Dunfermline did what they can in their final Viaplay Cup group-stage fixture.
Goals from Josh Edwards. Craig Wighton and teenage striker Taylor Sutherland gave the Pars a 3-0 win over Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill.
James McPake’s men are now waiting to see if other results go their way to see them through to the next round.
🎥 Watch all the goals from yesterday's 3-0 win over Albion Rovers in the Viaplay Cup.
Full Highlights Later! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/A5sqXDgAPI
— Dunfermline Athletic (@officialdafc) July 25, 2023
The Pars boss said his players weren’t good enough on Tuesday night, despite the win, and wants much better going into the start of the Championship campaign a week on Saturday.
Players needed at DAFC
It’s glaringly obvious that new recruits are required ahead of the league season.
Dunfermline are short in attacking areas, especially after lengthy injuries to Kane Ritchie-Hosler and Matty Todd. Michael O’Halloran was again not risked but will return for the first Championship match versus Airdrie.
James McPake said following the defeat to Kilmarnock last weekend that a new signing was close but there has been nothing announced since.
The club now has 10 days between now and the start of the league season with no game to distract them.
Their transfer activity will almost certainly go on until the end of the window – and beyond when there is more movement on domestic loans.
Can youngsters fill the void for Dunfermline Athletic?
The Pars boss made it clear he was unhappy with his side’s performance on Tuesday.
There was praise, though, for Andrew Tod and Sutherland.
Tod was one of the standouts versus Kilmarnock and the 17-year-old retained his place in the starting XI for Tuesday.
He was again one of the Pars’ best players and was joined on the pitch in the second half by Sutherland, also 17, who netted the third with an excellent finish.
“Andrew has a real enthusiasm to play football, a real enthusiasm to learn,” said McPake.
“He has handled the step-up into first-team football.
“What he has done is put himself in a position where he has now given us food for thought to start.
“He has done that twice and Taylor has been excellent in training.”
Things to work on for Pars men
It is no surprise, then, that there are things to work on.
After the defeat to Kilmarnock, the Pars boss criticised his team for starting matches too slowly.
That wasn’t the issue on Tuesday. Rather, the Pars were sloppy after taking the lead and allowed Rovers several opportunities to get an equaliser.
McPake was also disappointed that Fisher didn’t make his stomach bug known at half-time and instead forced his manager into a quick change after the break.
“I expected us to perform at a consistency and at a level that you get when you wear the Dunfermline strip and for a while in that game we didn’t do that,” said McPake.
“There was a lack of leadership when Sam Fisher had to come off minutes after half-time, instead of putting his hand up at half-time.
“It is wee things like that which have annoyed me tonight.”
