Positives for Pars boss from hard-fought draw

Johnston says side improving with every game

DUNFERMLINE 0 MOTHERWELL 0

Dunfermline manager Allan Johnston felt it was a worthwhile workout as his team completed their home pre-season preparations with a scoreless draw against Motherwell at East End Park.

It has not been a rip-roaring build-up for the Pars but Johnston feels they are ready for the League Cup campaign that starts next week.

He said: “It was a hard-fought game. Especially in the first half there wasn’t much football.

“The second half, I thought we settled in, contained them well and passed the ball better and created the best chance of the game that we should have scored from.

“As the game went on I thought we improved and I thought there were some good individual performances. So there were positives and it’s another step forward to the competitive games.

“The boys are improving. I thought it was Danny Devine and Mark Durnan’s best games for us. It’s good to see them improving game by game.

“Obviously we need to start scoring goals as well but hopefully bringing in players like Faz (Faissal El Bakhtaoui), that will help us.

“Everybody knows he is a top player, great work ethic, great skill. I’m sure he will fit straight back in”

Johnston would have done well to remember anything from a nondescript first half in which the only shot on target was a tame 20-yard effort by Motherwell’s Andrew Rose that home keeper Lee Robinson saved easily.

The second half was at least a sprightlier affair with both teams upping the tempo and some surprisingly hard challenges for a friendly encounter.

Again it was the Premiership side with the majority of the play, but the Pars backline held them in check well.

One mis-step was to come from Mark Durnan, whose sliced clearance left Curtis Main heading through on goal.

However, a lack of pace meant the Well striker had to pull the trigger from outside the box and his shot did not trouble Robinson.

The Pars had the best chance of the game 10 minutes later. Tremendous work down the left by Jackson Longridge saw him get to the byline, cutting the ball back for a trialist, but the marksman could only hit his shot into the body of Well keeper Mark Gillespie.

The game petered out a little after that, with numerous subs being made and no chances of note.

Both managers will no doubt look for more when the competitive fixtures start next week.