Captain seeks bounce back

"Stupidly I tried to cut back inside, maybe I should just have stuck it in the channel because being a defender if you make mistakes you are more likely to get punished.

Austin McCann felt that his team turned up too late to take anything out of the match against St Mirren on Saturday.

"Our first half performance cost us and from 2-0 down at half time it is a big deficit to claw back in the SPL. We gave it a good go in the second half.

Ozzie knew that the second St Mirren goal did not show him up in a good light:-

"I got the ball from Gallacher and looked down the line but didn't see much on. Stupidly I tried to cut back inside, maybe I should just have stuck it in the channel because being a defender if you make mistakes you are more likely to get punished. St Mirren did that so it is disappointing on my behalf. I have bounced back from mistakes before and I will come back from this."

The Pars captain knew what to expect from Danny Lennon's team since the memory of the opening game of the season was still fresh in the mind:-

"They gave us problems at East End by the way their midfield was set up. We didn't really get to grips with it in the first half. The midfield three were getting pulled about a bit and made it difficult. We didn't change shape in the second half and neither did they; I just think we got closer. We gave them far too much space in the first half which we didn't do in the second half.

"We were in the ascendancy towards the end of the game and there was only one team that looked like they were going to score. At times we left ourselves open at the back because we were pushing that much to get forward but you have to do that when you are 2-1 down.

"The subs came at the right time because there were a few tired legs. Wee Joe and Barrowman gave us different options if we want to go a bit longer and more direct. It caused St Mirren problems and we were desperately unlucky not to get a second goal. We had a couple of chances and had we got the second goal it would have been very interesting. It wasn't to be."

Ozzie is now looking forward to the midweek trip to Celtic Park, one that he will be treating seriously:-

"It is the first game you are looking for when the fixture list comes out. The boys will be looking forward to it, especially the younger boys who have never played there and will want to experience it. We are fighting for points and we cannot go there and just have a look about and think "nice place this is". We need to try and get something out of the game. It may sound crazy but St Johnstone have gone there and won so we will regroup and hopefully we can go there and do something."

Austin has scored a winning goal against Celtic before and now that he has re-discovered his shooting boots with a goal at Easter Road two weeks ago he would fancy another but feels that injuries may mean that he will be deployed deeper than against Hibs:-

"Big Dowie's injury means the gaffer has put me back into centre back so I will just need to wait and see what the injury situation is by Wednesday and what team the Manager decides to play."