Dunfermline boss Jim Jefferies insists the Pars have been buoyed by an impressive midweek showing against Falkirk despite succumbing to defeat against their fierce rivals.
The Fifers dominated the first period against Peter Houston’s side, but familiar failings came back to haunt them, with Michael Moffat and Jonathan Page both missing gilt-edged opportunities to break the deadlock.
They paid a heavy premium for their wastefulness as Tom Taiwo’s first-ever career brace secured a 2-1 win for the Bairns and Petrofac Training Cup progress.
It was an evening which mirrored Dunfermline’s league form so far, with Jefferies’ side yet to register a goal in League 1 despite creating a liberal amount of chances for the likes of Moffat, Faissal El Bakhtaoui and Ryan Wallace.
However, Jefferies is remaining circumspect regarding their tally of one point from two matches ahead of hosting bottom-of-the-league Airdrie today and says he was hugely heartened by the midweek showing at East End Park.
He said: “I thought we were excellent against Falkirk, and I think Peter (Houston) has already acknowledged that we are well on top. It’s a game that we will take a lot more positives than negatives from, that’s for sure.
“We have not taken our chances and have been punished, as seems to have been the case lately. When we are on top, as we definitely were against Falkirk, we need to take our chances.
“I can’t fault the players for any aspect of their display. The energy is there, the performance is there they are just struggling to put the ball in the net at the moment.
“The team is playing well. I would be a lot more worried if my team was not playing well, but that certainly isn’t the case.”
Moffat’s miss in midweek, skewing a header wide from six yards, was particularly surprising from a man who netted 27 goals for Ayr in this division last season.
However, Jefferies believes the 30-year-old and his team in general will soon find their range and has urged fans to wait until the first round of fixtures have been completed before taking any notice of the league table.
He continued: “I watch these guys in training every day and I see some unbelievable finishing.
“You look at someone like Michael Moffat nearly 30 goals last season and he would be the man I wanted a chance to fall to in midweek because he is a natural finisher. It didn’t happen, but it’s not the end of the world for him.
“It’s not just Michael. In the last third in general, having played some nice stuff, we just need to be more clinical, and I’m sure that will come.”
Jefferies confirmed that Gregor Buchanan should be fit to face his former side, Airdrie, having been part of a close-season exodus from New Broomfield.