Dunfermline midfielder says they need to “dig in” to reverse fortunes

After starting Saturday’s defeat on the bench at Hampden, Hamilton said the side were left “massively frustrated” at themselves at not taking anything from the game.

“The first half kills us,” he said. “The first ten minutes I thought we were okay. We started the game not too bad, without doing anything amazing and then from there it just seemed to go downhill and we never really got to grips with what happened which is the real frustration.

“We need to be better than that as players on the pitch. I'm not speaking out of turn, obviously I wasn't on the pitch, but the boys know that in there. We've spoke, we've had words.

“There's no one more frustrated than us in there that things aren't going well just now and it's up to us as players to dig in. It's only us that are out there when something goes against us that need to stand up and be counted. Not let our heads go under and that's what happened today.”

Hamilton was looking to prove a point when he came on at the break at Hampden and he, and fellow substitutes Matt Todd and Joe Chalmers, made an immediate impact on the game and looked like they could help steer the team away from defeat.

Chris Hamilton congratulates Matty Todd after his goal brought Dunfermline level at Hampden. (Image: Craig Brown) “When you go on, you've obviously have got a point to prove me, Joe and Matty. The squad is big, it's healthy when everyone's fit. So when you're left out, you want to get on the pitch and prove a point,” he added.

“I think the subs made a difference but second half, I don't think it was anything special. I think it was just digging in, making the right choices and really having a good go at them.

“I thought in the second half we definitely deserved something from the game and that's the kind of the way the season has gone so far.

“We've been, I would say, in every game, maybe apart from one or two and we're just falling short, which is frustrating because it's not through lack of trying. It's not through lack of, I think, chances.

“It's just maybe that wee bit that's not falling for us. I know we can't keep saying that every week. “The fans turned up again today in good numbers and they'll be going home frustrated and so are we. We are doing everything we can to put it right and I think it's not far away.”

Manager James McPake was pleased to see Hamilton bounce back and come on and make an impact after criticism following Dunfermline’s defeat at Falkirk.

“He's been down a wee bit. He obviously had the error at Falkirk that hurts him a lot for he's one of the ones that certainly does,” he said.

“It affects him. He takes it home, not just for the night, but for the full week. I thought the second half he was excellent.

“He came on and showed just the desire to play for this football club. The desire to go and win his individual battle that was sadly lacking from a few in the first half.”