Managers post Hamilton

15/01/22: link to audio of both managers post match comments

John Hughes was delighted with the three points but felt that given the chances in the game should have won more comfortably:-

“Every match from now until the end of the season is going to be massive. There is no point in shying away from it, they are all pressure games. We are where we are and you have to embrace it. Today, after last week, I felt that in the first half we should have been two or three goals up. The first half performance was as good as I’ve seen.

“You are saying to yourself ‘here we go again’ but the second half was different but I still think that we had the best chance. It was a good football move when Ryan Dow was unlucky and had it cleared off the line. Then we had to show another bit of our character in terms of digging in. We sat a little bit too deep and we got a wee bit leggy but we did enough to see it through. I can’t really remember Fonners having too many saves. There was plenty of play in our box but not too many saves.

“I am really pleased for the boys. Put my head on the block with the same sort of team. I only made one change and looked for a little bit redemption from last week. I said to them to go and prove people wrong, play on that hurt and pain of what happened last week and I think they showed that.”

Did it show a bit of courage to come out and get a win after a defeat like that?

“One hundred per cent, we test them they are professional footballers and you want to be a winner. It is about playing with courage and character, not feeling sorry for yourself and I think I saw that today.

“It is only one game, we will enjoy it and we still have a long long way to go but hopefully that sets us up for next week. We worked so hard for our performance on the training pitch and the demands that we are putting on them for a performance. That’s what I’m after usually nine times out of ten you go on about results. I’m a wee bit different, I think performance gets you results.

“I can only control the performance, I can control that. Sometimes I can control the result so as soon as we come in on Monday it is back down to work and all about performance, performance, performance, a belief, performance, a trust, a demand, a courage and they showed that today.”

It was a great response from the fans both at half time and full time?

“We need our fans. The great man says that football is nothing without supporters and I’m absolutely delighted that some were here once again. We have had a hard season and after last week we just needed to dust ourselves down and say right ‘our season starts now’.

“Who is all in? To be fair it is body language, the way they behave and go about their business - the training and the demands. I have seen that this week and they have brought something extra to the table so long may that continue.

“I think you saw the class of Steven Lawless, he gets us up the pitch, he has got that wee duck and dive and those passes plus his work ethic has been fantastic. I’m delighted for big Coll Donaldson, I don’t think he had the greatest game last week but we had to fling him in. Today he won every header and every one on one dual.

“Lewis Martin came on and played his part, he was the one who had dropped out. Then I have to say a goodbye to Mark Connolly. That is him away, we knew that was happening about a month ago. We had to keep him motivated and he goes with my blessing because he has been a fantastic guy to work with. He has led from the front and he has demanded of his players. He will be sorely missed.”

Will that be an area that you will be looking at in the transfer window?

“Yes. I keep saying to you, the club has been fantastic putting up funds to get one or two in. We have spun the plates to put one or two out. Wighton is away to Arbroath and I really wish him well at Arbroath. I totally understand where he is coming from and I feel his pain when he is not playing. Every player wants to play and I’m hoping that he gets his game time at Arbroath.

“That money might help us get one or two others. We have had disappointment when we have got close to one and it has not quite happened. Anybody who we feel will be good business coming in or going out, if it is good business for the club we will go and try and do it.”

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