Crighton - 'I'm very frustrated, we have to take our chances'
HEAD COACH Sean Crighton has challenged his Queen’s Park forwards to match the standards set by their defensive team-mates.
After a blank on Saturday – the third scoreless draw of the season – the head coach cut a frustrated figure when speaking to the national media.
With another city Stadium clash with Ayr to come this week he pledged the first-team squad would be hard at work rectifying their profligacy at Lochinch in the hope the volume of chances being created can be converted into goals.
He said: “It’s things we have been battering into the guys for weeks now because I think on the defensive side of the game we’ve actually been quite good and solid and, apart from last week, we haven’t looked like we were going to concede.
“Ultimately that’s where football games are lost and at the other end is where you can win them. I’ve been banging on about it a lot – I want to make sure we get our first league win at home.
“We had really good chances [against Airdrie]. We haven’t had any problem getting to that area of the pitch, but it’s about picking the right pass or cross or right weight of pass or right shot.
“You can make so many chances, and we’ve had many games this season, games here [at The city Stadium] where we’ve played well – at times really well – against St Johnstone, Arbroath, Morton yet we’ve not taken our chances.
“We’ll keep working on it on the training pitch. It is something we are doing every day and it’s what we are analysing and looking at but players need to step up and pick the right moment on the pitch too.”
Crighton praised his defence after the match which moved the southsiders back into eighth and above Ross County.
He added: “Last week was a blip but over the piece our defence has been solid and I actually congratulated them after the game but the guys at the top end know they need to do better, and they know that’s where it matters.
“Matty Shiels is playing through a flu and managed 90 minutes but it’s not ideal timing.
“There are guys who are out injured and they came into the changing room at the end and there is a real togetherness about the entire group which is really good, and I’ll never question the commitment of any of my players – that’s never been in question – but ultimately if you don’t take chances in football games, and if we don’t take chances when we’re on top it can cost you, and we had an opportunity to win a football match and didn’t take it and that’s why I am so frustrated.
“We’re hopeful within our current injury situation that with a bit of a rest this week a few more might be fit for Ayr United next Saturday.”
Tickets for the visit of Scott Brown and the Honest Men will go back on sale on Tuesday at 10am. All away ticket sales have been handled by Ayr United and the away allocation is now sold out.
