ALEX SMITH'S DUNFERMLINE MATCH COMMENTS

Some disappointment with the result, delight with the return to form of Stephen McConalogue and acknowledgment of Paul Gallacher's ability to learn from his mistakes were three of the points made by Manager Alex Smith after yesterday's 1-1 draw with Dunfermline at East End Park. "We almost won the game. I thought we started very, very well and made three or four chances in the first twenty minutes. But we didn't take any of them and against Dunfermline here, if you do that, they are always liable to get into the game and cause you problems, which they did." "When they went in front I thought it was going to be one of those games where we are going to get punished for not taking our early chances but we came back again and Stephen McConalogue scored a tremendous goal and almost scored the winner" "I'm slightly disappointed we didn't win today and that's not taking anything away from Dunfermline. It would have been a nice one for us to win to get a foot-hold in the top six. The fact that we've drawn the game is some kind of consolation but we lost three points to Dunfermline a fortnight ago and I was wanting them back from these two Jimmies!" The Manager described his pleasure in seeing Stephen McConalogue making such an important contribution to the proceedings. "He's a clever player, McConalogue, a different style from Steven Thompson and Jim Hamilton. He moves about very well and he is a good finisher. We thought we had lost him. He was such an exceptional talent as a youth player, and when he came into the first team he did very well, but last season he had a virus of some kind which set him back terribly. Then he had an injury, so last season was a kind of right-off for him and I thought we had lost him but we've coaxed him back into it." "I'm really pleased for the boy because he's a talent. After he scored the goalkeeper made a very good save from him which would have been great reward for the boy if he had scored because lately he's been working very hard. He looks as if he's enjoying his football again, he's enjoying it at training and for a long time it looked as if it was all a bit of a chore for him." Alex Smith reminded everyone that he has a young team, and one which is still gaining experience. "Paul Gallacher made a tremendous save from Lee Bullen and it showed he had learned from the game against Dunfermline two weeks ago when Crawford scored. Then he rushed out at Crawford and made it easy for Crawford to score. Today he came then went back again and put the onus on the striker and made a very good save having bought himself a bit of time."