Managers Post Falkirk

12/03/11: JM - "We knew that we would face a reaction after half time and we told them that. We managed to hang on in there and win the game."

Jim McIntyre was extremely happy having completed back to back wins at the Falkirk Stadium:-

"We didn't start well; Falkirk came out of the traps quicker that us and we had to weather an early storm although they never created too many clear openings. There was a lot of pressure there and we had to hang in and defend well. I thought that once we scored, we then started to pass the ball and our midfield three started to get on that bit more and make some passes which is what we are good at.

"Our keeper didn't have too much to do but he had two crucial balls he had to come and take. One he had to come and punch and he dealt with that really well. I am really pleased for him because he has been getting a bit of stick from our home support because he has made a couple of mistakes but he has strength and character in abundance.

"He was out cold when he was bumped off the ball. For me it was a foul; the boy has bumped into him after he has got both hands on the ball. The physio said that he was out, so for him to continue on he has done fantastically well. As fate would have it we had just made the last of our substitutions just before that and we were a bit nervous at that time."

Quickly recalling Austin McCann's goalkeeping in the Scottish Cup tie versus Montrose, Macca said that has Smith been forced to come off then the choice of replacement from the outfield players would have been either Alex Keddie or Graham Bayne:-

"Ozzie certainly wasn't going in after the last time after running out of the way of the penalty the last time. He was a definite no, no.

"There was a fantastic finish for the second goal. It actually started with a great back heel from Calum Woods, McDougall just delivers a great ball with real pace on it and Hardie guided it in. It was good midfield play getting into the box and that late run is a hard one to pick up.

"We knew that we would face a reaction after half time and we told them that. We managed to hang on in there and win the game."

At 2-0 up a soft penalty decision let Falkirk back into the match, Macca said:-

"I thought it was great defending from Woods getting in at the back post because it was a really dangerous ball and he got himself tucked back in and got a head on it. The referee said that he had a hold of his jersey. Woodsie said that the boys said to him 'he gave that for nothing because you never touched me. He never gave it and they scored the penalty. We then had to face ten or fifteen minutes with a lot of balls coming into the box but I thought the defence coped with that really well."

The score was all the more significant in the light of Raith Rovers home defeat to Partick Thistle:-

"There's going to be many a twist and turn but we can only focus on ourselves. That is all we have got to do. We had a wee meeting during the week and we spoke about having eleven games left. These are eleven cup finals and that's the way we have to approach it. That's one out of the way but this league has a habit of kicking you in the teeth if you are not at it right from the start in every game because, as I have been saying from day one, are so evenly matched. You cannot take anything for granted; you have got to earn the right to win games in this league because every one of them are tough."

It was a measure of the Falkirk gaffer Steven Pressley's disappointment and the pressure that he is under that he opened his press conference with a seemingly unprovoked attack on The Sun's sportswriter, Bill Leckie:- We don't get much with you about, that's for sure!"

So was it a bad day at the office?

"No not a bad day, a bad result not a bad day, far from it. It was a really good performance; a game we absolutely dominated. We lost the game in two critical moments, that aside our performance was excellent. We passed the ball, we played with purpose, we created opportunities, we were on the front foot - all the things that we preach and work towards in training every single day was evident in our performance.

"We created more opportunities than Dunfermline without doubt throughout the game. We dominated and they scored with their first opportunity in the game."

The Falkirk manager had said before the game that he felt it was a must win game for Falkirk but felt that Raith Rovers defeat had left them a 'lifeline'.

"I said prior to the game that there was a mountain to climb if we lost this one. It is still a big big ask for us. If Raith had won it would have been a long long way back

"I do think that it was a smash and grab today in a game that we absolutely dominated."