Manager on Monday

09/03/20: SC - “Games are coming thick and fast. We are looking forward to the Partick game

After going three games unbeaten Stevie Crawford says that he is looking forward to Tuesday night’s league game away to Partick Thistle:-

“Obviously the game on Saturday was a tough game and the games are coming thick and fast. We are looking forward to the Partick game and other teams are going to be facing similar challenges to ourselves whether it be though injuries, suspensions or playing three games a week at the moment.”

Partick Thistle earned a point on Saturday when bottom of the table Thistle faced top of the table Dundee United. The Pars boss compared that with his team’s success over the runaway league leaders just over a week ago:-

“They will probably take confidence from taking that point off Dundee United at the weekend but we won the game against United. We have had two difficult games one up at Arbroath then against Queen of the South who made it difficult for us at the weekend. We will continue to focus on what we are going to try and do against Partick.”

In Kevin Nisbet’s absence with his ankle injury the responsibility for goalscoring falls on other predominantly young players.

“You can make a big deal of Kevin missing. We are missing Ryan Dow and Lee Ashcroft at the weekend as well - three big influential players for us - but we have come from a goal down having never starting the game that well. We have shown that we have a bit of character. That is the pleasing thing for us. There is a door open for others to get opportunities and game time.

“I can remember what it was like for myself being 17, 18, 19 years of age. You are ready and waiting to get in there and that opportunity. There were no disappointing signs at the weekend that they didn’t do well and give themselves a chance of playing against Partick.

“We have got Jonathan in from Celtic. He will still be searching for match fitness. He came in, we had a couple of games and then we had a two or three week break. He now finds himself leading the line. I thought he uses his body well, he brings players into the game. He has managed to score two goals so long may that continue.”

On Saturday some the greatest threats came down the right side where Dom Thomas used his speed and skill to torture the Queen of the South defence. Stevie commented:-

“Dom will be the first to say that as much as we have spoken about Kevin scoring goals for us this year, he needs people to give him the ball early and I thought we did that better at the weekend.

“Up at Arbroath we struggled a little to get the ball out to our wider players to allow them to have an influence on the game. I thought Ethan and Dom were excellent against Queen of the South at the weekend.”

Asked for an update on the Dunfermline Athletic injury list that includes three key players in Lee Ashcroft, Ryan Dow and Kevin Nisbet, Stevie replied:-

“We are just waiting to hear medically from the experts but as it stands at the moment, I am not sure if anybody will be returning in the Partick Thistle game.”

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