Graham Bayne Post Partick

"The boys, Manager and coaching staff are absolutely devastated.

It is over four years since Graham Bayne last played in the First Division. His experiences while with Dundee, Arbroath and Ross County he claims were not any different to what he encountered at Firhill on Saturday.

"It's winning the games that are very tight by the odd go that can make the difference come the end. It is very hard, there are very good players and all the teams are very closely matched. Every game is very difficult.

"The boys, Manager and coaching staff are absolutely devastated. They had a word at half time because we started really well then lost our way a bit with the second half of the first half.

"We changed a few things at half time and did exactly what he wanted. We made chances, hit the post three times then two minutes after Scott Thomson hits the post they go up the park and it was a great volley from the edge of the box.  He finds the corner, it has gone through a crowd of players and that sometimes is the little break that you need."

Graham agreed with the opinion of his Manager that Dunfermline should have been awarded a penalty when Iain Williamson was taken off the ball as a defender tried to usher the ball out for a bye kick:-

"The boy has not tried to play the ball and I don't see why a penalty was not given. The defenders always get the benefit of the doubt when they are shepherding the ball out but I think that was a blatant attempt to take the boy out rather than shield it out of play. We were harshly done by there but Partick Thistle will probably say the same, they had claims for a handball in our box. They are probably claiming for a penalty too, again that's sometimes the break that you need."

Partick certainly got the break with their 87th minute winner:-

"We defended the free kick really well, we've headed it clear but a ball back in was cleared again but it's dropped nicely to the guy at the edge of the box. He caught it sweet but it has come through a ruck of players. I'm sure if you ask him he would tell you that is not where he was aiming, he was just trying to keep it down and on target. It has just nestled in the corner and was a great finish."

Graham had shown his eagerness at the restart of the second half by robbing the ball off the pair kicking off for Thistle. He explained to the website:-

"The referee has blown the whistle and I think the guy who was taking the centre was speaking to the guy he was going to lay it back to and he wasn't aware. I just nipped in and took it but I was actually expecting the referee to blow the whistle for it but you just play on."

After the major disappointment of defeat at Firhill at least the team don't have too long to wait to try and get this out of their system. Peterhead are the opponents in the Co-operative Insurance Cup in midweek:-

"They do come thick and fast at the beginning of the season. If we continue to win our midweek games it could be six weeks in a row where you are playing Tuesday, Saturday, Wednesday. With such a small squad it is going to be quite testing for us. We are looking forward to Tuesday if we can put in the same performance but make it win on Tuesday night.

"I believe Peterhead won again on Saturday and they have had some fantastic pre season results, they seem to be flying and they have home advantage. It is going to be very difficult for us.2

Much might depend on how quickly Graham can click with his new striking partner, Andy Kirk. That might see a change to the Manager's tactics, Graham observed:-

"We have been playing 4-3-3 for a while mainly due to the fact that there is a shortage of strikers. That's the preferred formation at the moment and it has been working really really well. That was the first game that we have actually failed to score in."

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