what the manager said

“Any semi-final defeat is extremely disappointing.

“We came here to win. We felt we would have to play very well to win and I don’t think we at any point had control of the game. We made a good start and scored a good goal, a very well worked goal and for ten minutes after that we had an assurance about us but St Johnstone responded well and finished the first half the better team.

“I need to congratulate St Johnstone. They had the determination to make it their day today. There was not a lot in it but they were clinical enough to get the win.

“A lot has been said about the last semi-final and how clinical we were – that was not the case today. We had some very good chances in the second half; Barry Robson’s header. Peter Pawlett’s chance when we broke, Niall McGinn’s header at the back post. We had chances to get the second goal and we did not take them.

I have no complaints. St Johnstone worked extremely hard to get that result today.

“I cannot criticise the players. They have been absolutely fantastic for me and I hope the disappointment of today will help us going forward.

“It is a sore one. We have to make sure we are good enough so we can get the opportunities to come back and play in big cup games like this.”

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