Manager Post Cowdenbeath

19/03/16: AJ - "It was great to get the three points again, it is a tough place to come and hopefully it is another step closer to promotion.

Taking three points from a tough match against Cowdenbeath on a tricky playing surface was just what Allan Johnston was looking for. The result coupled with wins for Forfar Athletic over Ayr United and Brechin City over Albion Rovers sent Cowdenbeath to the bottom of League One. That is a deep disappointment for the Cowdenbeath manager Colin Nish since he felt that his team had put in a good performance against the league leaders. Allan Johnston told the media:-

"You can see how they were fighting for their lives and to be fair to Cowdenbeath, they played really well in the first half but in the second half I felt that we were by far the better team. The goal was coming, it was only a matter of time but it took a wee bit of fortune for us to get the goal.

"It was great to get the three points again, it is a tough place to come and hopefully it is another step closer to promotion. We are going in the right direction, it just shows you the character and the spirit that the boys have got to come here (and win).

"The pitch was not great, it is hard to play football on it but we were much better in the second half and deserved to get the win. We looked a threat going forward in the second half. First half we weren't good enough but it is hard when teams play like that - sitting in. I thought Spence was really dangerous on the counter attack with his pace and his movement. He caused us a couple of problems in the first half but second half we were much better."

With it standing at 0-0 the Pars manager was sent to the stand eleven minutes from time, he explained:-

"It looked like a push on Brad (McKay). I have seen it again, the boy has got his two arms round Brad from behind. All I asked of the linesman was 'did you actually see it?' That is all I asked but I think I got sent off for being out of the technical area, I don't know."

By the end of the game Cowdenbeath manager Colin Nish and Assistant Jason Dair were all watching the game from the stand alongside Allan Johnston. The Pars manager would only talk for himself.

"Obviously it is frustrating getting sent off - disappointing but that is part and parcel of football hopefully it gets overturned."

Allan Johnston had only just made his final substitution introducing Rhys McCabe for Josh Falkingham. A free kick just two minutes after Allan had been sent to the stand sent the large travelling support ecstatic when the subs' setpiece hit the net with a help of a deflection off the defensive wall completely removing any possibility of Grant Adam, the Cowdenbeath goalkeeper stopping the shot. The Pars gaffer had found a seat in the stand in time to watch the match winning goal go in.

"I saw it, it wasn't the best of views to be honest but it was good to see Rhys coming on and making an impact by getting a goal. It just shows you that we have goals all over the team."

The Cowdenbeath match was fairly similar to the previous week's Somerset Park win. Was being able to take maximum points from both perhaps a mark of champions?

"Well I think so. It is not an easy place to come. The conditions and the surroundings are difficult. We took a massive support today and it was great to get a result for them. Thankfully they will go back happy.

"It is not only about getting over the line, we want to take momentum into next year as well. We want to keep winning games, the last thing we are going to do is relax. We have to make sure that we keep on getting wins and take that into the following season."