Manager Post Raith

01/09/12: JJ - Raith were always in the game but we played really well against them. Dunfermline w

MATCH PICTURES
"Absolutely unbelievable" was how Manager Jim Jefferies described his side's first half performance;-

"I couldn't ask for any better. We started the game well, a wee bit lucky with Josh's challenge (in 30 seconds). I don't think he caught the boy; it was a very rash challenge and maybe deserved the booking. They followed up with two bad tackles as well; Jason Thomson and then the centre half (Colin Wilson) was a bit crude but the referee was different class today even though we felt he let them back into the game with a free kick that was never a free kick.

"Joe Cardle won the ball clearly and I think the linesman acknowledged that. That let them back in the game because we had said at half time 'for such an excellent performance, we had won nothing.' We had to go out and start like we did in the first half.

"You knew that they had to have a response. Grant Murray brought on himself and they were looking to get into us early which was understandable. They got the goal with a good header but bad marking from us.

"Then what you are looking for in a young team like we have got, is to handle this situation. I have got to say they handled it fantastically well. I know Raith had a couple of chances through slack play by us but we had a hatful of chances in the second half that we never took.

"The third goal was just a fantastic footballing goal from our point of view and that knocked the wind out of Raith Rovers. We were comfortable from then on, we could have scored more and the boy Smith went through with a chance to make it 3-2 but I think nobody could have complained today and as the Raith bench said we thoroughly deserved our victory today.

"The crowd made it. It was a great atmosphere for the First Division. It was a great advert and it takes two teams to make it a good game. Raith were always in the game but we played really well against them. Dunfermline were excellent but they came out and made a game of it. The response from our players was magnificent."

Jim praised Josh Falkingham who was perhaps lucky still to be on the park to score his second goal in two Fife derbies:-

"I brought him here because I saw him at Arbroath. He is a terrific little footballer; he showed his skill factor today, his knowledge was great and got into some good areas. Ryan Wallace was sharp in attack, Andy Barrowman played well and Callum Morris was unlucky. He did ever so well to get out of a tight situation. I said to him that he should just play it down the line because you will still get applause because you did so well. But you don't try and overdo it - he did that and for me it was a soft penalty.

"The pick of the show today was Andy Geggan; he was tireless in the middle of the park. He was getting up on people, winning tackles and that wee change that we made at Airdrie with him going into midfield and Jordan McMillan going back to right back has helped us.

"He showed energy to get about and break things up. It lets players like Husband and Falkingham pick up the pieces and go and set us up. We had two front men today, especially in the first half who caused Raith Rovers all end of problems. They link well and have an understanding between them and that is something you try and work on and sometimes it is natural. With this pair it has just been instinct to work together."