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I think by and large John Robertson has done a good job for us so far and believe he has the ability to take us back to the Premier League... however... his post match comments yesterday evening were LUDICROUS. His criticism of Ricky Calder was absolute tosh. Calder was by far and away the best player on the park yesterday. If he doesn't start our next game on the left flank I'll be astonished.

Should have done much better today, had ample chances but squandered them. I thought maybe the penalty foul was just outside the box but not sure. However if we keep missing it doesn't matter. They took their chance. Odd how we put out a lesser strength team a few games into the season, we should be looking to complete properly especially if your charging 15 quid an adult plus a fiver for wee kids too. All this It's good we can concentrate on the league now is utter nonsense. Virtually all the best experiences I've had with ICT in the past several years have been in cups. Would winning the league be preferred to winning the cup? Of course but we should be able to compete in both and certainly past this stage as holders. Very dissapointing.

This has been a concern of mine (and others) from what I've seen this season. All too often we get the ball in a good attacking area but there seems to be a hesitancy to get moving forward. I wasn't there last night but on Saturday, and the other games this season, width came from Tremarco and Rooney whilst their team mates ahead of them tucked inside (Doran, Walsh, Polworth etc.) This meant, on Saturday, with Tremarco advanced and Doran tucked in ahead of him, Ayr had acres of space to batter a ball into our totally vacant left back area to launch a counter. Too often when we do get the ball we seem content to pass, move, pass move, and so on. No one seems willing to take their opponent on and try and beat them.

Sorry to be negative but we were playing a very young pars team which we dominated for most of the game but yet again failed to put the match to bed. On this showing I would be very surprised if we are challenging at the end of the season I hope I'm wrong.

Anyone who can fecking hit the target.

Polworth was played on the right side of midfield from the start and played horrible, as did most of our team IMO but as soon as Walsh came on we had 2 wingers, this allowed us to play with pace on both wings and Polworth moved into the centre of midfield, definitely his strongest position for us and this changed the game with his link up play. He is not a wide player. I'm struggling to find reasons why he is continually getting played out wide when it is clear that his best position for us is central midfield. Also a strong showing from Oakley and White, they linked up well on numerous occasions. potentially a different result if the changes happened earlier. Disappointing to exit the cup this early.

I've been full of admiration for what JR has achieved since he came back as manager but I think that is a simply appalling interview. For a start, how dare he criticise these young lads for disrespecting the opposition and the fans and being responsible for going out of the cup that, in his words, "we worked so hard last year to win". If he thinks making every effort to win this game was important, then he should have put out his strongest team. If he thinks the team that started on Saturday was his strongest team than how disrespectful is it to make no less than 7 changes. But to add insult to injury, his criticism of the 7 is mostly unjustified and to restrict his comments to the 7 is plain wrong. What about the 4 who also started against Ayr? Of those, only Rooney had a reasonable game. The Par's first goal came from a Trafford error and McKay's foul. The 2nd stemmed from Polworth losing the ball in midfield. Yes we were lethargic in the first half, but no more so than for most of the game against Ayr. Responsibility for that lethargy must lie primarily with the more experienced players who failed to show the necessary leadership on the park. And if some of these young lads were so poor, why then only take one of them off and only make 2 substitutions? He says that White and Welsh were fine and McCart did OK but that there was "... nothing. Nothing" from the others. I guess he was too far away to see just how well Calder did out on the left in the 2nd half. He makes reference to the number of crosses coming in and that some were good, but just who does he think was getting the ball across? The ball boys? To quote from the official match report " Spotting a weakness on the flanks, both Rooney and Calder continued to hit tantalising crosses into the box". And how can John Robertson say White and Welsh were fine and then go on to say it may be a long time before any of the 7 play again? It just doesn't make sense. Unfair criticism of his players in this way is a sure fire way of losing the dressing room. There is only one person responsible for yesterday's defeat and that is John Robertson himself It is John Robertson who should be taking a long hard look at the video of the game before making a few apologies to some of the lads. As I say, I have been a great admirer for what John has achieved here. His comments have often been uncomfortable but honest and fair. That is why I am just so disappointed to hear him making such unjustified criticism of his young players in order to deflect the blame from where it so clearly lies - with himself.

