|
"It was a good game. It became end-to-end in the second half - they're a good counter-attacking team and they tested us - we had to be on our toes. Rochey (Barry Roche) made some excellent decisions tonight: every decision he made was the right one, and he was there when they got through us to make good saves, and he can be pleased with his performance.
"That's two clean sheets on the trot, which is pleasing, and we can build on those. It may not have been a spectacle as a game but it was entertaining. As the game progressed we became a bit one-dimensional looking for the Chief (Wayne Allison) all the time, when we could have worked the ball. If we lacked anything it was in the quality of our finishing and crossing. It could have been a little bit crisper, and we could have taken all three points.
"Colin (Larkin) did well but for me, I thought Derek Niven covered every blade of grass. He was there supporting the forwards when he could; his passing was excellent and he worked back to help the defence. I thought he was tremendous tonight.
"Maybe the team seemed to play better than last season because of the experience gained last year. Young (Aaron) Downes has come out of the game very well and Alan O'Hare is starting to believe in himself. So they've learned from the bad patch last season, and they're determined to change that. Our work ethic was tremendous. We just lacked that little spark of quality, of imagination in that last third.
"When he (Paul Shaw) had the shot in the first half he may have tweaked a little muscle between his hamstring and his backside, quite high up. It could be a strain and we need to give it time to settle down. We've got cover in the Chief and Caleb (Folan), and when they came on they didn't let the defence settle and both looked threatening.
"I didn't think (Kevan) Hurst was as effective in the last third as he normally is. He can usually produce something, be it a cross, or he'll dip his shoulder and come inside, but that quality was missing tonight. I'm pleased with his contribution - his workrate was excellent - but he didn't quite seem to have picked up the pace of the game."