Stephen Kenny Post Bristol Rovers

"It was a good workout, Bristol Rovers gave us a good game and we played some good football, it was a de

Stephen Kenny commented post match:-

"It was a good work out for us, two games in three days so we have to be careful in pursuit of victory in games to lose what we want. The players that need games must get games and the players who tire are rested and so forth. A few Darren Young, Scott Wilson, Kevin Harper are carrying minor knocks that we didn't risk tonight.

"It was good in Tam's (McManus) first game getting a couple of goals, good for his confidence. He has had a tight hamstring so we left him out the other day and then we only played him for 45 tonight for that reason. We didn't want to aggravate that, that was enough. He did well and he will feature on Thursday as well. It was a good workout, Bristol Rovers gave us a good game and we played some good football, it was a decent preparation.

"Iain Williamson just got winded, he is alright now. Some of the young players are improving, players who have come through our own youth system - Nicky Phinn looks quite bright, a good player and Iain Williamson as well.

"A lot of players got games who were needing games, that was important too. That was the purpose of the exercise.

"Jim McIntyre sustained a calf injury in the close season doing training on his own. It is causing him discomfort and he could be out for another couple of weeks. He could miss the start of the season.

"Harper, Young and Wilson should all be OK for the start of the season. Harper and Wilson could play on Thursday. Darren Young just went over and tweaked his ankle in the game against Dumbarton, he should be alright next week."

Asked whether he was getting closer to knowing his team to start the season off on 4th August at Hamilton, the Manager replied:-

"Yes we are getting the picture but I think it is going to be a squad effort regardless this season because of the number of midweek games. We have to make sure that certain players get games pre season. Pre season has gone OK; we have drawn against Dundee United with a very young team. The two games against Brechin and Dumbarton were good performances, tonight wasn't bad there was some mixed and good football.

"The way Bristol Rovers played with two up, eight men with their wide players tucked right in. They let you have it and say 'break us down'. Some teams will come here with that approach this season. Its an unusual way of playing but they congest that area there and we found it difficult to thread passes through. A lot of our passes, slide rule passes were intercepted. That is obviously what they do well and they hitch on to the counterattack. They broke quickly through their number eleven (Haldane), that's the way they play so we have to learn.

"I said that to the players its a learning curve, that is the way teams will come here. We have not to get ahead of the ball, we have to make runs from different angles from deeper positions and get pace into the attack rather than be a little bit laboured and predictable, not keeping the ball for keep balls sake. We have to learn how to inject pace into attack."