Manager on Thursday

04/02/21: SC - “We have got to build on the confidence of the result against Raith Rovers, scoring goals, being positive in our attacking play and try to cause Arbroath problems

Looking back on the match against Raith Rovers, scoring four and picking up the three points delighted the Dunfermline manager Stevie Crawforda satisfactory outcome of a horrid wet, windy and freezing February night.

“I know Raith had lost on the Tuesday the week before to Hearts, but they had gone to Tynecastle and come away with three points. So we knew that it was going to be a challenging game, they were in a good bit of form and they had been scoring goals.

“Equally we had been struggling in front of goal. It is like waiting on a bus and then three come at once. I did feel that we deserved to go in ahead and the goal just before half time just allowed the boys to get a little bit more freedom in their play and on the night I think the score maybe flattered Raith. We could have had five, six, seven goals on the night.

“It was a good competitive derby that we can take confidence from but it is not getting carried away. Going to Arbroath is a really tough place. There home record is unbelievable when you look at the stats so having won there 3-1 earlier in the season, albeit in the cup, we have to take confidence from that to go up against an Arbroath side that is in a good bit of form themselves.

“They are well organised, they are well drilled, they have got really good players. They are a part time side but they have got boys who have done well for them for a number of years now. They are a settled side but Dick has added a few additions.

“He is very shrewd in the way he uses the transfer market. We will be wary of what Arbroath’s strengths are but we have got to build on the confidence of the result against Raith Rovers, scoring goals, being positive in our attacking play and trying to cause Arbroath problems that allows us to try and compete to win a game of football.”

While Dunfermline were defeating Raith Rovers, Arbroath were earning an important point against Inverness Caley Thistle and Stevie felt that only underlined how tight a league the Championship is:-

“People were saying ‘we’re Hearts going to go through the season without losing a game’ but they are not finding it as easy. That is not me having a pop at Hearts, that is other people talking. Inverness went there and picked up a point, and probably a good point.

“A couple of Fridays ago Dundee took a point away so it brings attention to us going up there and winning 3-1 in the League Cup and how good a performance it was on the day. It is going to be a totally different game, I think Dick is setting up his team slightly different from what he did on that day. He was forced into playing three at the back that day against us and it is a game that we are looking forward to.”

Player availability?

“We took off Euan Murray as a precautionary thing, he just felt things tightening up and we are hopeful that Euan will be fine, we can’t guarantee that. Ryan Dow is the one where we are going to see where he is at, it is still too early to tell on that one. Otherwise full squad.”

Stevie’s comments on the signing of Lithuanian international defender, Vytas Gašpuitis and pre-contract agreement with Craig Wighton can be read on the two stories linked below.

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