Managers Post Dumbarton

24/11/12: JJ- "I hope that they are away saying that they enjoyed that and they will be back the next week ...

Dunfermline boss, Jim Jefferies was delighted with a 4-0 win over Dumbarton that keeps up his team's momentum:-

"I warned the players before the game that sometimes there is a big expectation when you are going well and have been to Raith Rovers and win. You come back here bottom of the league against top and everybody feels that it is a banker. What you worry about is that if you are sloppy and start taking things for granted, frustration sets in and the supporters get a wee bit restless but that didn't happen. Right from the off we passed it about very crisply.

"We started the game well and you could see that their plan was just to get behind the ball and make it difficult for us. It was all about the first goal and then going on from there. You get these difficult games when you dominate the whole match and in the opening ten minutes of the second half we could have got the third goal on at least three occasions. They had goal line clearances, it just wouldn't fall for us and give credit to them for the determination to keep it out.

"If they had got the third goal it would have given them a wee lift. When we got it, it was game over and a case of just how many could we get. 4-0 at home, we won comfortably in the end but Dumbarton didn't make it easy for us in any shape or form. There was a difference in quality between the sides and that's what came through in the end."

The first goal of the afternoon came from the head of Josh Falkingham and his boss was pleased to see that working, after making a slight change to the first half tactics:-

"We were a bit congested in midfield early on. They had Prunty dropping off and it was tight. Even though we were dominating and pressing, there weren't many gaps so I tried to stretch them a bit. As soon as I put Falkingham out there we found him at the back post - he is not one who you would have thought scored with a header - and we got the goal and went on from there.

"I felt that if they got the first goal then it might just have been one of those days that you find a struggle. We went about it in the right manner, we had good touches of the ball, really good moves and especially with a new team like that, you cannot do it constantly all the time.

"A lot of things didn't come off for us but there was a lot of good stuff as well. Even when we went with the four, I still think their extra man in midfield made it difficult for Thomson and Husband. Especially Thomson who likes to get forward but he was under instruction today to try and protect us in there and let Josh Falkingham and Joe Cardle get in round the back of them.

"It was good to give Shaun Byrne a run out and I wanted to rest Andy Barrowman because he has played almost all the games. Andy Kirk has been patient and come on and done well, so it was good to give him eighty minutes.

"Joe Cardle started the game well, fell out of it a little and got caught offside a couple of times but he started the second half really well and was unlucky not to score before he did. We just kept saying to him 'keep doing what you are doing and the goal will come'. At the third goal where he was grounded by the keeper, you have to give Ryan Wallace great credit.

"We had actually defended a corner really well, it was hooked away by Kirkie and wee Wallace was on to it as sharp as anything. He knows in himself that he has not played to his best in the last couple of games but I thought today he looked a bit sharper than he has been for a few weeks. He was certainly sharp at that and he won the ball for Joe to come from his own half. There is no doubt that he must have got clipped for there was no need to go down. He was round the keeper and would have stuck it away anyway; he must have got touched and it is unfortunate that a goalkeeper has to go in that sort of situation."

The Manager acknowledged the fans initiatives to raise funds for the Club and explained that the game against Dumbarton was important in terms of encouraging fans back to East End Park:-

"We had a few extra in today, we put in a performance and won comfortably. So I hope that they are away saying that they enjoyed that and they will be back the next week. It is not just for one game, it is about coming back regularly. They have seen their team dominate the game. There are never any easy games in this league, you have got to make them easy and we made it look easy today because our attitude was right, our passing was good and the appetite was spot on again.

"We scored four goals so they have got to go away happy. Hopefully they will come back and see us on many other occasions."

Dumbarton Assistant Manager is former Pars signing, Jack Ross and he gave his slightly contrasting thoughts after the match:-

"We lost by four goals last week and we lost by four goals this week against teams who are at the top of the league. For us there is a huge difference in performance and application. I was proud of them but after the sending off I thought we did really really well at a difficult venue against a good team. We looked very comfortable for the first half hour but individual mistakes have been a problem for us, especially when you go up a level."

Jack has confidence in his players and did not think the new manager's arrival had made an impact yet:-

"I have said often enough. These players are very receptive; they have a desire to go and do well so that they can stay in this league.  We cannot look for a reaction because that has always been there from them. What we wanted was a reaction performance-wise from last week and we certainly did that. We lost by the same number of goals but there was a big difference in terms of performance."

Jack did not think that the 67th minute incident that saw his goalkeeper red carded was warranted:-

"I don't think it was a penalty, I don't think it is a sending off. Des (Roache) calls it as he sees it, it is a very quick decision that referees have to make. Speaking to the players around it, they agree. I think Des is fine as a ref but I would say that it was a mistake. Everybody will go on about the rule and double punishment. It was a penalty kick and Stephen (Grindlay) finds himself red carded.

"It did not change the outcome of the match. If we had got one back, the game would have got interesting but Dunfermline deserved to win. I was disappointed there."