Stuart Kettlewell’s Reaction: Dunfermline Athletic 1-2 Ross County

Initial thoughts as we reach the quarter finals

What a good game. It was a proper cup tie, wasn’t it? There was a spell in that second half just before Dunfermline took control where it was just ebbing and flowing and both teams were having a proper go.

We score at a good time and then I probably felt we had something to protect and just dropped off it a wee bit.

There’s no question that we had to weather a storm and we always knew at some point that was going to come.

We defended our box well and I think we had one moment of luck in the game where they miss a free header inside the box, I think it was Andy Tod.

For us to try and get through a cup game or be successful in any match we’re going to have to show two aspects of our game.

You always talk about the technical tactical side of it - for large spells I thought we were excellent at it but there’s always the other part where we show a bit of spirit and a bit of togetherness.

I’ve spoke long and hard about changing a culture and trying to get us to what I believe a Ross County team should look like and I think more so that bit of personality and bit of character to pick yourself up off the canvas when this place is rocking is probably the most pleasing aspect.

Open game let creative players thrive

The last few games felt different, playing against compact teams inviting a bit of pressure on you when you have to show a bit of patience, but I knew here today that Dunfermline would believe they absolutely could take the game to us - you then start to believe that your creative players are going to be able to operate in the space and show their bit of quality.

All in all I thought everybody who came on the pitch, and everybody who started the game, was kind of the version that we were looking for from the game.

I’m not always getting carried away and starting to see that it was inch-perfect, because it wasn’t. There were spells, especially in the first half, and spells early in the second half where I thought we were pretty close to it.

Creating chances is only a positive

I think overall we totally deserve to win the game, but sometimes that’s not what it looks like through spells of the game. I said it to you last week and I’ll reiterate it again: there’s no disappointment with missing chances. That can happen in a game of football.

I think the biggest thing you’ve got to convince yourself to do, as a player and as a team, is that you’re going to get more opportunities if you keep playing the way that you are.

We’re all disappointed with those missed opportunities. I can see really good opportunities early on, and Brian’s had two, and Jamie’s hit the woodwork. But from our side, the game’s not done at that point.

You know that you’re in charge of the game, you know you’re on top, so you keep playing. I think, again, that’s a mindset for us more than anything else.

I think periods before during last season we felt that if we miss a chance, we concede the goal and the game’s done. It’s never done. It’s never done, but you need to have a unity and a togetherness to eek that out as a group.

I would say that everybody can see that here again today.

Squad and staff unity

There’ll be disappointment for guys that don’t go off the bench today, I get that, but I keep saying this to people: it’s not about one individual. It’s not about me, it’s not about you, it’s not about the goalscorers today, it’s about that team effort.

I think it’s been amazing. We’re a smaller staff, actually. Look at the team line today and look at your numbers and support staff in comparison to Dunfermline. That’s probably symptomatic of where we are, and you know, I’ve seen that more and more. But by all means if we’re together that doesn’t mean we can’t do just as good a job.

When it comes on the pitch, one of the big things is that everybody thinks they’re going to have an impact in the game. You look at Rich, his body language as he comes on the pitch, he wants to have his contribution. Dean Cornelius, Jamie Williamson came on and played their part, showing a togetherness which we certainly saw today.

Delighted for the supporters

Ultimately, we can’t get to be too pleased to come away with one single result. But our supporters have had a tough couple of seasons, and when you come down and you get sort of a big result, and you start to find decent milestones, then I’m especially pleased for them.

I’m pleased for the players as well. You know me, I’m the type of guy that just moves on to the next game myself. That’s not me trying to impress anybody or being noble, that’s just the way my brain works.

But yeah, It’s a nice moment when you start to see the people that made the effort to come and follow us again, to feel good about the football club.

The Draw for the Quarter Finals

I’m going to switch off from it [the draw] tomorrow. What I wanted to do was leave the stadium at full-time being in the next round.

Fiona MacBean our secretary, she’ll be straight on the ball and let us know what the draw brings.

For us, we’ll hopefully approach it, and I’m sure we will approach it, the way we have done everything else so far this season.