The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
‘We need to regroup and go again’ says Hughes after Pars dumped into third tier
Boss on mission to return club to Championship amid fans’ shouts for his sacking
Dunfermline boss John Hughes says he wants to be the man to take the Pars back to the Championship after relegation to League One.
The Fife side suffered a late play-off second-leg defeat at the hands of Queen’s Park, with Simon Murray netting the winner against the 10 men after Efe Ambrose was sent off on 58 minutes.
The loss means the Pars will play next season in the third tier of Scottish football for the first time since 2016.
Chants calling for Hughes’ head echoed round East End Park at full-time.
But Hughes, who was installed as manager in November and is still in contract until next summer, says he wants to help restore the club back to the Championship.
“The first thing I’ll look at is myself,” he said.
“I’ll look at all the things, what have I done right and what have I done wrong? What could we have done better?
“They’re raw, they’re hurting, definitely hurting, and we just need to take the medicine.
“I definitely want the chance to really take this club where it wants to go.
“That’s why I’m saying that no one is bigger than the football club.
“This club is a really good club with really passionate supporters and we’ve let them down, that’s for sure.
“Not just today but this season. So we need to regroup and go again and get them smiling again.
“It’s not going to be easy, I get that.
“I feel for the fans, the club. We need to take our medicine but it’s our job to try and get this club back where it belongs.”
Hughes made one change to his side from that stalemate with Josh Edward, who had played every minute of the Pars’ previous Championship games, dropping out for Lewis Martin.
The Pars were lucky not to find themselves 1-0 down in the opening moments of the game.
Bob Mchugh found himself in acres of space down the left flank and worked a ball into the box with Luca Connell the recipient.
But the forward could only hit his shot straight at Jakub Stolarczyk, who got down well to save.
A big let off for the home side with the Spiders looking the livelier of the sides early on. It took the Pars around 23 minutes to really start threatening the League One side. Ryan Dow flashed a shot across the face of goal after a quick Steven Lawless free-kick.
Dow went close again a minute later when his shot from distance had keeper Calum Ferrie stretching but his effort went over.
Moments later it was
Liam Polworth who saw an effort go high and wide. The midfielder pickpocketed defender Charlie Fox on the byline before cutting back into the box, but his effort never troubled Ferrie.
Dunfermline continued to pile on the pressure and Efe Ambrose was the next one to go agonisingly close. The defender saw his effort from Graham Dorran’s corner cleared off the line by the feet of the keeper. Despite their 14 efforts on goal and lions’ share of possession, the Pars went into the half still searching for their opener.
Queen’s Park started the second half with their tails up and looked to take the game to the hosts, winning a couple of fouls in Dunfermline’s half.
The Spiders looked even more confident on 58 minutes when the Pars were reduced to 10 men.
A poor pass backwards from Polworth allowed substitute Simon Murray to burst past Ambrose. The defender slid for the ball but caught the forward who was through on goal, leaving referee Craig Napier no option but to brandish the red card.
The Pars looked nervy but were just inches away from opening the scoring on 70 minutes. Coll Donaldson watched on as his header from a Lawless free-kick went inches over the crossbar.
Queen’s man advantage began to show with Dunfermline unable to losing out in the midfield battles.
Murray continued to trouble the Pars and was so close to giving his side the lead on 80 minutes, when
his looping header went incshes wide.
The Spiders were unlucky again on 85 minutes when Connell’s fierce volley from the edge of the box flashed over the bar.
The 10 men looked to be holding on for extra time but were dealt a hammer blow as Murray pounced in the six-yard box to give the visitors the lead.
Dunfermline fans headed for the exit as the away end went wild.
Late efforts from Lawless and Donaldson weren’t enough and the Fifers were condemned to League One for the first time since 2016.