Neil McCann Post Livingston

Coach Neil McCann gave his thoughts after the 1-0 win over Livingston in the Ronnie Swan Challenge tournament at Spartans' Ainslie Park.

"It was brilliant for our first game. Livingston have already played Forfar so are ahead of us in terms of game preparation but it was a really good workout for us. They knew that it was 45 minutes for each team and it wasn't so much about the result but to be getting game time.

"We changed all the outfield players and I think both teams were excellent. Fitness wise we looked really good considering we have not started back that long ago. It is game sharpness that we now need to get.

"It is good to start out with a win because although it is not the important thing at the stage in the season we are at just now, it is still good to start off winning."

Neil and John Potter talked to the players before they left the pitch and he described that as a debrief:-

"It was just about positives, and there were a lot of them today. The mistakes didn't really matter because in the first game of the season mistakes are going to happen. It is about what you do after that. To be honest I do not think there were that many from the boys today.

"They applied themselves brilliantly, we asked them to do certain things within the game - be brave on the ball, pass it from the back if we could and I think we did that. There were times when Livingston found it difficult to get out from the back themselves. We know that they are a good side who pass the ball a lot themselves. I thought we played very well today."

The game was the first action for new signings Michael Moffat, Andy Stirling and Gregor Buchanan. Neil felt that the game was a good run out for them and their new team mates:-

"You can do all the training that you want but it is when you get into match situations that they start to feel that they are part of the team, part of the set up. It is what you work towards every week - game situations - so it was good for them to get a run out today."

With the entire outfield substituted at half time Dunfermline used 21 players in the match. Five others remained sidelined - Kerr Young, Andy Geggan, Ryan Wallace, Allan Smith and keeper Ryan Goodfellow. Neil explained that there was a total mix in selecting first half and second half teams.

"There was no first eleven or second eleven. I am always a great believer in getting the 'kids' involved with the first team. The youngsters who took to the park today like Cammy McClair - excellent - and young James Thomas - superb - show that the future is very good for Dunfermline.

"Faissal is quick and looked extremely sharp. He had a great strike that came back off the crossbar. We were solid at the back

"Michael Moffat is a goal machine. I have already seen the evidence that he knows where the goal is, it is now about getting an understanding about how we play, and the boys understanding of how he likes to play.

"When you play against someone, you know how he runs but once you are in the same team as him there needs to be a relationship built up there. Moffat is coming along, I thought he worked well with young James (Thomas) which is a new thing for Michael. Young James was thrown in there although he is just a kid. As a partnership they gave Livingston a bit of a time of it at the back.

"The Manager is away on a wee scouting mission today (watching Petrofac Training Cup opponent's Raith draw 1-1 with St Johnstone) but he will be pleased to discover that we won and are in the final.

"We have got options and the signings that we have made have improved us. We lost a couple of players which happens but it is now about what you now go and do. We were disappointed losing the play off final so the biggest thing was to get things moving as quickly as possible.

"The board has allowed us to do that by bringing in three quality signings. Add the young boys into that and today was just a little sign that we have started right."