Morale intact despite loss, says McIntyre

Jim McIntyre has admitted he was relieved to see his side avoid a confidence-sapping heavy defeat by Celtic as Dunfermline continue their fight to avoid relegation from the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

The Pars headed for Parkhead on Wednesday to face a Celtic team bang on form after their 5-0 hammering of the Fifers’ main rivals for the drop, Hibernian, at the weekend.

McIntyre’s men have managed only two wins since August but remain just five goals worse off than Hibs, on the same points at the foot of the table, after restricting Celtic to a 2-0 win.

And, with the battle with the Easter Road side looking set to go to the wire, McIntyre has confessed he was eager to ensure his players did not have their morale dented against the champions in waiting.

The Dunfermline manager, whose team face St Johnstone in Perth tomorrow, said: “Celtic are playing such free-flowing stuff just now and they are so full of confidence that going there with an open set-up would have been damaging for us.

“I felt, especially given we had a few players out injured, we should pack the midfield and make it difficult for them. For large parts it worked.

“We were a wee bit disappointed when we got our half-chances. We should have done better with them because there were occasions when it was on.

“But the morale’s fine. When you lose heavily it does affect confidence, there’s no doubt, and at this time of the season that’s the last thing you want, especially given the improvement in recent performances.”