Managers Post Match Comments

"Overall it is probably a fair result, I cannot really complain about only drawing the game. They broke quick and had a bit more pace than us at times. We had chances -

Stephen Kenny gave his impressions after the match:-

"We came out from the dressing room and the players were very determined right from the start. We got a dream start really; I thought Sol's header had gone in but it came back down off the crossbar and then the post but then Jim (Hamilton) finished it well.

"It gave us a bit of an impetus to go on and it should have given us more of an impetus than it did. We had a lot of pressure in the first twenty minutes, particularly down the right with Greg Shields and Kevin Harper but in fairness to Hacken they counterattacked really quickly. The two players upfront are really fast and they do counterattack with a fair degree of purpose.

"We had a few nervous moments but really our goalkeeper hadn't had a save to make up to the goal that they scored. It was just an error but in fairness to Sean (Murdoch) he is young and has come through the ranks of our academy here, he has shown a lot of promise and has been capped by Scotland at under age level.

"He responded in the right way because after the goal went in - normally with a keeper like that you worry will he let it go, will his nerves get the better of him - but he made two really good saves after his error. I was pleased that he showed a degree of fortitude, mental strength.

"Overall it is probably a fair result, I cannot really complain about only drawing the game. They broke quick and had a bit more pace than us at times. We had chances - Jim Hamilton hit the post at 1-0 to make it 2-0, Mark Burchill went in with a good chance, Darren Young, Sol Bamba and towards the end we had a bit of pressure.

"You are always going to get a tough game when you play in the UEFA Cup regardless of what anyone says. I think the tie is still in the balance. People might say we have blown our chance or whatever because we drew 1-1. They will be happier with the result than we will certainly but still we are not behind. We are level and it means that we have to score but I wouldn't say that is beyond us."

What had the Manager said to his young keeper?

"I said he did well to respond in the manner he did. It was such a freak goal, I haven't seen such a goal to be honest to go over the keeper like that, it was a bit of a freak situation. The new balls (Diadora) we only got them two weeks ago. They are extremely light and they do bounce like that sometimes. Obviously it was a misjudgement and had he not touched it would probably gone wide.

"I wouldn't like to blame the lad, he did well and made two good saves. Had he not conceded that and they scored one of the other goals what could I say? You have to be honest about these things.

"We had a few chances. We have had a lot of possession in the two games we have lost this season. Today we didn't have loads of possession, we were more direct probably than we have done. They had a cutting edge at times and looked very dangerous on the break but we still had a lot of setpieces and a lot of balls in the box on the end of stuff. It looked like we might get a goal from it but it didn't come. It is only half time and 1-1.

"We were never going to win it easily. You were always going to have a tough game and when you are 1-0 up they are going to come at you. It was a very soft goal but we fought for each other and were maybe not as fluent as we can be at the moment.  We didn't have great passages of play where we were stringing a lot of passes together although with Stephen Glass down the middle when Owen came on we looked as though we carried a bit more of an attacking threat."

Sonny Karlsson observed:-

"We started real bad. They scored from the first opportunity that they had in the game. I think it was nervousness, some of the guys were doing the wrong things for two minutes. There was a corner, we could have had a throw, they had a throw - whatever happened in that corner over there. The guys were nervous and after that it was a game that both teams could win.

Jim Hamilton heads home after just 55 seconds

"It was really strange that the goals come like that. The first goal came at once and the second goal is a big faux pas by the goalie who makes a big mistake. We had so many chances in the game to score other goals, it was a strange game.

"We said to ourselves today that we are not going to change our game because we wanted to play like we play in the league at the moment and we want to take that home. Even if that is not like coming here to get 0-0 or lose by 1-0 we didn't want to do that. we wanted to play our game and then we saw after a little while that we were good enough to compete.

"We have good players. We have national team players from two countries; Kenyan captain Mamba Mumba in midfield, the Brazilian played from Atletico Manero also in midfield - they played very good games both of them. we have a Liberian centre forward from their national team. They are not bad players of course. They are good players and you can see in the game that they have ability to do things. Also the other attacker he is a youth national team player who has been to Chelsea to try out."

Asked whether he expected to qualify for the next round Sonny replied:-

"I hope so. We have a good opportunity, we haven't done enough but we have a good edge because they have to win or score more goals and get a 2-2 draw or something like that. It is our home field, even if we do not play at that arena. Ullevi is a big arena and we do not have a crowd to fill that one but we are not allowed to play at our home ground."

Is that a problem for Hacken?

"Not really, it is more problems for the teams that come there because they have never been there, we have been there. We played games there last year in the top league and also the first game against the Icelandic team that we beat. It will be a bigger chance to win at home."