Potter pre Peterhead
Friday, 3rd Apr 2015We have to win our challenges, win our 50-50s, play that side and do that well.
John Potter was still licking the wounds from the previous Saturday's home defeat to Morton when he spoke to the website on Thursday and he is clearly looking for a reaction on Saturday when the team travel to Peterhead.
"I will be looking for a response especially from the ones who played last week and are lucky enough to be selected this week. That goes for any fresh faces that come on as well.
"The performance wasn't good enough. We have watched it back and seen where we got it wrong - in both going forward and defensively. There was loads that could be better, it is not like us. There were elements in the game that we didn't do well enough, we have to work harder and do better in the game. I will make sure that we do that."
The manager agreed that for the first quarter of the game Dunfermline gave Morton a contest but following a longer period of possession by the opposition, Dunfermline fell away.
"We got deeper and deeper. Our back three were dragging the wider ones back and allowed Morton easy possession. It wasn't great and the timing of the first goal, from a sloppy pass, made it difficult. We came out in the second half and lost an early goal as well.
"The goals against were all preventable. That is not good enough and from then on you are fighting a battle. I was disappointed with the reaction; they stopped doing what we asked them to do and started to get desperate. They got further forward and didn't take care at the back. There is loads to work on and Saturday was a disappointing day."
Next up are Peterhead, a team that the Pars have defeated once and drawn with twice this season. Potter discussed these matches:-
"Up there we lost a goal from a free kick after being in complete control for seventy minutes. We got a bit deeper and nervous. That happens when you do not get the second or third goal; they start hanging on and I have been there myself. Defenders think that it is easier just to go back but it is not, you have to be brave, be forward and try and push up and don't give them any space in front of your goal. We have not done that.
"It should have been three wins but we could probably say that against a lot of teams this season, and it has not been. It will be a difficult game, probably a different type of game from those played against them this season but it is one we are looking forward to."
Everybody knows that the meetings with Peterhead have been firey affairs starting with the first fixture at East End Park when the visitors had three players sent off in the first half. Potts continued:-
"They have been competitive. They are that type of team so we are going to have to stand up to that and be the same. We have to win our challenges, win our 50-50s, play that side and do that well. I don't think we did well enough last week. We did it well enough at Stenhousemuir but it is a side of the game that we have to be better at, hopefully we will be on Saturday."
The manager travelled to the Global Energy Stadium to watch the Development League win over Ross County on Tuesday afternoon specifically to watch for players challenging for a first team place.
"That is what I was hoping for with a very good first half performance. There were a couple of individual performance that were good. We have had disappointed players in the last few weeks who have not been involved. They are looking to get in, so there will be players playing on Saturday who played up at Dingwall because they have done well and deserve their chance."
One player from Tuesday afternoon's match who will not feature, even on the bench, is back up keeper Ryan Goodfellow. He incurred a bang on his knee and the physio cannot assess the injury until the swelling goes down. The manager explained the predicament that causes.
"Jamie Wilson (below) went on loan to Berwick to try and get some first team experience. Cammy Gill is away with the Fife Elite U17s in Turkey so we are a bit short. We are working with the SFA to get Jamie Wilson back from Berwick. I am hoping that it is not a problem. It is out with the window but because it is a goalkeeper it is a separate issue. I would hope that it will be fine."
Turning to the outfield players, Lewis Martin has returned to training after his ten days in Austria with the Scotland U19 squad.
"He enjoyed the experience but was disappointed not to play. They defended okay in the games so he never got the opportunity. It was still a great experience for him to go away and mix with the players and look at the clubs that they are with. Great for him, great for us as a club that he has been recognised but it is good to have him back in contention for Saturday."
In addition to Ryan Goodfellow, Ryan Wallace and Jim Paterson are out for the Peterhead match. So when Saturday comes John Potter knows what has to change:-
"We have to go and do better. We know how we are going to play, we have worked hard at that because it is a game that we have to go and try and win."
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