Jim Jefferies post East Stirling

03/08/13: JJ - "You have got to show a bit of resilience, mix your game up particularly on windy days on astro pitches such as this ..

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Jim Jefferies was happy to see Dunfermline Athletic successfully through to the Second Round of the Scottish Communities League Cup but less happy with what he found to be a troublesome combination of a well used astro surface and a strong wind.

"It is a great facility for Stenhousemuir and East Stirling but when you get high winds, how can anybody attempt to play football there? You can see, particularly in the first half, that Ryan Scully was doing great to get the ball over the halfway line.

"It is frustrating for players and when you have a young team like that who are renowned for, and work a lot on their passing ability - they showed that last week at Cowdenbeath - there is no way you can criticise them on the day. You have to show another side just to come to these places.

"I told them that is why Rangers found that with a lot of young players against teams from the lower divisions you cannot always get to play your natural game. You have got to show a bit of resilience, mix your game up particularly on windy days on astro pitches such as this. It stands you in good stead but what they did show today was a resilience to keep working for each other. They did not get too frustrated because there were one or two great wee moves there but the pace of the ball took it beyond the striker. When you play a cup tie at a place like this you need to come and battle."

JJ had a face to face with referee Mat Northcroft at one point in the first half and the Pars gaffer explained how he had a difference of opinion with the match official:-

"I was astounded like probably most people there, how he could give a series of free kicks yet our centre half got booked for trying to win the ball. Some of them I just couldn't understand and I was getting frustrated to see this. How was it not a free kick? The daddy of them all was whether the goalkeeper handled it outside the box or not. Surely the linesman only five yards away doesn't put his flag up yet the referee who was not at a good angle has a guess at it and gives them a free kick."

When the East Stirling goalkeeper did the same thing on the other side of the park where the linesman was patrolling the far end touchline, Jefferies felt that the referee was guessing again:-

"In the second half the referee didn't give it, the linesman gave it. It is just frustrating and I know it wasn't easy for him because of the wind and the type of surface that it is.

"I am really pleased that they have come through today because it is a bit different from what they have known. There was a thundering challenge on Thomson early on and East Stirling had probably set out, knowing that we are a young side, to try and goad us a bit but we had warned them about that before the game. They stood up to it well."

The Manager singled out one of his central midfielders for special appreciation:-

"For me, Chris Kane in the middle of the park won every header and it was that type of game that suited Chris. Last week he was outstanding when we played well in the second half but today it was all about battling on. Wee Dargo came on and showed his experience. He showed one or two players who were trying to find an extra man to beat on the edge of the box, particularly Shaun Byrne who had a great chance but tried to beat a man too much. You have got to hit it and Dargo showed him to do it. Coming in from the left side he didn't want to beat anybody. He just put his foot through it and it was in - lessons learned."

Asked if there was any further news on his own contract Jim Jefferies said that he had not yet put pen to paper:-

"I have had an initial chat and they have asked me to stay for two years, I have said that I will. I have not signed anything yet but I think we need to wait the 28 days before the CVA is passed. They don't take over officially until then but I think that's when it will happen.

"I had planned to retire but the fans have made it great for us and the players have just been fantastic. I enjoy working with the young players and I want to stay. It is a great club and I enjoy the job."

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Listen to this Jim Jefferies' Interview