Reaction

Danny Lennon and his players can be disappointed not to take anything from this game, it is a travesty they lost, but the bottom line is they need to be more clinical. In this league the first goal is so important, we played some very good football but again can look back on chances we had, bid didn’t put away – Michael Duffy was excellent, Michael Chopra could have put us ahead on two separate occasions but could the team could not capitalise when on top. Losing, what was to be the winning goal, a minute after both teams made a double substitution. Even after losing a late goal, substitute Eddie Ferns might have given us at least a deserved draw but his final shot was straight at Raith keeper Cuthbert. A sore result to take on the day.

danny lennon after raith rovers game

The positives are I would take that level of performance every single week, the commitment, determination and attitude of the players, desire right throughout the game. I thought a lot of spells we played some very good football and created some good opportunities and we have to be more clinical to finish them off – there is a little bit error in the middle of the park you still have to go a long way but when you are right up in the top of the league the more breaks that you get it falls into the box for you and these are the very fine margins that we are up against. As I said if we get that little of consistency – what I am pleased about that from the break there last week we have put in workman like performances like that and if we continue to do that we will give ourselves every opportunity to keep ourselves in the game and gain very valuable points in a very competitive league. I thought Michael Duffy was great and he had been on international duty in Northern Ireland and we were touch and go whether we have him today and I thought he had a lot of energy and was exceptional against Falkirk the other week – what we are enc ouraging and challenging these players to do is to play at that level of performance on a regular basis. There were two fantastic saves from their goal keeper today and Michael will be disappointed but I am taking heart in the way that we are taking opportunities into the box – just for me his first header he done everything right – the second one and I don’t know if this played on his mind when first coming in it was a terrific run from Michael Doyle and I thought there was enough pace in the ball to directly header – he tried to make doubly sure of it and as good teams at the top of the league have and the fighting spirit that Raith Rovers showed he was in the line and blocked it terrifically well. I take more positives out of today than I have in a long time. You know that we have really committed players – I felt today that they deserved more out of the game but to come and it showed that we are a good side and my only challenge now is to show those strengths on a regular basis and if we do that we will give ourselves a good fighting opportunity. It was great to see Michael Doyle coming back with enthusiasm a lot of good individual performances, delighted with the back four and with the goal keeper. I thought Kyle McAusland did everything we asked him to do today in terms of nullifying the Raith attack. Graeme Holmes in the middle of the park was great. The two up top Michael Duffy and Colin Hamilton showed good quality. A lot of good players this season. We had to change one or two things. Connor McManus had a virus this week so he was missing, Dougie Hill also was injured but I think Mikk Reintham and Jason Marr were very good this week.