John Potter post Peterhead
Saturday, 3rd Jan 2015John Potter was "extremely" disappointed with the 1-1 draw with Peterhead in the opening fixture of 2015.
- - Listen to this John Potter Interview
"I don't want to keep saying the same story but we had a lot of good chances today and we didn't put the ball in the back of the net, it is just as simple as that. We allowed Peterhead back in the game for a wee spell, it was a sloppy penalty that we gave away. They scored from that and the red card made it difficult for us in the last fifteen minutes."
Andy Geggan's 76th minute red card was indisputable as far as the Pars boss was concerned:-
"It was silly. We told him that it was indiscipline getting caught up in the game. It was a silly challenge it had to be a red card for me. It is a disappointing result."
Even more disappointing given that Dunfermline had by far the better of the first half and should have been further ahead at the break:-
"We have been in that situation a number of times this season; playing well, a goal in front but you need to kill games off because you leave teams a chance if you do not kill the game off. Every team no matter who they are will get a spell in the game.
"I still felt quite confident that we wouldn't give them much. They had a couple of small chances but nothing concerning. I still thought that we looked dangerous on the break, even second half we had three or four unbelievable chances but we have to put it in the back of the net.
"It is the same story as the rest of the season - continuing to play okay but not winning games of football, it is not good enough."
JP agreed that it was a matter of two points dropped.
"We are expected to win every game but we have told the players that it is not as easy as that, we have to go out and do it. We need to get into a winning mentality, we are not there at the moment and it is important that we can get it quickly. When you look back at the game it is a game that we should have won. The simple fact is that we didn't and that is not good enough.
"We need to start winning games, no matter how we win we need to start winning games quickly. It is probably a bit of a mental thing but we need to put the ball in the back of the net. It is the hardest thing to do in football.
"We have strikers that we think can score. If they are not then I need to look at bringing a couple in that will go and score goals. That is my decision, I am giving everybody a fair chance here but that is three or four months now that we have been saying we have been playing well, doing okay and not killing teams off. For me that is not a coincidence, we cannot be unlucky all the time; it is not good enough.
A positive from the game was giving Ryan Wallace his first start since 22 March but the gaffer felt that he is still three or four weeks away from full fitness. He commented:-
"I thought he was good first half, he creates problems but maybe has not got the fitness to get up and around the box yet but that will come. He needs minutes on the pitch. He was disappointed to come off but he was knackered at that point. We had to make the change but I have enough players out there to score goals and we need to start doing it."
Michael Moffat did everything but score, he laid off balls that were intercepted, he made the keeper save, he hit the post and blasted a great chance just outside target. Potter said that he just needs to keep working at it:-
"It is difficult. He has to keep practising and keep going over the same things, the same exercises, maybe changing things up a wee bit that he can put the ball in the back of the net. He is going through it and feeling it as well at the moment. He was a signing to come here and score goals and he has not done it. Obviously he will be disappointed himself, he will be feeling nervous in front of goals and trying to change things up.
"It is up to us to try and get him feeling good about himself and try and get back to where he was. That is what as coaches and me, as the manager, have to try and do."
- - Listen to the Peterhead manager`s post match thoughts
"We deserved a draw"
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