Managers Post Hearts

15/10/11: JM - "Defensively we looked fine; we had looked to change it because things had not been working on that side of things. We defended well but individual errors have cost us ..

MATCH PICTURES
Jim McIntyre felt his Dunfermline side were more than a match for Hearts and wanted to take the positives out of the 2-0 home defeat to Hearts:-

"We really needed a reaction to two abysmal performances and we certainly got that in terms of performance. We committed two mistakes and we were punished, that's the story of the game. I don't think they were any better than us; it was an even match and we took the game to them in the second half.

"In the first half we didn't look much of a threat ourselves but we didn't look like conceding either. Two mistakes have done us in but I will take the positives from it because the last two performances were poor - we didn't compete. Today we competed and played as a team, our shape was good so that's what I will take from the game.

"At the start of the season we got a couple of results and players want on the ball all of the time. I can't fault the players, in terms of effort and the way they went about things - the way we asked them to play the system was great. We didn't look in trouble but goals change games and when you make mistakes at this level you get punished.

"If we keep gifting goals like that it is hard to win a game."

That is three games now that the Pars have gone without hitting the net but when asked whether he was concerned about that Macca replied:-

"Not at all. I have no concern about scoring goals. Obviously in the last two games we were not at the races as an eleven but in the second half we threatened the goal more. Defensively we looked fine; we had looked to change it because things had not been working on that side of things. We defended well but individual errors have cost us. That's the hard thing to take because if you look at our overall performance I don't think there was anything between the sides."

Hearts boss Paulo Sergio felt that despite winning 2-0 it wasn't an easy game:-

"We had to work a lot to win this game. We were pressurised a little bit more after the second goal because they are struggling a lot and need points.

"We also killed the game off at the right time and that was another big difference. Overall we didn't give Dunfermline any opportunities to score, we were focused and wanted to win the game - I'm happy with the boys for that.

"Sometimes to win you have to play in an ugly way. Of course it's nice to play in a nice way but at times we need to find the balance between short and long passes.

"There is still lots of space for improvements such as making better use of the play and talking on the pitch more to colleagues but I am happy to make our first win away. We didn't show in the other games away the desire that we showed today and that's the difference today."