Managers Post Cowdenbeath

02/04/11: Jimmy Nicholl - ""It was a scrappy goal, a scrappy game and a scrappy affair for ninety minutes."

Jim McIntyre felt that on the back of three good results Cowdenbeath were really up for the visit of the league leaders:-

"We had to match it and we did. It is impossible to play football on their pitch, it's impossible. So we had to get the ball forward which doesn't really suit our game but we got there in the end. There were great battling qualities from the players, I was really pleased.

"We ground out a result and that's what you need to do at this stage in the season. We just have to worry about ourselves; I am really pleased especially after the good result on Tuesday night."

The Manager had praise for Liam Buchanan even after missing a good chance:-

"The wee man didn't rest all day. What we got was loads of character; he kept going, kept fighting and eventually he did brilliantly well to rob the boy and put it away with aplomb."

Cowdenbeath Manager Jimmy Nicholl agreed that the pitch made the match difficult:-

"It was a scrappy goal, a scrappy game and a scrappy affair for ninety minutes.

"It was just an effort to try and win the game. There was nothing enjoyable; we have players who like to get the ball down and play as we proved in the second half against Raith, as we proved at Dundee but when the pitch is like that you have to change your game. Too often when our boys were defending at the back we win it and we try the same every time - the long ball to Archie (Campbell). Then it was coming straight back at us.

"There wasn't enough threat to their goalkeeper at all. Thomas O'Brien was having a good game at centre half but unfortunately we were closed down in the centre of the park, Stevie Crawford. Buchanan comes alive in those situations and I just thought Thomas was a little slack but that's being a wee bit unfair. The kid has done well since he has gone in to centre half."

Match Pictures       02/04/11 Match Report: Cowdenbeath 0 Dunfermline 1