Manager post Peterhead

19/11/22: link to audio of James McPake’s post match comments

After the 2-0 away win to Peterhead, Dunfermline manager James McPake told the website:-

“It was a good first half performance in horrendous conditions for both teams with the wind but I thought some of the football in the first half was excellent. We were fortunate probably with the first goal but you have to shoot to score, we will take it.

“The second goal was just a bit of brilliance. We could have had more but we were very comfortable in the game. We deserved to win it and we are delighted to come up here and get three points.”

Was it more difficult playing with the wind than into the wind?

“I think you get to a point in a game, you hit high standards and we did that. We want to be relentless, we want to be going and getting more goals but the game was won in the first half.

“We realised how tough it was trying to play into that wind when it was going long so we could defend a wee bit higher in the second half. We just didn’t have the fluidity in the second half that we carried in the first half.

“That is not an issue if you get yourself two goals in front and restrict the opposition to almost nothing that Deniz could have thrown his hat on. It was a good all round team performance and we are delighted to come up here and get three points because it is a tough place to come.

“Chris Mochrie (pictured above) was excellent again, Joe Chalmers was excellent, Craig Wighton and Nikolay Todorov worked really well. I think as a team some of the football in the first half was the best that I have seen this season and it was in really tough conditions.

“We were certainly more potent, we moved the ball quicker. We played through lines quicker and they looked like they enjoyed it out there even in those tough conditions. It was the same for both teams and I have no problem with that.

“I think to a man, even Sam Fisher (pictured above) was excellent stepping in and breaking lines. He did exactly what we had asked him to do. So it was a good all round performance, a very professional performance in the second half. The game was won we just knew that we had to see it out.

“It is another clean sheet. We know out of all the teams in the country we have the best average goals against, including the 42 clubs so we are proud of that. That’s down to the team not me, it has been a good afternoon’s work for us.”

The manager was unaware of Falkirk dropping points and reiterated his previous comments that he is not interested in the league table at this stage of the season:-

“Look as I say there is Edinburgh there, Montrose, Alloa - there is loads of teams about. I’m not missing anybody out, Airdrie who will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season and play offs. We will just concentrate on Dunfermline Athletic Football Club.

“That’s all we can do, we cannot control anything else other than our own performances, the way we play football and the way we do things. Today was a great example of that - a professional performance with some great football involved in that. It was as comfortable an afternoon as we have had all season.”

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