It is all very well giving youth it's chance but as a supporter I object to having to pay so much for entrance to watch a youth team. One begins to wonder should I have really bought a season ticket again ?

Been moaning about this for years too. The recieved wisdom is always, take no risks at the back, take some risks in midfield, save the risky passes for final third. But we must be the most cautious, risk-averse side in the league.

Once again last night, like so many games over the last year we are a team that for long periods of a game appear to give maximum effort for very little if anything of an end product..... In contrast once again, our opposition generally only have to apply minimal well timed effort but execute it with maximum effort and clinical awareness. I feel we got "lucky" with whites goal, it was a perfect pass in and white was perfectly placed to deflect it in, but in amongst a mass of defenders that will only pay off 1/10th of the time, the break that Dumfermline made looked to be at worst, a shot at target as soon as the break started. The amount of pace and space that the attackers were offered was what every team are looking for.... We occasionally get it but we never use it to our advantage and any sprint at goal fizzles out and we allow the back line to reform. Its the same old story time and time again, goals win games not chances

Calder was not exactly casual. He was exposed firstly by very slack play by the midfield gifting the ball to Dunfermline and making little effort to get the ball back, and secondly by McCart who seemed to let the ball run past him when it looked to me to be the easiest thing in the world to have cut the cross out. Calder was left in the difficult position of knowing that any touch on the ball could have put it in his own net. Calder couldn't quite sort out the mess that his team mates created but at least he tried. To put the blame on him is very harsh indeed.

Think you'll find we have already found our new version of Danny...... Walsh, who has a sweet left foot, driving runs, taking players on.... snuff said.

That's exactly the point if this really is the case then as fans we need to highlight this to the upper levels at the club and expect action. We can't be sent behavioural guidelines for match days then have those who are paid to perform these duties ignore them. If the abuse was as blatant as described and heard throughout the stadium then the directors assuming they were at the game must have heard it to therefore they need to address the steward issues directly or are no better than the other hypocrites running clubs and Scottish football when it comes to abuse and acceptability.

A poor first half overall the team really struggle to transition from midfield into attack without having any players to really drive with the ball and beat a player. I don't think this has ever really been replaced since we lost Shinnie and Watkins. Walsh and Oakley changed it for us in the second half with Walsh offering more width we found far more space and actually got balls into the box for our center pairing. I thought White should have done better with some of his headers and needs to show more desire to get on the end of the crosses. In my opinion the 2 strikers starting each game is causing too many problems for us. We need to restore real width to the side, Calder on the left and Walsh on the right with Welsh + Chalmers or Trafford and Polworth in front of the two but he must be CENTRAL not wide in the park. Take your pick on strikers we don't have a 20 a season man and each of the 3 senior ones will all score 1 in every 3 games roughly throughout the season. It's the quality from midfield that will make or break our season. Had hoped to see Aaron Doran perform well last night but that's another game where I've struggled to remember any telling contribution. Really doesn't look the player he once was and i worry the club have made a big mistake backing him over these years.

From what I've seen of our stewards they only seem interested in getting 'involved' if the problem involves anyone up to the age of 16 .

