Manager on Thursday

24/09/15: AJ - "It speaks volumes for the players when they are disappointed by getting beat by Dundee United. That is a plus point for me."

Allan Johnston is making sure that his side gets over their League Cup 90 minutes plus extra time on Tuesday night and ready to face Airdrieonians on Saturday.

"We just had a really light session today. Tuesday night took a lot out of their legs obviously but they have had a couple of days to recover and I am sure that come Saturday we will be back to normal again and raring to go.

"When you come back from big games it is always hard even after the Dundee game at home it was difficult to get back to league business when the atmosphere is not the same. It is not as big a game for some people but it is still a massive game for us and we need to make sure that we are 100% focused.

"Airdrie have picked up since starting the season slowly. They will be really difficult to play against and we cannot afford to be playing at 90%, we need to be 100%."

While recovering from Tuesday night, the manager feels that the good thing was that Dunfermline created chances against Premiership opposition. He said:-

"When you look at the important times in the game if we had taken our chances I think it could have been a different result. Especially just before going in at half time. I think the crowd were on Dundee United's back as well.

"Sometimes we were under pressure for long periods but we defended well as a team. We broke well so there were a lot of positives. It speaks volumes for the players when they are disappointed by getting beat by Dundee United. That is a plus point for me.

"There wasn't a lot between the teams and whoever got the first goal in extra time was going to win. If we had scored the first goal then I think that would have been it but they did and it was difficult from then."

On the injury front the management are just waiting to see how Shaun Rooney's knock improves. His ankle was badly bruised and swollen after the match at Stenhousemuir last Saturday. Jason Talbot was able to play at Tannadice but AJ admitted his left back was struggling with his hamstring.

"Jason is just one of those characters, nothing gets him down, he just wants to play. Even though he is not 100% he always puts himself forward to play. He did well but the main thing is not to get him injured long term and lose him for longer."

It was no surprise to Allan Johnston that Airdrieonians manager Gary Bollan watched the League Cup tie on Tuesday.

"Most managers do go and see their opponents when they get a chance, it is usually somebody else who watches them. Hopefully he was impressed by the way the boys played. We have just got to focus on the game, play the way we have been playing. We have been creating a lot of chances and take the positives from the last two games.

"To score that many goals away from home at Stenny, a team who were unbeaten at home just shows you the quality of that performance. We just to take that into the Airdrie game as well especially after the highs of the Dundee United game."

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