We were not up to Pars, Aird admits

Late goalscorer candid in his admission, but Fife side say win was merited

DUNDEE UNITED 2 DUNFERMLINE 3

Dundee United’s Fraser Aird candidly admits the result and performance on Saturday against Dunfermline just was not good enough – and refused to use the excuse that manager Csaba Laszlo’s new-look team still needs time to gel.

The 23-year-old was disappointed to only be selected on the bench against his former side but came on at half-time with the Tangerines one goal in front.

However, although Aird impressed, the Pars dominated the second 45, scoring three goals without reply until he popped up with a late second.

Now, Aird admits the United players need to assess what went wrong and try to put things right at Queen of the South this weekend.

He said: “We’re disappointed – the first game of the season, at home, we wanted to get off to a good start.

“We know we can play better than that. Giving away three goals in the second half just wasn’t good enough.

“But we can’t do anything about it now. We just need to look at it, train hard again during the week and prepare for a tough game away at Queens.

“I don’t think we played particularly well in the first half and neither did they.

“But we took a 1-0 lead in at half time and we were thinking defend well and maybe nick another goal on the counterattack, or whatever.

“They were obviously going to come into the game, but to give away three goals in the second half just wasn’t good enough.”

When asked if United still needed time to gel, Aird replied: “We’ve used that as an excuse too many times.

“We’ve been together for almost two months now.

“We had good spells and we had bad spells, but at home we need to dominate the game more, take our chances when we get them and put the game to bed when we go 1-0 up.”

The first 45 was certainly not a thing of footballing beauty with both keepers virtual spectators and chances few and far between.

It seemed certain the half would end goalless before Nicky Clark scored in the 44th minute after an almighty scramble in the Dunfermline box.

The Pars had a chance shortly after the restart when Myles Hippolyte almost caught out United keeper Matej Rakovan with an audacious attempt from just inside the home half, with the keeper happy to tip the ball over his bar.

However, Rakovan was picking the ball out of the back of his net in the 59th minute. On-loan Dundee striker Faissal El Bakhtaoui teed up Joe Thomson on the edge of the United box and he took his time before drilling a low shot past the keeper.

Allan Johnston’s side then stormed into the lead eight minutes later when Jackson Longridge sent a diving header past Rakovan.

United tried to respond and had successive chances but Clark’s shot was saved and Frederic Frans sent a header just wide.

Dunfermline seemed to have finally put the game to bed in the 84th minute with a fine finish by Louis Longridge.

Five minutes later, though, there was a glimmer of hope for United when they made it 3-2 after Aird rocketed a longrange free-kick past Lee Robinson in the Pars goal.

However, Dunfermline saw out the game to take all three points.

Jackson Longridge admitted he felt his side were deserved winners.

He said: “We prepared well for the game and we worked on a different formation in training as well.

“We tried to get to grips with it in the first half but the gaffer changed it in the second half to the normal formation we have been working on in pre-season.

“It is always good to get off to winning ways and get the momentum going.

“I really enjoyed playing in the game. I felt we dominated most of the match.

“I don’t think they had too many chances in the first half.

“At their goal it just kind of ricocheted around but it was me who gave the freekick away and it was my man who scored which wasn’t too good.

“But I managed to get a goal to give us a 2-1 lead so I kind of redeemed myself and I was happy with that.

“I just gambled and it came to me. The gaffer and Sandy (Clark) tell me to get forward as much as I can.

“So I just headed it and thankfully it went in.

“Everything went to plan and we ended up getting the result in the end.”

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To give away three goals in the second half just wasn’t good enough.

FRASER AIRD