“It’s good to get the three goals as well as the three points.”

 

Today’s Game

“To score three goals against a team like Kilmarnock who are normally very difficult to breach – they are a good side and have a good thing going – it is never easy against them.
“We go with a front two today.

“We had to try and impose ourselves on them. We had to take advantage of Kilmarnock’s challenges of not having any natural centre backs. They have got injury and suspensions and we had to try and impose ourselves there.

“At set plays we looked a real threat. In open play every time we got a cross in the box, we looked dangerous. We had the advantage of having two strikers in the final third.

“When you go with two strikers you don’t get that element of control and I thought that Kilmarnock showed how good a side they are.

“When we didn’t have the ball in the first half, they had far too much possession for my liking and they had a few shots. Joe makes a good save with his face. That was maybe a pivotal moment.

“I don’t think anyone could deny that we were the better team today. We hit the post; we should have had a penalty with Cosgrove in the second half after he gets wiped out in the bottom corner. It was good to get the third goal to add a bit of polish to the result.

“It’s good to get the three goals as well as the three points.

“Kilmarnock don’t lose too many and I am pleased we have managed to get that type of score line against them.”

Curtis Main

“Curtis will do well.

“The difficulty we have is Cosgrove has come off the back of such an unbelievable season and started this season in the same form.

“We normally go 4-3-3 and it is difficult to get the two of them on the pitch at the same time.

“Curtis has been working away and waiting for his opportunity. He got his opportunity against Hibs and I thought he played well in the game until he got sent off.

“He has then got to sit and kick his heels for a two-game suspension, but he is bursting to do well.

“He is loving living in the area and he just wants to be a key player for us.

“There will be certain games where we can go with a front two and today was a game, we thought it was worth the risk.

“I spoke to Curtis in the dressing room after the game at Hamilton and I told him my thinking was going 4-4-2 with two strikers and to get himself ready for today.

“With Bryson’s injury being confirmed yesterday and not wanting to take the risk, it allowed us to go 4-4-2. Even if Bryson had been fit, I would have tried to find a way to get the two of them on the pitch.

“It is good that we know that we have that combination of striker play if required in certain games.”

Injury Update

“Sam is okay. He just felt that his groin was a bit tight.

“We were just debating as a staff which striker to take off. We were trying to go 4-4-2 when Dicker goes into midfield.

“That combination in midfield of Dicker and Power needed to be contained and we wanted to go with an extra midfielder in there.

“He probably could have played on, but we decided not to take that risk with his groin being a bit tight.

“Sam will be fine for next week as will Bryson, the game just came too quickly for him today.”

Lewis Ferguson

“He had to pick and choose his battles in there with Kilmarnock playing with three midfielders.

“He couldn’t always go and make that contact and get on the ball as much as he usually does.

“You saw his influence a bit more when we went to 4-3-3. He had a good range of passes, his skills and his driving runs. His power in there, his tenacity in there is key for me and key for our team.

“You forget his age at times but he just getting better and better.

“I don’t think we lose the manner in which we did against Celtic if Lewis is in my team.

“He has had two sending’s off now. He does play that bit on the edge because he cares, and he is aggressive. He makes tackles and I want my team to make more tackles.

“We will try and get the balance right in between his work and going away with Scotland U21’s.

“He has played every game for me if he is available. I cannot leave him out and I don’t intend to.”

Cormack Park

“In isolation Cormack Park is a huge step forward for the club.

“It is a brilliant facility for us all to enjoy. We trained there yesterday. It was the first chance the players had got to see it.

“We will train there again next Friday because we have not moved in their full time yet. The academy team will start on Monday.

“The players getting the first sense of it yesterday and enjoying the whole environment is fantastic for the professional part for the club. For the whole region and for the whole development of our players and coaches it is going to be a god send.

“It is what we should have had. We have been way behind other clubs in facilities and it has been well documented.

“Umpteen managers way before me had the same complaint about the lack of training facilities which we now have.

“We now have a facility to be proud of and I couldn’t be more pleased with that.”

The Last Two Victories

“The two results are great. There was a bit of scrutiny on us after Celtic. The players have done extremely well to win both games, with two clean sheets.

“It is just a start for us and hopefully we can go and get the third win in a row against Ross County next week and go into the next international break feeling a bit better about ourselves.”