Manager Friday Lunchtime

12/03/10: JM - "They are well coached and have good players with a bit of pace about them. They have an experienced defence and a few players who can hurt you on the day."

Jim McIntyre expects Queen of the South to arrive at East End Park in a mood to put the memory of their recent defeat at Inverness behind them:-

"It will be a very difficult game, they have won their last two league games at Dunfermline and they will be hurting after losing at Inverness in midweek. They have a couple of games in hand but this is our first chance to move out of sixth place. It is up to the players to go and grasp that.

"They are all tough games in this division as was proven during the week with Ayr beating Thistle and the Rovers beating Ross County - there are just no surprises, it is a very very competitive league. If you are not on the ball in every game then you are quite easily staring at defeat."

The First Division table reveals Saturday's opponents Queen of the South are just two points better off than Dunfermline - 39 to 37. Macca considers that QOS play the game the right way:-

"They are well coached and have good players with a bit of pace about them. They have an experienced defence and a few players who can hurt you on the day."

The Dunfermline boss singled out Derek Holmes as a good target man:-

"They have an option in David Weatherston with pace and threat in behind, their full backs are like ours - they like to get forward. The way they play is no surprise to me because I have worked with Gordon (Chisholm) and Doddsie."

Macca was still of the opinion that Tuesday night's draw against Airdrie United was a missed opportunity:-

"There is no other way to describe it but what we have got to remember is that Airdrie have taken five points off Dundee this season; they beat Dundee at home - there are just no easy games. Having said that, it is two points dropped when we had the opportunity to get nine points behind the leaders. That was our game in hand, if there was going to be a wee sniff then we had to win that.

"We will keep going and battle away. There are definitely points to be won and dropped before the end of the season - there is plenty to play for. The boys all know that and they were as disappointed as anybody."

Injuries to Andy Kirk (ankle) and Joe Cardle (hamstring) will now deprive Jim McIntyre of two of his attacking options:-

"We are down to bare bones with our two main strikers missing - Kirkie and Bayne - that is something that I have had to contend with Baynee for a long time but we have signed Ross Campbell and McDougall is back so we have a couple of options there. Let's see what tomorrow brings."