Jim Jefferies Post Falkirk

20/07/13: JJ "It was good but I was a wee bit disappointed with the goals we lost.

Pars gaffer, Jim Jefferies felt that his team performed well against Falkirk apart from a spell at the start of the second half that he described as " sloppy".

"They started the second half well and we lost our shape a bit. In that period Falkirk created a couple of good chances and Ryan Scully who I have just taken on loan from Partick Thistle made two excellent saves to keep us in it really.

"You could see that some of our boys were needing a game and when we started making the changes we got a wee lift from there. I thought our second goal was a great football goal from the boys who came on.  Ryan Williamson started the move off in terms of creating the opportunity which Kevin Buchan took brilliantly.

"It was good but I was a wee bit disappointed with the goals we lost. It was not the best corner in the world but we allowed it to come in and all missed it. At the second one we were arguing with the referee when the rule here is when you give away a free kick you get to the ball quickly and do not allow them to take it quickly.

"That's the naivety that you get with young players. I had twenty two players out there today and Josh Falkingham was the only one to finish the game. Falkirk probably had seven who stayed on the pitch for the whole ninety.

"There is a lot to take from the game. It gives these young kids a lift, and a lot of belief to show what they can do. We have to find things out in these games with the younger element. If we run into injuries they will come in, so by giving them this wee spell in the team it makes them want more. They are ready to go in . People like Spence, Mercer and Williamson will all play their part as the season goes on.

"When the team was at its strongest at the start, I thought we looked good, we started the game well. We were unlucky not have another goal or two but overall we are really pleased because pre season is all about match fitness.

"The way Falkirk play, with some good young players passing the ball around it made for a really good tempo in the first half. We didn't match it until all the wee changes and fresh legs. They gave us a lift and got us further into the game as Falkirk were tiring."

Asked about the status of goal scorer Kevin Buchan, Jefferies replied:-

"He has come here on trial and has been here a couple of weeks.  I am using these games as well as looking at him in training to see if he can do it. He is a big lad although just a young kid - but that's all we can sign.

"Scully has come in and he is only 20. The young fellow Ferguson put in a great finish today and he has just joined us from Dundee United on loan until the end of the year. We might have another one coming in before the season gets underway.

"I have to find out what these young boys can do. If I have to call on them, can they handle it? It is a great opportunity for them. It gives them the hunger to want more first team football and when they come to training they will be trying to catch my eye because they will all be thinking now that they are first team players and that is what I want,

" We don't want anyone thinking that they are reserves and making up numbers. You want them thinking that they can play if they get an opportunity to go in with the boys. The experienced boys that we have got at 22 or 23, have bought into it as well because they help these young boys enormously in training.

"They are just a young team. We cannot sign anybody with experience to help them so we just have to make sure that we can foster one or two young boys to come through. We need a strong squad in case we run into injuries and they know what to expect and know how to handle that. That is why we are pleased with the opportunity in pre season to do that."