Well an interesting line up tonight. Despite a defeat I felt there were far more positives than there was in the Ayr game. We created a lot of chances in the second half and had we not gifted Dunfermline a penalty (possibly should have been a free kick on the edge of the box) we may have won the game. Thoughts on the team: Daniel Mackay - had a great first 20-30 mins and then fell out of the game. Has a great future but may be best used as an impact player from the bench this season. Sean Welsh - was very composed and our best midfielder tonight. Looks a better player than Chalmers and Trafford and hope to see him start v Alloa. Charlie Trafford - had a terrible first half and the team seemed to lose confidence in him after his assist for their goal. I'd still play him ahead of Chalmers because he puts in a tackle. Ricky Calder - my MOM, caused a lot of problems for Dunfermline in the second half. Creates width and he can cross a ball, would be good to see him play left midfield in front of Tremarco. Jamie McCart - solid game and would be my preferred centre back with Donaldson. Jordan White - great hold up play and if he gets a run of games could prove a good signing. Thought he improved further when Oakley came on and perhaps a White/Oakley strike partnership is the way forward. Tom Walsh - created a number of chances and when we get the ball to him he always looks to go forward. Created width which we desperately needed. Shaun Rooney - caught out for the winning goal and needs to practice his crossing. Polworth / Doran / Brad McKay - plenty of effort but not their best games. Robbo - the substitutions made a difference, and we were more composed with Trafford removed and Polworth playing in the middle. And finally we need to practice corners - we had so many but there was no creativity, put into the box in hope rather than training ground moves.

When the subs were made it changed the game which we should have won with the crosses that were coming in from both sides ! Polworth was poor but has never been good played wide. As for the ref and linesman it should have been a free kick outside the box but they are all from the central belt

Manager would have been delighted to have it as a distraction from explaining the dross he's been serving up on the park.

Absolutely spot on. This defeat was of Robertsons making, wrong team and wrong tactics. He should have been man enough to admit that he got It wrong and not treated the only cup we had a realistic chance of winning this season, In such a blaźe way.

They didn't miss the Meekings incident, they saw it and judged it as not deliberate or meriting any action.

Definitely Steven McLean in the middle. Actually met him 2 weeks ago at a meeting but never got round to thanking him ?

Having watched the highlights I didn't see any clear cut chances created, half chances yes, even our goal was a half chance brilliantly finished by White. I bumped into the Ayr lads on Saturday in Aviemore, joked with them about ordering chips from Smithy's (boy did I feel old, these lads looked about 17/18) they seemed to regard ICT as a strong team though I told them our problem was scoring goals, they responded, long may it continue. Like all other teams we need to find a striker that can score 20+ goals a season and right now I don't see anyone who fits that description.

Totally agree with you. It Is down to the coaching, and It doesnt matter who knocks on the managers door, he Is the boss, the manager picks the team, the players dont pick the team. Is he saying he bowed to player pressure and thats why there were so many changes.

I heard the interview on MFR and my first thought was he picked the starting team and also its never good hearing the manager tearing into the players there was 7 different starts from saturday but it was more of the same on the pitch which surely must come down to the way they are coached??

I hope not on both accounts

I agree with you, when we get control of the ball we seem to wait till the other team are all behind the ball and back In their shape and then try to play through them, It just doesnt work, while our opponents always seem to counter quickly with pace with our defence stretched.

I was wondering the same is it down to money? like not sending money on the recording of interview but as paying fans i think we deserve to hear the managers thoughts after a game . One thing for sure its going to be a long season its very early on but fed up of it already?

Very frustrating game which we completely dominated. Numerous crosses into the box, numerous corners - just couldn't score! As for the penalty - regardless of whether the offence took place in or out of the box - it all resulted from extremely casual defending where the ball was given away in a very dangerous position, and not for the first time! With a 250 mile round trip for home games, at least I've got a much needed week and a half to try and work up some enthusiasm to attend the next one!

What the article is not clear about is the mechanisms for approving such policies . It is all very well for officials to draw up changes but some committees of representatives of member Associations must surely approve them and the Committees themselves will be accountable to the body as whole. What then is the position of UK FAs? Are they opposing this or are they doing FA? The sums of money floating around at the top level of football these days are totally obscene. It would appear that what to us ordinary people is corruption is just a fact of life to those at the top of the administrative tree.

