Dunfermline’s 11-match unbeaten run came to an end on Tuesday night at Dens Park in the SPFL Trust Trophy.
Dundee’s 4-2 win was the Pars’ first defeat since October and just their third defeat of the season when penalty shootouts are discounted.
Montrose and Ross County are the only other teams to beat James McPake’s side over 90 minutes this season.
It came days after a penalty-shootout defeat to Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup.
Courier Sport got the view of Pars TV’s Jordan Burt ahead of Dunfermline’s return to league duty at Clyde this weekend.
Encouraging
We are all gutted with the last two results, but we should not be disheartened, despite the back-to-back Cup exits against Partick Thistle and Dundee.
Both performances – within a few days of each other – were encouraging against two sides high up in the SPFL cinch Championship.
It was two displays where you couldn’t fault the players and you couldn’t fault their effort.
If there was one thing lacking, it was maybe the ability to put the ball in the net when it mattered.
Against Partick Thistle, we controlled a lot of the game and we missed some great chances to win in normal time and extra-time.
On Tuesday evening we had a lot of good chances but we only had periods of pressure; they came in flashes, certain periods in the game – such as the opening quarter of the contest against Dundee.
Dundee were good on the front foot and caused us problems defensively.
We can even look at these negatives as positives – if you are winning in League One most weeks, you’re not going to get these types of lessons.
Plenty of teams will lose a few goals at the Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park between now and the end of the season – if the games are played.
At times on Tuesday the players weren’t sure whether or not to get out their wedges.
Impressive run
I don’t think the players will be nor should be disheartened after these two cup matches.
They are more than capable at League One level, so competing with teams of a higher standard at present can only be a good thing.
We were also missing our three cup-tied loanees, all creative players in the attacking sections of the pitch.
They will be back for this weekend’s trip to play Clyde, leaving us with a full squad other than Paul Allan, and it is important we get the momentum going again.
That’s three defeats across 29 matches in all competitions this season – that’s fairly impressive no matter what level of the game you are at.
If you offered that at the start of the season, we’d have bitten your hand off, I am sure.
And another thing…
Following Sam Fisher’s recall to Dundee Sam Young came in for just his second start after playing against Celtic B in an earlier round.
At just 17 years old the defender did enough to make Dunfermline fans think that we at least have someone who won’t look fazed if he is required to step in between now and the end of the season.
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