STEVIE CRAWFORD insists that his side's play-off disappointment will not dilute his hunger to ensure Athletic improve next season.

The East End head coach was a disappointed figure on Saturday afternoon after watching his side exit the Premiership play-offs to rivals Raith Rovers at the quarter-final stage.

After a scoreless draw in the first leg, second half goals from Lewis Vaughan and ex-Par, Gozie Ugwu, sent John McGlynn's through to a meeting with Dundee this week.

Despite creating plenty of opportunities in both matches, Dunfermline couldn't find the clinical finish that could have ensured their season continued for at least two more games.

Now, however, Crawford will be left to reflect on a campaign that had it's share of ups and downs, with decisions likely to be taken over players' futures in the coming weeks.

Whilst he said he would be taking a couple of days out to clear his mind, he insisted that he is determined to plot a route towards a more successful campaign next year.

"First of all, congratulations to Raith Rovers. I wish them all the best in the rest of the play-offs but, on a personal note, you can hear it, I'm disappointed," he said after the final whistle at Stark's Park.

"We didn't do that clinical piece of putting the ball over the goal line, whether that's credit to Jamie MacDonald (Rovers keeper), or just maybe not having that ruthlessness over the two ties to give us the opportunity to win the game.

"I thought the players' attitude, commitment, application was very good over the two games and I can't fault that. As I say, it just didn't fall for us where we managed find the back of the net over the two ties.

"I thought again we've come here and we've created opportunities on the day itself, but as I say, if you don't score goals you don't win games. That's the harsh reality and that's what we'll have to live with over the summer.

"You live and learn, and that's what I've just said to the players in there. We've encountered difficult times as all clubs have - we're facing different things in life with the Covid - and they've been a credit to themselves with some of the things that they've had to face this year.

I go back to that 5-1 game here and I thought their attitude and the determination to make sure we finished in the play-offs - I want to give them a massive pat on the back because that shows they've got courage and bravery.

"I know some players will be going back to their parent clubs and the boys that we've got here, we've got to evaluate over the next few days to then bring recruitment in to help us kick on again next season."

He added: "That's the challenges of being at a club like Dunfermline.

"At the moment, I don't want my disappointment to take away my hunger for this club to do better, but what I have got to do, is I've got to make sure that myself, physically and mentally, that I clear my head, take a couple of days just to get away from it all, and then look to progress this club.

"The first task of that is recruitment and making sure we get boys that want to play for Dunfermline Football Club."