Not our day fears Ashcroft
Sunday, 23rd Oct 2016"It was just instinct to try and stop the goal ... I turned it into my own net
Since Lee Ashcroft had a clear view of all the goals in Dunfermline`s 3-1 defeat to Hibs, he was the obvious player to talk to after the match. He told the local media:-
"In the first half we were good and at half time we were on a high but when you come out and lose an early goal it is a bit of a dampener. It went into a lot of the team`s head. When you lose that goal you think `oh no` and fear the worst. I have to hold my hands up because giving away the penalty was my fault. That killed the team as well.
"Hibs are favourites to win the league and we more than matched them in that first half. When things like that happen in the second half you are going to get punished. We know ourselves that we are more than capable of matching the other teams in the league because we have played them all.
"We need to get our finger out now and start picking up points. We play Dumbarton next week and we have already beaten them this season. Hopefully that can start a run for us, I think we are due one."
Lee agreed with his manager`s views that Dunfermline are losing soft and silly goals, he continued:-
"At the first goal we gave possession away in a silly area and got punished for it. I heard the shot was going wide but it was just instinct to try and stop the goal and when I turned it into my own net you think `is it going to be our day`?
"I need to hold up my hands for the second goal. I don`t think I was in the right position to be honest, caught in two minds as to what to do and I made the wrong decision. I will keep my head up and try it make it right next week by taking three points away."
Lee had a good view of the incident that earned Dunfermline a penalty midway through the second half. He said:-
"I was involved, there was a lot of stuff going on and we were all close together when Geggs got pushed over. At first I thought he had blown for the free kick but I saw him pointing to the spot. That was a boost for us getting the goal and going in ahead at half time.
"It is a game of two halves. We did well in the first half but in the second half, after losing that early goal, the heads dropped and things went against us from there.
"Hibs possibly got a serious talking to at half time, coming here and going in 1-0 down. But we more than deserved our lead and we knew that they would come out and fly out of the traps. We started the second half not too bad but is was unfortunate that we lost the first goal.
"We need to get the finger out for the fans, get some wins for them and start climbing up that table."
Many of the problems created by Hibs emanated from their five man midfield, Lee commented:-
"They played three at the back and we had worked on that in midweek. You need to deal with it on the the park, the gaffer can only shout from the sidelines.
"In the first half we were brilliant, every one was winning their battle but losing the goal dropped the heads. We are letting the fans down. We can`t keep saying that we are going to go and get results, we need to start doing it next Saturday."
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