Manager Post Cowden

12/02/13: JJ - "We got what we deserved. We teed up the first goal for them which gave them that lift they needed

MATCH PICTURES
Jim Jefferies was raging with his players after the disappointing defeat to Cowdenbeath at Central Park on Tuesday night.

"They would be buoyed by the result at the weekend and unfortunately we were second best all over the pitch.

"We started well enough. No team was causing any real problems. There were some high balls in for their men but what disappoints me is to go from 1-0 down to 2-1 up through Craig Dargo who had more appetite and desire than some of them put together. To get ourselves into that position, you then think 'we are fortunate to be in that position' so lets just see it out. There was only fifteen minutes to go at 2-1 up.

"We lost goals only because people were not doing their jobs. The free kick we could argue that it wasn't a foul. Looking at the goals we lost, the worst one for me was the third one. When that was played up we had two central defenders sitting ten yards off their strikers, allowing them to turn and play balls that cause us problems. When it is played out because they are not in that position to pick them up in the first place, they get a pop at goal and the boy scores.

"You cannot give these boys strikes. We told them he (Hemmings) was a good striker and a good finisher. The fourth one was even worse; we let the boy in behind us too easily. When it came across we made a poor effort to clear it and Linton had nobody near him. You are inviting him to have a shot and he has put it in the net.

"We got what we deserved. We teed up the first goal for them which gave them that lift they needed at that time. They were first to every ball, they showed more desire and appetite than we did. That's what disappoints me more than anything after a good performance on Saturday. We came here tonight expecting a battle and we got a battle but we were second best."

The defeat is coupled with injuries to both midfielders. Shaun Byrne's ankle was badly swollen after a 25th minute block with Kenny Adamson and was sent for an x-ray after the match. Chris Kane rolled his ankle as well leaving major reconstruction in midfield only two games the pairing had been brought together.

"It wasn't about that tonight. It was about our hunger to win a football match that would have put us second and putting pressure on Partick Thistle. We went and threw it away and when we got to a position ahead in the game I could actually see some of the Cowdenbeath heads going down a bit. I thought well, we have got in this position now, don't let them back into the game. We let them in far too easily but that was the story of the night, all night.

"Maybe I said that there was a quiet word a couple of weeks ago but there was certainly paint coming off the ceiling tonight. Some of them were told in no uncertain terms that their desire and will to win a football match has to be there. That has to come from within. You can talk about it, go over it and tell them how big a game it is, how big a battle it will be but they wanted it more than we did. Not on ability but on sheer determination and will to beat us.

"Credit to Cowdenbeath for coming back from 2-1 because I thought they had gone and probably couldn't believe that they were 2-1 down. Instead of chasing for a third goal we should have been solid, making sure that we were tight all over the pitch. There were too many 50-50s tonight. They were picking up loose balls and had a hunger about them that we should have had. I'm afraid that wasn't there tonight and that is what the big disappointment for me."