Huge disappointment losing that given the chances we had. Both teams made quite a few changes Dunfermline starting with 7 youth players (6 of them teenagers), 2 fringe players along with Higgenbotham and Beadling. We only had 4 starting who started against Ayr on Saturday. We did look a better balanced side this evening and there was width in our play which we didn't have on Saturday, though that might have more to do with the quality of the opposition. I thought both our full backs were brilliant, Calder especially when going forward. He looks a very good crosser of the ball. Tom Walsh had a lot more room to work in when he came on and worked very well with Rooney, even cutting in and poping a couple of shots at goal. Our midfield looked more balanced with Welsh sitting in front of the center backs and with Chalmers out there wasn't players getting in each other's way. Polworth and Trafford did a shift and tried to keep the tempo high with some quick but not always accurate passing and Doran behind the strikers and sometimes out on the left where there was space to run. As I mentioned we had the chances, I can't fault the service, I mean the crosses into the box were perfect most of the time but most of the time who ever got their head to the ball would be under it rather than on it, the accuracy with headers in front of goal tonight was terrible. White got his head to one and got his goal but he and there were others who should have done better. This is where it went wrong tonight, had at least 2 of these gone in we would not have lost that. For as long as we keep missing in front of goal the opposition had hope. I couldn't see the penalty incident properly I thought Brad and the Dunfermline player were shoulder to shoulder and the Pars player just went down, I didn't see if there was a trip or if it was a soft penalty award. For most of the game they offered little threat and their winner came with their only clear chance of the 2nd half when Andy Ryan got clear and crossed low right across our box and we had switched of, nobody cleared and I think it was McCart who could have cut the cross out but 18 year old Callum Smith who was on his right as he ran back got a toe in first to put the ball past Hoban. I don't have a problem with the starting 11, many of the fringe players needed a game and from what I saw some were a bit rusty with the exception of Calder.

Hard not to argue with this. Very poor call imho

£35 spent tonight to get in very steep and it was very poor first half not good second half much better when subs were made Walsh very good i was glad Trafford went off he was terrible and sorry but Polworth didnt have a good game. All this missed opportunities is going to haunt us i fear. Just where do they get such poor Ref's and linesmen ?

Agree 100% with the sentiment. The signs this early don't inspire confidence.

Sad to say, we have had a nasty element amongst some of our younger supporters for a couple of seasons. I have seen some of them challenge away fans to fight, use disgusting language and generally behave badly. I have challenged them, and bear in mind I was wearing a club scarf and baseball cap so they knew I was an ICT supporter, and was threatened by them. Upon telling them to basically go away or else I would literally take them apart, they backed off showing what cowards they are. We have also seen fighting at Elgin and damage done to Brechin's ground by some of our younger so called fans who, when banned by the club, had posters on here saying that was harsh. At some point, these so called supporters have to be made of an example of and a true deterrent set. Just banning them for a season is, in my opinion, unlikely to cut it with these morons.

for those posting "Longridge" in here .... you may want to edit your post before kick off . Dunfermline have two players of that name Louis and Jackson and both have scored this season.

The stewards are utterly useless. They'll only do something if it is a very small group of fans for fear of other supporters getting involved.

You said it yourself Kingsmills. “As with everything in life, there are exceptions” And sadly some people just never do learn no matter how many chances they are given.

Often if critical of a player or performance on this forum there are useless happy to tar those with the same brush as the fans shouting match abuse. I wasn't at the game but if what's written is correct then it's utterly unacceptable however nobody has stated any action taken other than internet posts. Did anyone or a group approach the culprits or stewards to address this at the time? The stewards have a duty to tackle this behaviour and should be ejecting fans based on our club policy given by the board if they are not then it needs highlighted at the top level in the club as the service being paid for is not in keeping with club policy.

Him with the Hugh Jarse?

Challenging at which end of the table ?

Which end?