Manager on Thursday

24/01/13: JJ - "We have to start taking these gilt edged chances when they come our way."

Jim Jefferies admitted today that he was relieved the match against Cowdenbeath had been frozen off because he would have been forced to have fielded a very makeshift team.

"I would only have had the goalie and one sub and he would have been a trialist. We would have had to have played Fayssal El Bahktaoui - Calum Morris, Andy Geggan, Ryan Wallace, Andy Barrowman, Andy Kirk and Alex Whittle would have missed it. With John Potter and Shaun Byrne out in Cyprus, we counted eight that were totally unavailable - it was a big number out of our squad.

"The extra week is going to help two or three of them and there will be a few fitness tests going on today. Andy Barrowman joined in training but when he felt a little twinge to his hamstring we stopped him right away. He will be a concern. Whittle and Geggan did not train today. Ryan Wallace did and we shall see what he's like tomorrow."

Josh Falkingham has served his suspension and would have returned last Saturday. Stephen Husband too would have played last Saturday the 22 year old was injured in training this week and is now a doubt for the Livingston match now. Calum Morris is also still in the doubtful category.

The Pars gaffer is very aware that if Livingston were to take full points from their two games in hand then they would have 33 points and hard on the heels of the Fifers who have 36 to their credit:-

"They will see this game as one in which they can bring themselves right into the mix. They are a team that have been improving; at the start of the season they were finding their way a bit but even in the last game against them, we started the game very well and I felt that it would just be a matter of time but Calum Morris just dived in with a challenge that was always going to put him at risk of being sent off.

"Even with ten against eleven for a long spell, we had chances to score and that is what we needed to do. You are always wary that the extra man is going to count sometime. It was a 30 yard shot that went in, we threw men forward, didn't get a stonewall penalty and had chances to score. We have to start taking these gilt edged chances when they come our way."

Jefferies will take a look over Norwegian trialist Preben Erland in the two home U20s games in February against Celtic and Dundee. Preben who is a striker with FC Hundvag will fly back to spend another week training with Dunfermline.

"So far it has not been fair to judge him. He is 21 years old, a strong boy with pace and he takes the ball on well but it was unfortunate for him that the U20 squad was away in Cyprus. We couldn't get a proper practice match because of injuries and them being away we couldn't field two teams. The best thing to do is to try him in a competitive match as a trialist."

With the Cowdenbeath game postponed the Pars Manager had his players go through a tough gym session last Saturday before he went off to watch next week's cup opponents, Hamilton in action against Raith Rovers in Kirkcaldy. Gerry McCabe went Cappielow where he saw Livingston lost to Morton.

"Raith had an off day and Hamilton deserved their win because they were the better team in possession.. I have seen Raith play better, especially against us and they had the best chance of taking the lead from the penalty spot. It was a good save from the goalkeeper."

Meantime Gerry assessed Livingston in their match against Morton and reported back to Jim Jefferies that Livingston are a side who like to play football.

"They are a perfect example of a club that that chose to go with young boys, three or four years ago. Having taken that decision they possibly have the youngest squad and not many experienced players. They have lost players that have brought in the club money but it proves how tough it is."