Manager's post Rangers comments

15/03/14: JJ - "We might have deserved to have got something, at least a point out of the game on the balance of play but if you don't work their goalkeeper hard enough ..

MATCH PICTURES
Listen to these Jim Jefferies post match comments
Jim Jefferies did not consider that the 2-0 scoreline was an accurate assessment of the game played at Ibrox on Saturday lunchtime. The stats revealed that his side had more shots than Rangers.

"If anything we had more of the possession than Rangers today. We defended very well after losing our goalkeeper early on but Rangers just didn't really create anything against us. We were set up well defensively, the only trouble was that when we got to the last third we had some great build up play putting them under pressure. When it came to the last third we just weren't good enough. It was either through an extra touch or trying to beat another man we lost opportunities that might have got us something. I am disappointed with us in the final third but nothing else."

The Pars manager was hurting over a decision in 44th minute where an appeal for a penalty was turned down:-

" I just feel, and I am not saying that it wasn't a foul, that if Andy Geggan's is a foul because he has caught him and swiped the feet from him then I do not know why Ross Forbes got booked. He had no reason to dive there, in fact I didn't see hands going down or feet out. He had the feet swiped from him there in the box. Maybe somewhere else we might get it but I thought that should have been a penalty and a harsh decision.

"It might have made all the difference. I don't think anybody would have denied us going in front because on the balance of play I thought we were much better than Rangers today but they showed you how to be clinical. It was a super free kick and then the last one when we were pushing forward, down to ten men. Actually when we were down to ten men we were the team on top.

"They were happy with what they had but one slack pass caught us. That's where they are clinical, the boy (Callum Gallagher) has finished it great and we didn't do enough of that. We got to the edge of the box and sometimes, particularly in the second half, when we got into their box along the byeline on that left hand side you have to create something from that. Okay we got a couple of corners but I thought there were opportunities to do better.

"We are a young attacking team and it is just through working with them that when you get into these positions again it will happen someday that somebody is going to come in for a few goals.

"It is not like us because we have a good goalscoring record it is just recently that we seem to want the ball in or take an extra touch or miss an opportunity. We have been guilty of that in the last few weeks - no so much today - but 2-0 was a wee bit harsh on us given that we had enough possession and probably created the same amount of chances - not that there was many in the game - as Rangers. We might have deserved to have got something, at least a point out of the game on the balance of play but if you don't work their goalkeeper hard enough after some good build up play you are only making it easier for them and Rangers showed you how to do it while not playing well."

The Manager explained that the injury that led to goalkeeper Ryan Scully being substituted after only five minutes was due to him dislocating a toe:-

"He shouted for the ball he says but Callum (Morris) didn't hear him and Callum shouldn't have passed it back but when he passed it he had to clear it quickly and caught the foot of the Rangers player. We thought that it was broken but you could see when he came off that it was a dislocated toe.

"Our young goalkeeper who has not played a lot has been thrown in to it but he didn't have a lot to do to be honest. He kicked the ball well and had no chance with the goals. That free kick would have beaten most goalkeepers; the last one he did not have a sniff at it and the goalscorer did well to strike through it. That is what we should have been doing instead of trying to walk it in.

"I think it was Whittle who got into the box and why was he was looking to square or pass it? It was on his left foot, he has got to have a pop at goal. Shaun Byrne has done great to support Shankland. Shanks whips a ball to him where he should be taking a touch and firing in.

"These decisions, little half chances need to be taken. When you come to Ibrox you need to take them and work the goalkeeper and have a shot on target. They are young kids and they will learn from that. On the balance of play they were probably better than Rangers today."

Even having used a substitute as early as the fifth minute JJ had no doubt that to take off Alex Whittle in 28 minutes and replace him with Shaun Byrne was a necessary move. This reversed his starting selection and was done because Alex was not doing well enough in his wide right midfield role:-

"He missed a chance, he was caught in possession two or three times. He has played that position a number of times but the one that swayed me was when he lost possession. You just cannot amble back; the boy was running at Ross Millen. Whitts is quick and he has got to learn that you need to get after it and make up for your mistake. Then he was looking for a free kick on the edge of the box which could have been dangerous.

Alex Whittle at Ibrox

"I think he gave away a free kick when I wouldn't have had any complaints if the referee had booked him for diving. He thought he had a foul but he put himself into problems there and I thought 'it is just not going to be his day' and it was best to take him out of it rather than at that time cost us a goal. It is a learning process for him and he just didn't seem to be focussed.

"You do not need any passengers out there, you need to go and do your bit. You have always to make these decisions; there is no point making them after the damage is done. It was the right change to make because he has got to learn. It is not like him but maybe just one of those days. You get that with young kids and although they are not happy to come off it is done for the best of the team."

Jim Jefferies had no complaint over the decision to send off  Danny Grainger for a second bookable offence just eleven minutes from the end:-

"I warned Danny at half time about any strong challenges in at the back. There were a few strong tackles that didn't get punished, it was just unfortunate that he got punished for the first booking and then, well, when the boy has got inside from a good run and pass, he has made a last ditch tackle and the referee deemed it to be a booking.

"We had said at half time to the boys who had been booked to be careful about any daft challenges but what does he do? Does he let him go and then he scores a goal. You are always in the game at 1-0 so it was just one of those things.

"We will have to do without him next week and get on with it."