Manager on Friday

29/07/11: JM - "We are not going to be flying yet. It takes a few games to get into your stride and we will definitely be looking to improve things from Monday there."

 Jim McIntyre is pleased to have the Scottish Communities Cup match to play this weekend:-

"With the Celtic game being postponed I see this as an ideal opportunity to have another competitive game under our belts. The SPL game was postponed well in advance and we would have been idle this weekend so it works out perfectly that we have a game"

Matches to keep his squad sharp are imperative and a 'bounce' game was played against Hamilton on Tuesday.

"We need to keep the players ticking over. Until there is a reserve league we will continue to arrange these. few clubs were canvassed for opinions on a reserve league but although we voted for it there weren't enough votes for it.

"There is too big a gap from the Under 19s to the first team. You struggle to play players born after 1992, they might not be ready for the first team but they could do with a reserve game. The only way you can do that is have 'bounce' games. The younger players learn quicker playing reserve football because they are playing against better players. Last season we played against Celtic, Rangers and Hearts - they were playing against first team players and that can only benefit them."

Attention will be paid to the trip to Galabank where Annan Athletic will be hoping to spring their first major cup upset.. Dunfermline will be the first club from the SPL to play the Dumfries-shire club:-

"Any time a team faces a team from the lower league in the cup, they are expected to win, We are well aware of that and we need to approach it in the right manner and we will do.

"Annan got to the play-off final last year and they have a bit of experience there as well with boys who have played at a higher level. They are are a big side, physically strong which you need to be. But they also have players with ability so we can expect a difficult game. We have good players and will be expected to win, we will be approaching the game in the right manner."

The Manager and players know that their play on Monday night leaves scope for improvement and Macca warned not to expect things to be up to speed right from the start:-

"We were disappointed with the first half and the players are honest enough to know that they never hit the heights. We improved that after the break but we are at the start of the season, we are not going to be flying yet. It takes a few games to get into your stride and we will definitely be looking to improve things from Monday there."