If ‘wake-up calls’ are needed for Dunfermline then it is perhaps better they come in the second game of the new season than further down the line.
And that is exactly what Aaron Comrie hopes the Pars take from Tuesday night’s shock defeat to Forfar Athletic.
The Fifers stumbled through a ‘poor’ display that Comrie admits was simply not good enough.
Goals in either half from Russell McLean and Mark Whatley earned the Loons a well-deserved victory and saw the Fifers booed off in their first home match of the new competitive campaign.
“It was flat,” admitted Comrie. “Forfar came and they made it difficult, and they scored two goals that are really poor on our behalf.
“But we didn’t get any of that spark, or get the fans onside either.
“We didn’t force them to make mistakes, or their goalie into making any real saves, so there’s a lot to work on.
“It’s a wake-up call. I think the manager said to us on Saturday that Saturday wasn’t great either.
“We scored three good goals [against The Spartans]. But, in terms of our play, some of it was good, and some of it was poor. We knew about that.
Comrie: ‘A reaction’
“On Saturday, it’s just going to need to be better.”
Saturday sees James McPake’s side travel to face Livingston, who saw off Forfar 2-0 in their only Premier Sports Cup game so far.
It becomes a must-win if Dunfermline are to have any chance of progressing from the group.
“[Tuesday] is one we need to reflect on and get a reaction on Saturday,” added Comrie. “It was poor, but we’ve still got an opportunity to get out the group.
“We know we need to win the next two games, but we know it’s going to need to be a lot better.
“It’s going to be tough. If we turn up on Saturday like we did [against Forfar], they’ll blow us away.
“As I say, we’re looking for a reaction.”
McPake was deeply critical of his side after holding a dressing-room inquest for around 45 minutes after full-time on Tuesday.
And the Pars boss singled out his more senior players for ‘letting the younger ones down’.
“I’ll take that one on the chin,” said 27-year-old Comrie. “That’s not on the young boys.”
