Peterhead are at home to East Fife on Saturday in the 2nd round of the SPFL Trust Trophy, and after coming off the back of a 3-0 loss to the Fifers, Peterhead’s utility man Andy McCarthy wants Peterhead to bounce back and kick on in their oncoming games.
“You’ve got to make your home pitch a place where you always win, obviously we didn’t do that against Airdrie, but hopefully we start to pick up form at home. We all enjoy playing at Balmoor, and it suits us, so the next 3 games are massive. They’re all big games, we want to get a bit of momentum, start winning games of football. “
“A win on Saturday and then we kick on to the league game against Clyde.”
Looking back on the defeat last week to tomorrow’s opponents, McCarthy believed that Peterhead not taking their chances, with the Blue Toon having ten shots and four on target at the Bayview, and giving away poor goals were the missing pieces in the team jigsaw.
“Finishing the first half without scoring was disappointing, you need a goal in a game when you play like we did. Goals change games and change the momentum in games, and if we had scored one early on then we could have picked up the win.”
“It didn’t happen. There’s a lot of quality in our changing room and we’ve been creating chances. We need to be more clinical in the final third but I’m sure that if we keep creating chances they’ll turn into goals”.
“Also we’ve got to defend better than we did in the 2nd half, the goals we’re giving away at the minute are poor goals. That’s not what we’re about so it’s a bit frustrating”.
“Obviously it was a very disappointing result, especially the way we played in the first half. I think we had all the chances and all of the ball but that’s football, if you don’t take your chances and don’t score it comes back to bite you. It is frustrating to play like we did in the first half and come out in the second half and play poorly, things are going against us right now but that’s football sometimes.”
“it’s a good chance to play East Fife again on Saturday and hopefully get the result going our way this time.”
The Blue Toon will be without Lyall Cameron, Josh Mulligan and Danny Strachan for the game as they are cup tied after playing the Dundee B team ironically against Peterhead in the last round, but McCarthy feels this will present a great opportunity for those “Chomping at the bit” to get into the team.
“We have a small squad but it gives boys a chance to come in and play, especially the ones who’ve been chomping at the bit to get a chance. It gives them a chance to come in and do well so I’m sure it will be a bit different. The Dundee boys have been doing good stuff but it gives others a chance to come in and do alright.”
The former Partick Thistle man also discussed his role on the pitch whether that be in his usual centre of midfield, or at fullback where we’ve seen him for most of the season so far, and his willingness to help out the team whenever possible.
“I always love playing central midfield, it’s the place where I’ve always played in my career but at the minute, I just have to give the gaffer a hand and play right back. Its kind of different with the game infront of you but you enjoy having a lot of the ball and I don’t mind defending either.”
“I would rather be in the middle going about the pitch and doing the job I normally do but if you need to help the team, you need to help the team and its something I don’t mind doing, playing in a different position.”
The 22-year-old who signed in January 2020, has so far 33 appearances for the club and has become one of Peterhead’s most important and versatile players since arriving.
He will look to grab his first goal for the Toon in which ever position he’s played in today, whether that be in the middle of the park or on either side of the defence.
“The goal thing always comes up and it will until I finally score. Hopefully that will be on Saturday.”
