Manager Post Ayr United

28/09/13: JJ - "It was the best game for me, best performance of the season even though I think we have been playing well in games.

MATCH PICTURES
Having warned for weeks that somebody was going to suffer as a result of a Pars goal feast Jim Jefferies claimed that everything went right for Dunfermline against Ayr United.  Listen to this interview

"Either the finish or the opportunity to create good chances is all that has been missing and somebody was going to be on the end of a four or five one. What makes it more remarkable is gifting a goal early on. There was hesitation at the back. It was never going to the goalie, Luke (Johnston) is the one who should have dealt with it and when you don't you run a risk.

"What a fantastic response and even from Luke because he has gone on to have a good game. I said to the players that I didn't think anybody had a bad game. It was a great performance and the first half was breathtaking. Some of the goals that we scored were not just about fantastic finishes, they were about fantastic build ups."

Penalty to Pars, 20th minute

To go in at half time 4-1 up gave the Pars Manager concerns of a response from the opposition:-

"If you let them back into it, then it gives them a lift. We think we have the game won and with a young side you wonder how they will handle it. We got the message out that we were not going out to defend a 4-1.

"As I expected Ayr put us under pressure for ten minutes. They hit the bar and having weathered that we could have scored six, seven or eight maybe. We played some fantastic football. The goal in the second half was befitting in its finish. It was a great build up cutting inside but other than that we played some great football and moves. We have said that if we could finish them off, we would win comfortably and that's what we did.

"It was the best game for me, best performance of the season even though I think we have been playing well in games. The difference today was that the end product was there for everybody to see. There was great quality of passing, movement, support and then when you come to the final bit, the finish was just tremendous.

"I do not think that you will see three better goals in one game than the second, third and fourth. They were all tremendous goals and stuff that makes you happy because boys put a lot of work in on the training ground with us. They give it their all with their effort, movement and passing.

"At the end of training sessions we have said that they just need to put that into Saturday. It would take a lot of bad luck for teams to beat you. They showed it today but you will not get every game like that. There will be scrappy games where you have to grind it out but when it comes along like that they can go away and enjoy their weekend.

"It shows you what level they can get to because you could not say Ayr United were bad today. They started the game after getting the goal and getting a lift. Ryan Scully had to make a couple of saves at important times so he played his part as well. When you see 5-1 you might think that the goalie has had nothing to do.

"I do not think that 5-1 flattered us, it was against a team that didn't play too bad. They were not rank rotten to get thrashed 5-1, Ayr were a decent side who kept plugging away. They were just outplayed; we had just too much pace and tempo for them. They could not cope with it as long as we kept it up.

"If we sit off them we would let them back into the game. Don't do that, just keep it going."

The Manager was delighted that this week his team was executing shots into the top corner and hitting the net with aplomb:-

"Whittle drilled that ball into the top corner. It was a great build up when it was laid back to him and a terrific goal but so was the third and fourth. Geggan got on the end of a great move and then set up Josh with a great pass. When it opened up it was important that we had support."

Robert Thomson against Ayr United

"The movement off the ball was good. Robert Thomson did not score today but what a tireless work he did pulling people all over the place and making the space. When we got the right ball in and in the right area, it just takes that finish.

"The boys came up with great finishes but it would be hard to pick the best. Whittle will get it because it was a tremendous strike but so was Josh's and so was Andy Geggan's. it was a great performance and one that has been coming.

"It was the best performance but we have played well in a lot games this year where it has not gone our way in the last third but today it did and it was very pleasing."

Administrators BDO at East End Park for Ayr United match

The Manager feels that with Pars United progressing towards settlement then everything was coming together nicely:-

"They can now crash on and make their plans. Once the administrators move out, next week I believe having sorted out all the issues. Once it has been sorted out I am sure that they can then go ahead and prepare properly.

"I have to tell you that I know from speaking to them, that it will not be easy. Everybody has to do their bit and we will still need the fans to keep coming. If we keep performing, give them games like that then they can come along here and enjoy their football.

"Sometimes it has been a late win or dropping a point but the football has been terrific. The club is going the right way and let's just hope that they learn lessons from the last time. There will be a lot of good people on the board now to take it forward and I am sure that they will do it. We all know that it is going to be tough and got to be done very prudently because you do not want to get yourself into that state again.

"We need to give this young side time to mature. They will only get better and there are players there who could possibly go on and play at a higher level. That is something that we will have to contend with this year. That could be one of the problems in the transfer window.

"When you look at the performance today of Callum Morris particularly - he strolled it. We enjoyed the result today and the performance because it means we go into training on Monday with a buzz and a spring in our step to take it on to next week.

"We will be keeping our feet on the ground because there is a long long way to go."

Callum Morris