Duffy: Edinburgh win tinged with frustration
Manager Jim Duffy was thrilled with Saturday’s 5-0 win over Edinburgh City when taken in isolation but admitted the outcome was tinged with frustration after his side failed to make it out of their Betfred Cup section.
When asked for his thoughts on the afternoon as he whole, he said:
“There’s a tinge of frustration because, other than the Motherwell game, I think we did play well in the other three games.
“We just maybe didn’t capitalise on the chances, but today thankfully we did do. And I think if we take the game in a singular context, all departments were good today.
“Our concentration at the back was good, we passed the ball well from midfield, and all three strikers scored, so overall we’re really happy with the performance and the result.”
As well as causing the League Two outfit untold problems over the 90 minutes, the front three of Bob McHugh, Jai Quitongo and Robert Thomson all found the net.
It was Quitongo’s first goal since October 2016, and the Greenock gaffer was delighted to see his strikers amongst the goals, adding:
“Strikers thrive on goals and confidence. Although they have different aspects to their games, goals are what they like and, of course, what everyone else wants to see.
“We brought Robert and Bob here because we felt they could give us more of a threat in the final third. We had that and I think the scoreline was a reflection of our dominance in the game.
“Jai getting his first goal back from injury is always a confidence booster. You could see he was maybe trying too hard.
“The fans get a sense of expectation [when Jai’s on the ball] and I think he’s trying to live up to that straight away.
“So he’s maybe trying too much, taking three or four players on when he’s just got to calm himself down – and that goal will definitely help him.”
New Australian defender Jack Iredale made his debut in the fixture, helping his side to a cleansheet in his first ever competitive outing in the country of his birth.
He partnered another recent recruit Connor McManus in the centre of defence, and Duffy also reserved praise for the inexperienced pairing.
“The two young lads did really, really well. and you’re always delighted for a player when he’s thrown in at the deep end.
“Jack we brought in looking towards the Under-20s to start with and see how he goes, but with the injuries, we threw him and he handled the occasion very well.
“As did Connor. He’s come in and done very well in both games. He’s a footballer, an ccomplished midfielder, and he now certainly gives us competition in there.”
Image: Gary Bradley
