Managers Post Dumbarton

23/03/13: JJ - "Every mistake we make is getting punished. Whether that is as a result of the off field things that's for people to debate.

Jim Jefferies felt that the first home defeat by Dumbarton for more than 26 years was a hard one to take.

"We have gone out there and played really well in the first half. We dominated apart from the occasional break away from Dumbarton ; they were so much under the cosh but our final ball was poor.

"At half time the players agreed that if we could get ourselves into good positions the important thing was to get the goal. We were in front and we said that if we could get another one quickly we could go on and win it more comfortably.

"We did that but we got no time to enjoy 2-0, they got it back to 2-1 with a bad bad goal to lose. Then got 3-1 up but lost the game because we didn't do the right things at the right time. We didn't show enough will and determination to prevent the goals like we should have.

"We gave them the lift at the right time and probably thought when they got it back to 3-3 that they could go on and win it. Again when we were up the pitch, well in control with plenty people forward, plenty people to play to we chose the wrong option and then we got punished at the other end.

"That was always going to happen today because I felt in the second half that defensively we gifted them goals. We were short with a pass back at one time , the first goal they got should have been defended better. You might say that there was not much you could do about it because it was a great strike but I'm afraid we had two players very close to the player that shot. They should have done better to make sure that he didn't get a clean hit of the ball. That is why we were punished."

The off the park going ons are a concern and the effect that it might be having on the players, Jefferies continued:-

"If their heart is not in it there are reasons, you can understand why. Yesterday we were talking about maybe not being there in a few days time. That might affect them subconsciously but they made bad mistakes today. That's how it is going for us, every mistake we make is getting punished. Whether that is as a result of the off field things that's for people to debate.

"We did enough in the first half to be comfortably in front and in the second half we got ourselves comfortably in front but we blue it. It was as simple as that. We blue it because we didn't do the right things. We allowed goals to happen far too easily.

"Dumbarton looked beat at 2-0 and certainly 3-1 but they took their chances when they came along but they were ably assisted by some shoddy defending and bad play by some of us. We have only ourselves to blame. Off field things might have been a contributing factor"

The gaffer was unsure what will happen next but he will prepare for Wednesday night's league game regardless.

"It all depends on whether or not the bills are paid and meet the deadline. The players and myself are just kept up to date, we are told that things are not good but there is always hope while we have the time.

"Until that time comes we are just going to live in hope that things are resolved and that this Club can move forward. It is in danger of having to start again in a lower division. We hope that is not the case; administration is better than liquidation and if that happens you have always got the chance of saving the Club.

"The powers that be or whoever comes in will decide what's going to happen. To be honest I do not know what stage we are at. One minute it is positive but the next it is negative. It has been like that for three or four weeks now since Gavin decided to move on and the Steering Group has been in charge.

"Jim and some of the team have been working really hard to do that. All have their own businesses but have given up their time to try and keep the Club. That is the group that is trying hardest to keep the a club afloat. If they are saying that then it doesn't look good. From the football side we do not know what will be the final outcome."

Dumbarton manager Ian Murray felt that he was fortunate in not being offered a contract at Dunfermline after joining Dunfermline for per season training:-

"I trained with them for seven or eight weeks and look back now and it looks like I probably dodged a bullet. I can take some comfort out of that if there is anything to be had. They are a good bunch of guys and if things hadn't happened off the park they would be up there challenging. For me they were the best squad in the First Division.

"At 3-1 down away from home against a team who are above you in the league, you know that it is going to be very difficult.

"We were just out to look after ourselves for 90 minutes. I said to the players after the game that the next few days would be all about the woes that Dunfermline face. They are a great bunch of players. They are a town that has only got one club , it is a lot of people"s hobby on a Saturday afternoon but to take way a club from people that has supported it for years is really tough.

"The goals were all decent. The first finish from them was decent, our second, third and fourth were all very good goals. You have to give credit to both sets of players to play in the circumstances. We tried to get it into our players all week to look after ourselves.

"It is disappointing to see a club in such a state and we hope that they can pull through, not just for the sake of Dunfermline but also for the sake of everyone else. It doesn't look great at the moment with our national team getting beat at home and a team in our second tier looking at being the second team in two years to fall down to the Third Division."