Jim Jefferies on Thursday

22/08/13: JJ - "I think we have been guilty of having some good build up play into the last third

After back to back home defeats against Raith Rovers and Arbroath, Jim Jefferies accepted that shots at goal could have been made with more regularity:-

"We have been shooting but we have been missing the target.  Ryan Wallace could have scored at East Fife and put the game beyond doubt but he didn't hit the target.  Against Arbroath on Saturday when we were 3-2 down he had a great chance inside the box, better angle but he didn't hit the target."

Saturday's match away to Stenhousemuir is the next opportunity to get their season back on track.  It is only three weeks since Dunfermline's last visit to Ochilview Park.  That day when East Stirlingshire were the hosts Jim Jefferies was critical of the playing surface which coupled with inclement weather made it a terrible afternoon for football. The gaffer would not be drawn to criticise the pitch again for now:-

"We will deal with the pitch on Saturday, we won the game but didn't enjoy it and it was a windy day.  It will be a tough game, every game is tough for us.  We are playing a better team and so hopefully we can get it right.  The fact that we have been there and played on the surface will help us a lot."

The Manager confirmed that Robert Thomson is still on trial and that he has no more injuries to report.  Stephen Husband is available, but Chris Kane is out suspended. Allan Smith had his first game back today (Thursday) when he played 75 minutes in a bounce game against East Fife at Rosyth. This was a game where the Pars dominated their opponents and ran out 3-0 winners.  There is no one else on the injury list from Tuesday's match.

MATCH PICTURES FROM THURSDAY'S GAME v EAST FIFE

Jefferies was still re-living the previous two games when the website spoke to him at Rosyth:-

"The first defeat shouldn't have been one.  It was a situation after getting off to a bad start we played some great football and really the scoreline could have been 4-1.  If we had gone in front then I think everyone knew it would be just a matter of time but when the referee makes a decision to give them a penalty and then the boy scores a wonder goal just right on the back of it.  

"It just shows you what can happen in football.  It makes it harder because even at half time we felt that if we continued to play the same way we felt that there would be a number of goals in it for us but the sending off has a wee impact on the game.  With the extra man it gave them something to hang on to. We struggled to break them down after that and it was a sore one to take because I don't think we deserved to lose.

"I knew the Raith Rovers game was always going to be a tough test because of the fact that they have a far more experienced team.  They brought in people like Callum Elliot.  If the situation had been different in the summer then we could have strengthened the squad the same way but it is not an option that is open to us with the ban.  Having said that we spoke about how the corner was going to go in, who is their best in the air so we put our best up against him and he didn't deal with the situation.  He knows that more than anybody. 

"I thought there was very little in the game.  We needed to get an equaliser and I thought we might have just before half time but at one nil as you are pushing forward as always happens there is a break and Andy is adamant that he got the ball but to me it looked a penalty.  You can't go making challenges in there even if you do get the ball.  I think he made it easier for the referee by putting his foot out and he ran the risk.  Having said that, we showed a great response to two nil I felt. 

 "I think we have been guilty of having some good build up play into the last third and that is where a wee bit of experience sometimes comes in and things that are around the box that someone knows where to go and what to do and all these boys are still learning that.  We will just need to keep working away at it, there is not a lot we can change.  

"There is nothing wrong with their effort and commitment, it is just that wee bit of experience that we probably miss most.  Two or three experienced players are probably the difference between being undefeated and having lost two games. We can't do anything about that, we just have to soldier on and at the end of the season it will stand us in good stead."