Simmo's Reaction To The County Victory

Last updated : 17 April 2006 By Thetashkentterror
Simmo speaks
United player-manager Paul Simpson spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Derek Lacey on Saturday evening as he gave his thoughts on the huge 2-1 comeback win over the Magpies at Brunton Park. The win leaving the Blues on the verge of a second succesive promotion :

" I think footballing wise that it wasn't the best of performances but I think we've shown character again to come back, keep battling away and keep testing them. I think they have come today and absolutely run themselves into the ground and maybe you've got to give Notts County a bit of credit.

" Their two strikers have caused us problems to us, we've kept plugging away though, we've had such a good bit of luck for ourselves with that goal to go in at half-time because in all honesty we didn't deserve to go in level at half-time. We've shown character again though and it's a big three points for us, I've said for weeks now that it's not about the performance. In the ideal world we'd like it to be a great footballing performance, it's about picking up results and we've picked up another result today.

" Again, we are so close to it. We knew it wasn't going to be over today, everybody was telling us it would be but we knew it wouldn't be, we knew there would be no celebrations today. It's about getting ourselves ready for the next one, which is a really massive game. It could be over if Grimsby don't beat Cheltenham on Friday night, but we want to go and do it ourselves, we want to make sure we are promoted and we want to make sure we are top of the league.

" It was in our hands today but I don't really know what we can put our finger on for why the performance wasn't there today. If they keep working though, keep battling and scrapping right to the end like they have done today then hopefully we won't go far wrong. "



" The goal before half-time didn't change the team-talk. We were so disappointing, so we had to have a go at half-time and we had to try and get them rallied again. We had to try and remind them why we are top of the league, because we are a good side. You don't get 78 points at this stage of this season and score 77 goals because you're lucky or you are a poor side, and we had to remind them what has got us into that position. The work-rate and that sort of thing and putting balls in the right areas.

" It was a difficult surface to play on today. We've got more grass on it than we've ever had since pre-season but unfortunately it was just bone dry and bobbly. We never quite got to grips with the ball and passed it, in the first-half the two full-backs were our outlets, and we didn't get it down, pass it out there and get them probing. We were a little bit too straight and direct and that's not what we are about, so we needed to just try and encourage them to get hold of it, to play and to try and get in that way. We got into wide areas better in the second-half and we had a couple of opportunities, and I have to say that it was such a relief when Bridgey (Michael Bridges) stuck that one away.

" He's proved to be a great signing for us, he's showing everbody what he's all about. He's had grief off me in the last couple of days as I don't think he has been quite right in his couple of performances. In the first-half today I was disappointed, he was giving the ball away, he was trying to do the midfielders job and we were saying to him to push further on and to do the damage in their final third. In the second-half he caused more bother and hopefully he'll get a big, big lift and we can just have one final push now to get on. Bridgey is probably shattered, I think this is the most games he has ever played in a season for years so it's bound to take it's toll. Hopefully he can just get us through the final little hurdle and he can have a good break and be refreshed for next year.

" I can't feel that we are a point away at the moment. I am an optimist normally as well but I can't at this present moment, I don't want to allow myself to. I don't know if I have said this before but I can't book my holidays because the day I am supposed to go is the play-off final, and I daren't book it because I want to be sure we are there. We are still a point away, the goal difference is invaluable at this point, and hopefully it won't come to that but we need to just keep going. If we can go to Mansfield and put in a strong performance, and battle like we have done today, and keep working like we have done today, then hopefully that will be it then. "