Jim Jefferies Post Cup Exit
Tuesday, 9th Dec 201409/12/14: JJ- "The only way that we can make up for being out the cup is winning this league.
- - Listen to this Jim Jefferies interview
Jim Jefferies was well aware that the incentive for getting through the Fourth Round replay was a last sixteen place against Dundee United. The Premierships management team of Jackie McNamara, Darren Jackson and Simon Donnelly watched from the stand but it will be Stranraer that they will be facing in February. The Pars manager discussed the cup exit after the match:-
"After a decent start I thought we sat off them a wee bit and allowed them to get some possession. From that possession they turned and scored a really good goal.
"That set us back but I thought we started the second half well. We had got in about them at half time and told them that they had to pick up their game and show more desire to win a cup tie. They did that but the second Stranraer was just a joke, a terrible defensive goal to lose. We misplaced the header and when it went out wide, before Whittle could get there was a cross into the box.
"Looking at the two centre halves with just one man in the box with nobody near him. It was an easy goal from their point of view. After that it was always going to be difficult. When we got a goal back we thought it could maybe be the reverse of the game down there.
"They were 2-0 up and we got a goal back with plenty time to go. We showed a lot of effort, huffed and puffed a bit but in that spell we had one or two great chances with headers that we put over the bar. You have got to take these chances.
"As the game wore on it was just about throwing everybody forward to try and get an equaliser but they caught us at the end to kill the game. Good luck to them, they are through.
"We have missed a big chance to go through and help the club with the incentives there. We felt we were better than them down there but it was taken away from us. Maybe it was written that they were going to go through.
"Our priority is the league; we have them here a week on Saturday so we have to got to win this Saturday and then when we come back here we have to show them what we are made of.
"The only way that we can make up for being out the cup is winning this league. That has always been the priority and that is what we will focus on and do now. We need to pick ourselves up and get on a run in the league.
"We had a good result on Saturday against Ayr and the momentum is there for us now. That is the only way we can make up for it. Cup ties you are either through or you are not. We thought we were there when we played them in the first game.
"We thought that we were favourites coming into this game but we have to perform better than we did tonight. There was plenty of effort but not enough guile, not enough final ball and when we did hit them on the break, they were exposed. We had two or three chances that we fluffed.
"You have to go and kill teams off, be clinical. To be honest we have been in the last two league games and down there as well. We need to pick ourselves up and roll our sleeves up."
- - Listen to the thoughts of the Stranraer manager, Steven Aitken
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