Potts parfect day

"We knew that we were 1-0 up and if we could stay firm and stay strong we would win the game and we did that."

John Potter reflected on the victory at Easter Road:-

"It feels good but it has been a long time coming. We have been working hard every day in training trying to sort out what has been going wrong. The point has been made that it has been individual errors, as simple as that, and defending better as well. We managed to do that on Saturday and scoring a goal so early in the game gave us a platform to go on and win the game.

"We knew that we were 1-0 up and if we could stay firm and stay strong we would win the game and we did that."

The Pars may have scored early but Hibs had a couple of chances before Austin hit the net with the game only 132 seconds old:-

"I didn't think the game was full of one on one chances or open goal misses but there were half chances all over the place. In the second half we were under cosh but at times if we had chosen our passes better and controlled it then we would have broken away and maybe would have scored again."

John was just delighted to have taken the three points and pleased for the most unlikely match winner:-

"It was quite surprising but it just shows you one wingback can cross for the other wingback. We are desperate to score goals and we have that in us. We need to defend properly at the right times then we have players in the squad who can hurt other teams and score some goals.

"These are types of games where you need to stand strong and we did that. I was in defence today with Keddie and Dowie but the boys upfront were working so hard; work that might go unnoticed by a lot of people but they created little opportunities and it helps us as well if there are eleven players on the pitch trying to stop them defensively. They did get a few chances, that was going to happen and there were times when we needed Paul Gallacher behind us to make the save.

"Gall made some really good saves. I have felt for him recently, he has been on the end of some big score lines but he has probably been our best and most consistent player this season. He has given away a lot of goals so hopefully we helped him out a bit and gave him a wee bit less to do but the times when he was called into action he did excellent as usual."

The match was just the third shut out from 15 matches this season and John stressed how important clean sheets are if they hope to get anything out of the SPL.

"The Manager has made the point that we have to start getting clean sheets. If we can shut one end down we know that we will start winning games. It boosts the confidence, we have a free weekend next weekend so it is great going into that with a win."

Next up are John's old club, St Mirren and he is hoping the break will enable a few players to return from injury:-

"We have eight players out injured or suspended so the bigger the squad the better it is for the Manager to have competition for places. Hopefully in the next two or three weeks we will have that."

The side that started at Easter Road almost picked itself. Joe Cardle and Martin Hardie were on the bench as there were question marks over their match fitness, two others - Shaun Byrne and Kerr Young were Under 19 squad members and only Steven McDougall and Paddy Boyle were real alternatives.

"The Manager made the point before the game that these opportunities given to people would hopefully galvanise the squad a bit. I think you could tell that we all worked very hard even with one or two players playing only their second game of the season. They have maybe shown the Manager what they can do and it is up to these players and up to everybody who started the game to try and stay in the team as long as they can."

The three points were secure after referee Craig Thomson saw out the four added minutes and for John and his team mates they felt like 20. "Obviously you can see the clock and the referee has said that there are four minutes to go and it seemed like forever.

"Hibs were putting pressure on us and we just had to stand strong. We had a lot of people putting their bodies on the line, limping through the last five or ten minutes but Martin Hardie getting on the pitch for us was great for us. His experience managed to see the clock out a bit.

"The substitutes worked for us and broke play up a bit. Martin won a couple of headers and free kicks which is important for defenders because if you can get the ball up the other end of the pitch it is easier to defend from there. The guys in front of us all worked very hard."