Manager post Queen of the South

03/09/22: link to audio of James McPake’s post match comments

The three points from the trip to Dumfries was very satisfying especially since it is described as one of the hardest places to go to. Manager James McPake said:-

“I have been down here plenty times as a player and as a manager. Teams will drop points down here, we know that. We just had to make sure that wasn’t us today. I thought that we were really efficient with what we did in the first half and the game was done (by half time) albeit we had a great save from Deniz to keep the two goal cushion.

“I don’t think we were ever in any trouble today and that is credit to the players. That could have been the case most weeks of the season and today they got their rewards. It shows the difference when you get that two goal cushion. You have a wee bit to play with and it never really affected what they did today and so I am delighted for them.”

Do you think that you could have won the game a bit more comfortably?

“Yes, in the first twenty five minutes we were excellent. We came out really quick and we emphasised the fact that they had played in midweek. Emotionally as well it is not easy going to Ibrox and they were in the game until 80 odd minutes, credit to them.

“ We had to start fast and we had to good at what we did, and we were. On another day we could have been out of sight by 25 minutes but it doesn’t matter, you have 95/96 minutes to win a game and we did it today so credit to the players.

“The changes worked as well - Lewis McCann and Chris Hamilton coming on and Sam Fisher late on. Deniz pulling off a penalty save but he has been excellent. I don’t think he had much more to do other than that - I hope he hasn’t that to do most weeks or any other week but credit to the players they deserve it today.”

The refereeing decisions went your way today?

“I think that was fair. Today I thought the communication between the refs was excellent. We know we are in League One and we don’t have a fourth official, I have not seen the penalty or our goal but you can gauge by their reaction. At the penalty our players did not react too much and that probably tells you it was a penalty. At our (second) goal you could see the reaction from our players that it was a goal anyway.

“I’ll go off now and watch it back and maybe find that I’m talking rubbish. I am not bothered it is three points, it is a clean sheet and we are still unbeaten.”

The result, coupled with results elsewhere leaves Dunfermline on top of the table, two points clear of second placed FC Edinburgh with the best goal difference in the league. James would only comment:-

“Yes but we are only six games in. It is far too early to even look at the table, it is nice but I have come down here before on the last day of the season needing a victory so we only look ahead to next week, away to Clyde and then we are back at home. It is just one game at a time.

“It doesn’t really matter what’s going on six games in, I am just delighted that we are still unbeaten and we are back to winning ways.”

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