the side and for me as a defender you want to get it as far away from your goalkeeper as you possibly can. If they are going to score with a header it has to be some header but not if you are five or six yards from your goal. That gives you very little chance of an opportunity to save it.”

Three points after two matches but Peter is still hoping to qualify out of Group H:-

“On Saturday we had a fantastic result and then you realise that the other game was off and St Mirren are still above you because of the goal difference and they have not played! You are thinking that is quite weird.

“I was fortunate enough with Alloa to get to the quarter final. As I’ve said every time we go out on the pitch we are trying to win. That’s so important- there is nothing better that winning cup ties, I don’t care what cup it is. I want to go as far as I can and be involved in every competition. You want to be at the tail end of everything, challenging and playing the biggest games. If you get through the section you have another big game. These are the things that drive people on.

“We have young players who you want to experience that, playing in the biggest games. Our ambition is to go as far in the cup as we possibly can. We know that the main thing is trying to win the league and that is what we are trying to do.

“Hopefully we will get a few more bodies in and before the window closes to help. I have got really good guys here and if we can add to it we have a chance.”

How much of an influence could the return of fans make?

“I can’t wait. I know East End Park as a player, I know how difficult it was when it was full. I remember playing there when it was full in the good old days. It was a terrific atmosphere but everybody has gone through a hard time for the last eighteen months. We are here to entertain supporters and we have got to remember that. Whether it is one man and his dog you have to go out there, try and entertain them and try and win games of football.

“Hopefully our fans will be proud of the team for the effort and commitment they give but hopefully they will be proud in the way that they start to win games and the way they play. We can’t wait to get them back in to East End Park. Hoped they can come back in numbers and we want this so called big club not just because of the support but we need to get back to the big table and to do that we have to try and win the league.”

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