Manager on Tuesday

16/07/19: SC - ”There was fluency which is pleasing given so many new arrivals. Sometimes that can take an age and sometimes it doesn`t happen at all.

Stevie Crawford reflected on the opening Betfred Cup match, a 3-2 away win over St Mirren on Sunday:-

”It was an exciting game at the weekend and the pleasing thing was not only three goals but I thought we created other opportunities and that is a credit to the boys because they worked hard over pre season. We caused St Mirren problems.

”I think losing the two goals in the second half when it wasn`t a case of us just trying to sit in because we stayed with the two strikers upfront. We had spoken at half time that the first fifteen minutes would be the vital bit, lo and behold you lose two goals within two minutes just after that period.

”That was the frustrating bit but the bit that I liked and Greg and Jason liked as well, was that we hung in. We battled and not only did we hang in we also looked like we were going to score at the other end where we had a couple of opportunities as well which is pleasing.

”There was fluency which is pleasing given so many new arrivals. Sometimes that can take an age and sometimes it doesn`t happen at all.

”I thought Nisbet’s contribution, albeit he never managed to get very many opportunities himself in front of goal, his awareness and weighted pass. Being brave and going forward was clever, intelligent and then you had other people wanting to run off him. That comes with a trust when you know somebody is on the ball and they are being brave going forward, people will want to run forward as well. It is early days, it is the first game but there were a lot of pleasing signs from it.

”He surprised me when working on the tactical side of the game how much he has got a football brain. I think that is one of the things we can develop in him because I know that he enjoys scoring goals and if we can add that other side to his game.

”He will have come off the park disappointed that he has not scored at the weekend but his contribution to allow others to be positive was really good.

“I thought Stuart Morrison came in and was terrific. He has all the attributes as a centre half but he can try and improve on his aggressive side. We have spoken about him playing in that sitting midfield rile but the opportunity came for him to play at the weekend and he did not look fazed by it. It is just trying to get him perform more consistently at that level as a centre back.

”That added to the new boys coming in, it was just a good day at the office and one that we will try and replicate before the group states are over.

”Stuart’s cheek had a fair bit of swelling. He is managing to talk but it couldn`t have been that sore because he was still stuffing a pizza in his face after the game on Sunday. He is a big boy who can eat more than most but it certainly did not put him off his appetite!”

Albion Rovers are next opponents with a 7.45pm kick off at East End Park. With the St Mirren v Dunfermline match moved back a day for live coverage on BT Sport, Stevie Crawford and his assistant watched the other cup tie in Group H on Saturday, he commented:-

”Myself and Jason took in the Albion Rovers game against East Kilbride at the weekend. They probably edged it, there wasn`t much in the first half but in the second half the East Kilbride goalie kept them in the game but they scored a good goal from a set play.

”They will come thinking that they have a chance on the back of a victory at the weekend, so we will have to try and make sure we get the energy levels to make sure that we give them a game.”

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