Did you go through every emotion in the last five minutes?
I thought we deserved to win the game and I thought our goal in the 89th minute was a just goal. Their goalie got man of the match, we created numerous chances and hurt them in every different way possible. The disappointing thing is you make the sub because we knew what was coming and yes it’s somebody’s man, but we had 11 men in the box and it’s a disappointing way to concede. If they open us up, or score a ‘worldy’ you can take that, but not from a set play, that’s disappointing.
You are starting to concede a few goals from set plays
In the last three away games we’ve conceded from set plays so that’s something that needs to be addressed. People need to take responsibility and we’ve said that. We can talk about that all we want, but I’d rather talk about all our good play. We have come to a team, it’s absolutely blowing a gale and the pitch is horrible and we’ve absolutely footballed them off the park. That’s not football where we pass it around the back and don’t hurt them. Scott Brown has got man of the match and it was a good goal from Nigel (Atangana), which was another good bit of play.
After the first 15 minutes was there only team in it in the first half?
Yes, we started the game poorly, gave a poor goal away, but once we got a grip of it and for the next hour we showed we are a better team that where we are in the league. The gap is now two points. You have to keep believing and that’s 11 points in six games. A point away from home and most people would have probably taken that at the start. But the way it’s panned out, disappointed, but we’ll take the positives and I’ll take creating chances and dominating the ball like that.
Alex Addai came on and had a hand in the goal, but also caused them a number problems
That’s what Alex does. Jonah started the game and scored and that’s what we want, people coming into games and affecting it. The group look a cohesive group now, they can see how we want to play and it can be a difficult formation to play against when we do it as well as we did today.
One of your better performances in your time in charge?
I just think it’s another sign of the progression being made. I didn’t think we were that bad last week, they had two 15 minutes last week and created a few chances and I thought we were the better team for an hour. I thought after the first 15 minutes today we were the best team all around. I will keep taking good performances because at this stage it is about performances because they will give you results. The last three games of the season and you need to win I’ll take any which way possible, but if we keep doing that over the next 25 games we’ll be all right.
Awful conditions today, how hard was it to play the football you did on that pitch and in that weather?
It took 10 minutes for them to have a think about it, but there is no point in smashing it up in the air as you don’t know where it’s going. At least if you pass the ball on the floor, the pitch is wet, it helps you move it around quickly as you know where it’s going, generally. Mixed emotions and it is a kick in the nether regions so to speak, but on the performance I thought the players were excellent today.
You have conceded a couple from set pieces recently, but you do look dangerous from attacking set plays
It’s a big part of League Two and that’s what I’ve just told the players. We have dominated the game and conceded from a set piece. I don’t know the actual stat, but something like 40 per cent of goals coming from set plays. If we can eradicate that and dominate the ball like we have and create chances like we have we will win more than we lose, but it’s if. It’s organisation and the frustrating thing is, if someone has opened us up with a good bit of play or whacked one in the top corner, but they didn’t. It was a sloppy corner to give away in the first place and then it’s just first contact in the box, you need to make them.
How pleased were you for Sam Jones, coming back in with a goal?
He’s responded well. He had the Oldham one (red card) and he’s had to wait his time as people came in and did well. He has scored and done all right in recent games so I was pleased for him.
Liam McAlinden has gone out on loan and you had two young lads on the bench today, which is great experience for them. But the squad is looking thin in terms of senior players
Yes, well you can’t have it all and moan you had too many players and we have people out as a lot of money has been spent by the club. When you have 29 players you are massively over budget and you have to try and recoup some of the money, somehow. That’s what we’ve been trying to do and there has been other reasons too, particularly with the younger ones as that’s more about game time for them. You are trying to balance the books though. It’s great experience for the two young lads and we’ll get to January and see where we are.
Will you review them all in January?
Yes, absolutely. Other people’s contracts are up in January too and a lot of meetings are going on about strategies and where we want to be and what we want the squad to look like. It’s not always as easy as that as it’s who is available and we are two points off the relegation zone in League Two, so who wants to come? So there are a lot of factors you have to stick in the pot of who you can get and who wants to come.
