Jim Leishman Post Rangers

"At the end the boys were still pushing forward and although Rangers had a lot of the ball and put us under pressure, we still had a lot of the ball."

"I am really pleased for the players. I thought the players showed a real team spirit there and a real will to get something out of the game. To go 1-0 down against Rangers is very difficult, or has been very difficult in the past. You are thinking you are going to lose another one or two goals but the players showed a bit character and got a nice equaliser."

Leish commented about his injury crisis saying that his plans had been to play 4-4-2 on Thursday to match Rangers:-

"We couldn't announce that until Friday because we had Greg Shields and Mark Burchill carrying strains. We decided yesterday morning that we couldn't do that, we were going to have to play a 3-5-2 and then come up with a solution to stop Rangers get their full backs, Steven Smith and Alan Hutton, bombing on. In credit to the midfield players they had to work very hard especially when Andy Tod went off. Andy went off for ten minutes but they stuck to their task."

Asked if this result might silence all the pundits who tip Dunfermline for relegation, Jim replied:-

"Everyone has got an opinion and I can understand that. When you finished second bottom for the last two years you are not going to tip us to be pushing for the top six. It has been a hard time for Dunfermline fans and the club at Dunfermline but we are gradually getting through that to be stronger off the park.

"We showed against Hearts, especially in the first half and then again today that there is a bit spirit amongst the lads. There is a will to say 'hey if they are writing us off, do you accept that?' We don't lie down to it and turn up. You can see today from the spirit that they are not going to accept that. Talking is cheap.

"We have a hard game next week at Tannadice, then at Pittodrie - two difficult away games. When that finishes we have a break for the Scotland v France game, we will have Whelan back, Darren Young, Greg Ross is coming back now. With three or four more players to add to the squad, on a Wednesday I am going to have to tell players that they are not playing. Now they are coming and telling me that they are not playing because they are injured."

Under different circumstances Dunfermline's goalscorer against Rangers, Owen Morrison, might also have been missing. With his wife Vivienne expecting their second child the Irishman was allowed home to Derry but had to return for Sunday's match:-

"He asked me on Thursday to go across, I we said 'aye brilliant'. I said that he'd have to come back on Saturday because we would need him on Sunday. So he went away and came back yesterday for the build up to today's game. He had not heard anything, so he walked in today and his wife had had a wee girl this morning."

As the goalscorer prepared to race back to his wife and new born and no small band of celebrating fellow Celtic supporters back in Derry, big Leish revealed his emotional side:-

"In a soft way, I am really glad that he was the one who scored the goal. What a great day it has been for Owen. He is not 100% fit, he has still to do some fitness work. During the pre season games he showed a lot of his skill and a lot of composure. He is a great passer of the ball and an intelligent football player. When the ball fell to him I was really pleased because he has that confidence.

"At the end the boys were still pushing forward and although Rangers had a lot of the ball and put us under pressure, we still had a lot of the ball. It is not easy trying to get to the other end when Rangers are putting you under pressure."

The gaffer explained the injury to Mark Burchill that led to Owen Morrison's introduction in 66 minutes:-

"It is his groin, he gets this wee pain and if he stays on it could be six or seven weeks. So as soon as it happens we try and get him off. Against Falkirk last week he was not 100% fit but we had to play him because of the injury problem we had. He hardly trained all week again, but Friday, Saturday he came into things. Right from the start as soon as we lost possession, Mark Burchill did something that did not come natural to him, he became a defender and stopped the centre backs or full backs getting out. That gave the midfielders a chance to get their shape and stop Rangers coming at us.

"In their first three games Rangers have been creating loads and loads of chances. The two reports we had suggested that they could have been four or five nothing up. Today we worked hard and tried to get forward."

Asked the typical off topic question about how he rated Hearts and Rangers, Leish joked:-

"I think we could get up beside them! Really it is not my concern, Hearts are a strong team, Rangers are a really good passing team that tried to play really good football. In a half against both these teams I think we deserved a lot of credit.

"I have great belief in my players but they have just not had the rub of the green. Jim McIntyre was going to be a 10 to 15 goal man for me this year and he has not started a Premier League game for me. He was going to get me ten points and he has not started yet. Freddie Daquin is getting stronger, last season DarrenYoung was one of our best players - these are all missing just now. Once we get them back it will be pleasure to say 'sorry lads you are not playing' but I have never been near that for a year and a half.

"It was great to pick up that point against one of the championship contenders. Make no mistake Rangers will be up there with Celtic and Hearts. It will be a lot closer than last year I'm sure."