Tidser: Dunfermline defeat hurt despite positive display
Midfielder Michael Tidser insists Saturday’s defeat at Dunfermline Athletic stung his pride regardless of the fact he felt Morton performed well on the day.
The Ton lost 3-1 to Allan Johnston’s Pars at the weekend, with goals from Nicky Clark, Michael Moffat and Rhys McCabe enough to claim the victory despite Lawrence Shankland levelling things up before the break.
Playmaker Tidser believes there were plenty of positives to take from the East End Park display but admitted the outcome was still a real source of disappointment.
He told gmfc.net: “I think we did well for large spells, for large spells we didn’t do so well and they scored goals at the times that kill you. The goals we lost were pretty poor, collectively as a team.
“But as I said, at the times we did well, we did what the manager and Hagi [Craig McPherson] have been wanting us to do, so from that point it’s not so bad.
“They wanted us to get the ball going forward quicker and turn teams to cause them problems, and I think you could see that on Saturday.
“Over the piece, I don’t think it was a 3-1. If we had taken a draw I think it would have been a fair result. That’s the way I feel personally; others might see it differently from the sides.
“We conceded a poor early goal but got the equaliser and I think we dominated the first half. The second half is eachy peachy and they got the goals at the right times for them and the game is effectively done for us.
“Overall, we did well in spells but we’ve lost the game. A defeat is a defeat regardless of whether you’re in the play-offs or not. There are positives to take but we’re disappointed with the end result.
“That’s my mindset and that will never change regardless. Even if we had won the league my mindset wouldn’t have been different: I go into every game wanting to my best for myself, my team-mates and for the club as a whole.
“The result today matters to me, it most certainly matters. I came off the pitch cursing and swearing and I’m genuinely disappointed we got beat; you don’t want to lose a game of football.
“But it’s one of those ones we’ve got to dust ourselves down, push on to Saturday, and hopefully, come the play-offs, we’ll be ready to go.”
At 27, Tidser is one of the most experienced heads in a relatively young Ton squad, and he was delighted to see emerging teenage talents Lewis Strapp, Scott Tiffoney and Ben Armour get game time.
He added: “I thought they did well. Strappy, every time I see him, every day in training, he’s very committed and I think he has a bright future ahead of him.
“Tiffoney is learning and improving all the time and he’s doing what the manager wants him to do. Young Ben Armour has only been up with us a few times, but he looks a big strong boy and has done well in training.
“Fair play to the manager for thrusting them in and believing in them. He said that to them before the game: ‘I believe in you. If I didn’t you wouldn’t be in the squad. Ff you get involved, go and show what you can do.’ They’ve shown the future’s bright.”
Image: David Bell
